Next round of the catching up game
Jan. 31st, 2007 12:42 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
hmpfSeems like at least once a year I start an entry with a line like that, because apparently I have this inability to keep up with LJ properly for more than a few months, and inevitably need to go for extended stints of near-total LJ abstinence.
So, the latest phase of abstinence is about to end, and I've begun catching up. This will, as usual, take weeks, and this time I'll probably only really catch up with the people I know somewhat more closely, and just jump in at the present with everyone else. It would just take too much time otherwise, and I don't actually *have* that time. I'm sorry. I'm actually *interested* in a lot of you, even the ones I don't know so closely, but there's only so many hours in the day, and my flist is 100+ now. (Frell! How did *that* happen?!)
Still trying to get my life back in order, most recently only with limited success. I *did* deliver my paper relatively successfully (or at least a lot more successfully than the last three or so times) but then obsession and writing sort of took over my life for the last week and a bit, and that screwed up my plans for, well, anything, really.
I guess I have to make allowances for that kind of thing *occasionally*, because I am just too much of a fan - and care too much about writing - to *always* exercise self-control in these regards, and also, when the muses call, you'd be stupid not to answer, because they don't call all that often. But, still. This threw me back in a number of ways, and I'll have to work doubly hard to make up for it. It also reminded me of one of the main reasons why I write so rarely: when I do write, it tends to take over my mind and my life completely, rendering me incapable of normal life. I'm not sure what to do about this. Clearly, I need to be able to lead a normal life, because I need to finish uni, I need to work at my job, I need to keep up a social life, etc. Not quite so clearly, perhaps, I also need to keep writing, because... well, because. Because I just need to. I know this when I'm writing. I forget it, sometimes, when I'm not.
So, it seems like the alternatives are these:
1.) I can learn to apply self-control to writing - e.g., write only at certain times of day, but do so regularly, or
2.) I can continue to suck either at writing, or at life. There is no peaceful coexistence.
1.) is really the only option... but *is* it an option? I wonder. Because I can't switch off my brain, can I? I can't simply change channels in my mind... So, if Methos or John or Sam or Maya's on there 24/7, what can I do about that? And if I did something about it, wouldn't it kill my writing?
That said... in the last few weeks, I haven't sucked at life quite so badly. I've finished one paper, written four articles, nearly finished a fic and continued two more, had some meaningful interactions with friends, read stuff for uni, etc. So, my feelings of guilt for the lost week and a bit aren't too bad. But of course that's dangerous. I can't rest on my laurels, I need to keep fighting. I must not let my control slip.
**
Mixed News:
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
beccatoria makes great, cerebral BSG vids. beccatoria now has a website for her vids. Check out "Jesus Walks", in particular, and marvel at the brilliance. beccatoria is also coming to visit me on Friday! Yay!
*
I have discovered the disturbing, absorbing, challenging and just plain weird world of Donna Barr's The Desert Peach. I think I like her older stuff, most of which is not on the website, a bit better than the current stuff, though. I bought most of the series from the 'used' bins at my local comic shop last month. I didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. So pleasantly surprised, in fact, that I bought every issue still available from her website that I didn't have yet. Unfortunately the parcel hasn't arrived yet, and I'm beginning to worry.
*
Speaking of indie/webcomics by female creators, every day is Finder day currently at Lightspeed Press. Carla Speed McNeil is updating every day with a new page of the latest storyline, "Voice", featuring Rachel and Lynne Grosvenor. A good time to enter the world of Finder, I think!
*
I'm writing a column now for www.fictionbox.de, with a few other people. The first part is here. The next part will be up tomorrow, and will be about Life on Mars, which starts on German TV this Saturday (Kabel 1, at 20:15).
*
Speaking of promoting Life on Mars: I'll also be speaking about LoM at this year's DortCon. (They actually *asked* me to. The fools. *g* Well, actually they know exactly how fanatical I can be, as I talked about Farscape there before. Twice, I think. And once flew in from Barcelona just to do so.)
*
And, also kind of LoM-related: I've become strangely obsessed with the song 'Chica Chica' by Magic Alex, which is the band John Simm (with whom I have *also* become strangely obsessed) used to be a member of when it still existed. And no, I'm *not* obsessed with the song because of John Simm. I swear. I've never been particularly prone to following actors I like to other projects; most of the time I don't even check out their other movies/series. And I wasn't even curious about the band for, oh, I dunno, days or weeks. Vaguely knew there was a website but didn't check it out, until I was really bored sometime last week. So, I can only conclude that I *really* like the song, for its own sake. It's a good song. Well, okay, I'm not well-versed enough in things musical to really make an educated judgement about that kind of thing. What I *can* say is that it works for *me*. Also, John Simm explaining or rather not-explaining the 'real' title of the thing ("It's actually called Chica Chica Pukka Wakka... for *some* reason... It's all very hazy..." - sp?) cracks me up. (Yes, I've actually listened to the Times podcast about the band by now. Watch me slide further down that slippery slope towards stalkerdom. Yikes.)
*
Did I mention John Simm came to The Railway Arms personally last week to answer our questions? And no, that first question he answered wasn't from the thread. Which means he must be lurking at least occasionally in other threads. Eeeeeeeeeee!
*
No, no lj-cut today. I haven't taken up any space on your friends pages in months... may as well make a triumphant return now. Mwahahahaaaa!
So, the latest phase of abstinence is about to end, and I've begun catching up. This will, as usual, take weeks, and this time I'll probably only really catch up with the people I know somewhat more closely, and just jump in at the present with everyone else. It would just take too much time otherwise, and I don't actually *have* that time. I'm sorry. I'm actually *interested* in a lot of you, even the ones I don't know so closely, but there's only so many hours in the day, and my flist is 100+ now. (Frell! How did *that* happen?!)
Still trying to get my life back in order, most recently only with limited success. I *did* deliver my paper relatively successfully (or at least a lot more successfully than the last three or so times) but then obsession and writing sort of took over my life for the last week and a bit, and that screwed up my plans for, well, anything, really.
I guess I have to make allowances for that kind of thing *occasionally*, because I am just too much of a fan - and care too much about writing - to *always* exercise self-control in these regards, and also, when the muses call, you'd be stupid not to answer, because they don't call all that often. But, still. This threw me back in a number of ways, and I'll have to work doubly hard to make up for it. It also reminded me of one of the main reasons why I write so rarely: when I do write, it tends to take over my mind and my life completely, rendering me incapable of normal life. I'm not sure what to do about this. Clearly, I need to be able to lead a normal life, because I need to finish uni, I need to work at my job, I need to keep up a social life, etc. Not quite so clearly, perhaps, I also need to keep writing, because... well, because. Because I just need to. I know this when I'm writing. I forget it, sometimes, when I'm not.
So, it seems like the alternatives are these:
1.) I can learn to apply self-control to writing - e.g., write only at certain times of day, but do so regularly, or
2.) I can continue to suck either at writing, or at life. There is no peaceful coexistence.
1.) is really the only option... but *is* it an option? I wonder. Because I can't switch off my brain, can I? I can't simply change channels in my mind... So, if Methos or John or Sam or Maya's on there 24/7, what can I do about that? And if I did something about it, wouldn't it kill my writing?
That said... in the last few weeks, I haven't sucked at life quite so badly. I've finished one paper, written four articles, nearly finished a fic and continued two more, had some meaningful interactions with friends, read stuff for uni, etc. So, my feelings of guilt for the lost week and a bit aren't too bad. But of course that's dangerous. I can't rest on my laurels, I need to keep fighting. I must not let my control slip.
**
Mixed News:
beccatoria makes great, cerebral BSG vids. beccatoria now has a website for her vids. Check out "Jesus Walks", in particular, and marvel at the brilliance. beccatoria is also coming to visit me on Friday! Yay! *
I have discovered the disturbing, absorbing, challenging and just plain weird world of Donna Barr's The Desert Peach. I think I like her older stuff, most of which is not on the website, a bit better than the current stuff, though. I bought most of the series from the 'used' bins at my local comic shop last month. I didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. So pleasantly surprised, in fact, that I bought every issue still available from her website that I didn't have yet. Unfortunately the parcel hasn't arrived yet, and I'm beginning to worry.
*
Speaking of indie/webcomics by female creators, every day is Finder day currently at Lightspeed Press. Carla Speed McNeil is updating every day with a new page of the latest storyline, "Voice", featuring Rachel and Lynne Grosvenor. A good time to enter the world of Finder, I think!
*
I'm writing a column now for www.fictionbox.de, with a few other people. The first part is here. The next part will be up tomorrow, and will be about Life on Mars, which starts on German TV this Saturday (Kabel 1, at 20:15).
*
Speaking of promoting Life on Mars: I'll also be speaking about LoM at this year's DortCon. (They actually *asked* me to. The fools. *g* Well, actually they know exactly how fanatical I can be, as I talked about Farscape there before. Twice, I think. And once flew in from Barcelona just to do so.)
*
And, also kind of LoM-related: I've become strangely obsessed with the song 'Chica Chica' by Magic Alex, which is the band John Simm (with whom I have *also* become strangely obsessed) used to be a member of when it still existed. And no, I'm *not* obsessed with the song because of John Simm. I swear. I've never been particularly prone to following actors I like to other projects; most of the time I don't even check out their other movies/series. And I wasn't even curious about the band for, oh, I dunno, days or weeks. Vaguely knew there was a website but didn't check it out, until I was really bored sometime last week. So, I can only conclude that I *really* like the song, for its own sake. It's a good song. Well, okay, I'm not well-versed enough in things musical to really make an educated judgement about that kind of thing. What I *can* say is that it works for *me*. Also, John Simm explaining or rather not-explaining the 'real' title of the thing ("It's actually called Chica Chica Pukka Wakka... for *some* reason... It's all very hazy..." - sp?) cracks me up. (Yes, I've actually listened to the Times podcast about the band by now. Watch me slide further down that slippery slope towards stalkerdom. Yikes.)
*
Did I mention John Simm came to The Railway Arms personally last week to answer our questions? And no, that first question he answered wasn't from the thread. Which means he must be lurking at least occasionally in other threads. Eeeeeeeeeee!
*
No, no lj-cut today. I haven't taken up any space on your friends pages in months... may as well make a triumphant return now. Mwahahahaaaa!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-01-31 09:04 am (UTC)Thanks for the reminder. I totally forgot about it. :o)
no subject
Date: 2007-01-31 02:43 pm (UTC)In some ways I'm jealous of your inability to stop writing. Currently it's one I wish I shared. It does make me wonder if I'm meant to keep writing, if it's as easy as this to stop and let it slide. You put it excellently. When I am writing, I know I love it, but it's so easy to forget that, when I'm not doing it.
Anyway, thanks for the pimpage. Cerebral! What a compliment! :)
Stuff
Date: 2007-01-31 03:13 pm (UTC)True. Still, a *little* bit more self-control would be nice. But, yeah. This probably needs time, practice, patience...
>In some ways I'm jealous of your inability to stop writing. Currently it's one I wish I shared. It does make me wonder if I'm meant to keep writing, if it's as easy as this to stop and let it slide. You put it excellently. When I am writing, I know I love it, but it's so easy to forget that, when I'm not doing it.
Well - I didn't write anything between, oh, something like March last year and November or so, either. It hasn't been a productive year, exactly. And half of what's 'inspiring' me now is the panic of "Oh god, this will all be horribly AU 10 weeks from now!"
I don't know if we're 'meant' to write. Are we 'meant' to do anything? I know that *you* are too *good* to stop writing, and sometimes I manage to believe that I am, too. Doesn't mean that we're 'meant' to do it - but it *does* mean it would be a shame to stop, both for our own sakes (on the balance, I am happier when I write, even when I get stuck), and - possibly - the reading world at large's ;-). Because, just maybe, one day we may happen to do something great. Or we may not, but you know, if we give up now, we *certainly* never will.
So, continuing just makes more sense than stopping, to me.
Of course, I also get stuck, sometimes for months. But so far, that's always passed. And I wonder if perhaps you can even force yourself to get past the block, to some degree. I have never seriously tried, but maybe I should.
>Anyway, thanks for the pimpage. Cerebral! What a compliment! :)
Just telling it how it is. :) I love that vid. I watched it again yesterday night after I'd pimped it and thought, wow, this really *is* one of the best vids I know. Knowing that you made that using WMM just fills me with awe.
Artikel:
Date: 2007-01-31 03:16 pm (UTC):-)