I just looked at the clock in the corner of the computer screen after consciously trying to figure out what day of the week it was. Where did Wednesday go? Never mind Monday and Tuesday - how is it nearly Thursday? Where did Wednesday evening go? Has anybody seen it?
I’m writing a few words just to keep the blog ticking over. I don’t really have much to report - but when has having nothing to write about stopped me writing about it in the past?
A singer-songwriter playlist is quietly filling the room with a selection of soporific nonsense. Bob Dylan just finished ranting about something to whoever might listen. James Taylor is now singing about Fire and Rain. I know he’s not trendy, and his music is a throwback of sorts - to the 1970s, country music, folk music, and songs that told stories - but I’ve always liked him.
It just occurred to me - I don’t have a Carly Simon record in my collection (she was married to James Taylor). I can imagine my other half eye-rolling now, if a vinyl album with her face on it appeared through the post. That’s almost enough reason to buy one.
Maybe I really will cut this short, rather than waffle on about a load of inconsequential idiocy. I bought a children’s book the other weekend, and have hardly made a dent in it. I love young adult fiction - it’s somehow more transparent - more direct. I think there’s a temptation among “serious” writers to be clever for the sake of it - which often backfires and makes their writing almost impregnable.
There’s a reason Harry Potter sold a bazillion copies.
It’s funny - when I write late at night, I end up wondering how people are that I’ve not heard from or written to in ages - and invariably end up writing emails into the early hours. I’m resisting the temptation at the moment. I’ll file the idea right up there next to “another thing to try to do at the same time as everything else you don’t really have time for at the moment”.
I don’t really believe in “not enough time” though. You make time if something is important to you.
I had a review today at work - and the only constructive feedback was that I tend to throw myself under the bus too often - agreeing to help everybody - with everything - all the time. I agreed instantly. I know I do it. I like helping people though. I like sharing knowledge. I love the moment when somebody “gets” what you’re showing them - and how they can use it to benefit themselves.
There’s also the thing that I just don’t stop.
I need to force myself to slow down a bit. Stop burning the candle at both ends. I know I’ve written it before, but I really do. It doesn’t really matter what I choose to do instead of relentlessly working on this, that, or the other - it could be running, listening to music, reading - anything really. I just need to do something for myself from time to time.
Anyway.
Maybe it’s time to go to bed.
See. Told you I would find a way to fill a page with nothing in particular. It’s a skill.