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Nov. 29th, 2010 05:23 pm
State of the Texty: Holidazed Edition
Thanksgiving down. We did it early (Sunday), which turned out nicely, even though it was just the three of us. I admit one of these days I want to do a whole blowout with a dozen people or something, but as most of folks I know have family they do that with (and I don't), ain't gonna happen anytime soon. Ah, well.
---
Sort of wish I could get together with folks more for other holiday stuff, too. Loved our New Year's Eve party last year. Maybe I should do that again. Or something similar. I haven't socialized with local folks nearly enough lately. That needs to change. Pity everyone's usually on serious social burnout this time of year.
---
Spent the entirety of last week working from home, thanks to the weather. It was... OK, it was a bit of a nightmare, because my publishing tools don't work great remotely, plus the whole system was bogged down because everyone else was remoting in, too. That said, it was nicer than having to try to go into the office on icy roads. I'm very glad I wasn't one of the poor slobs who had a 6-hour commute last week. Horrible.
---
Work in general is getting to year-end crunch time now. Tons of year in review content to get up on top of my usual stuff, which is going to keep me beyond busy for the next couple of weeks. Might get in some overtime at least.
---
This is all quite frustrating for other reasons, too, namely the fact that there's a metric buttload of new fandom stuff going on right now: The new Primeval is around the corner, Andrew just posted a new short film, and my other shows are getting in some awesome episodes, too (plus some will be airing holiday episodes in the next couple of weeks. Eep!) Damn work, getting in the way of my fanthinging!
---
I'd probably be less frustrated about this if I wasn't so disgusted by some of the stuff I have to do for work. Don't get me wrong, I like that I'm employed (even if it is on contract), and I like that they pay me well. I even like that I get to work with entertainment content. What I don't like is the fact that we have to pander to lowest-common-denominator audiences sometimes, which means some truly trashy content on a regular basis. Bleh. I want to work in entertainment media because I love the creative work that talented folks making movies, TV and music can do. I don't exactly enjoy pushing the careers of untalented bimbos who get attention from some cheapass reality show. I'm watching the decline and fall of Western Civilization from up close this way (and am probably helping it along) and that really grates on me.
---
That's probably a large part of why I'm in such a funk right now (as I mentioned yesterday.) There's the usual weather/low light thing, and the wtf did I do with my life this year thing (about which I'll prolly post separately later) but also just... I feel dirty right now. Like I'm being a hypocrite by pimping the sort of thing that I've spent so much energy fighting against most of my life. Obviously, I have some choice in the matter, but if I want to make enough money to buy myself a kid (and reach some of the other goals we have) this is what I have to do. I can't do this any other way right now because the jobs just aren't out there. But that does kind of mean I'm a sellout, which really bothers me.
---
There is some hope on the horizon, though--or will be as long as I get my ass in gear. I've still been managing to squeeze in some work on my novel here and there, and cranked out ~3,700 words/a new chapter in just a few hours yesterday. The story is really starting to take shape, and the more I work on it, the happier I am with it. There really is nothing else quite like it out there right now, even though it's familiar enough territory to be sellable, and I think it can at least get me an agent. As long as I have the time/mental energy to work on it, I'm hoping I can have it at least in rough draft stage within a few more months. I'm hoping something comes of it eventually, at least, because that's the only thing I have right now keeping me from feeling like I've wasted my entire year frittering away on fandom and other nonsense.
---
On a completely different note: Apparently, my totem animal is a raccoon. In addition to the staring contests I had with 3 (!) of the little guys a few months back at Point Defiance, we had one show up on our back step last night to chow down on some cat food we'd left there for one of the local ferals/strays. My goodness but s/he was bold. Wasn't the least bit afraid of Otter, who was downright livid about the whole thing, and held eye contact with us pretty much the entire time. I admit: I kind of love the fact that we live close enough to a major greenbelt that we get a lot of critters running around. It's like being out in the wilderness while we're still 3 minutes from the freeway.
---
Sort of wish I could get together with folks more for other holiday stuff, too. Loved our New Year's Eve party last year. Maybe I should do that again. Or something similar. I haven't socialized with local folks nearly enough lately. That needs to change. Pity everyone's usually on serious social burnout this time of year.
---
Spent the entirety of last week working from home, thanks to the weather. It was... OK, it was a bit of a nightmare, because my publishing tools don't work great remotely, plus the whole system was bogged down because everyone else was remoting in, too. That said, it was nicer than having to try to go into the office on icy roads. I'm very glad I wasn't one of the poor slobs who had a 6-hour commute last week. Horrible.
---
Work in general is getting to year-end crunch time now. Tons of year in review content to get up on top of my usual stuff, which is going to keep me beyond busy for the next couple of weeks. Might get in some overtime at least.
---
This is all quite frustrating for other reasons, too, namely the fact that there's a metric buttload of new fandom stuff going on right now: The new Primeval is around the corner, Andrew just posted a new short film, and my other shows are getting in some awesome episodes, too (plus some will be airing holiday episodes in the next couple of weeks. Eep!) Damn work, getting in the way of my fanthinging!
---
I'd probably be less frustrated about this if I wasn't so disgusted by some of the stuff I have to do for work. Don't get me wrong, I like that I'm employed (even if it is on contract), and I like that they pay me well. I even like that I get to work with entertainment content. What I don't like is the fact that we have to pander to lowest-common-denominator audiences sometimes, which means some truly trashy content on a regular basis. Bleh. I want to work in entertainment media because I love the creative work that talented folks making movies, TV and music can do. I don't exactly enjoy pushing the careers of untalented bimbos who get attention from some cheapass reality show. I'm watching the decline and fall of Western Civilization from up close this way (and am probably helping it along) and that really grates on me.
---
That's probably a large part of why I'm in such a funk right now (as I mentioned yesterday.) There's the usual weather/low light thing, and the wtf did I do with my life this year thing (about which I'll prolly post separately later) but also just... I feel dirty right now. Like I'm being a hypocrite by pimping the sort of thing that I've spent so much energy fighting against most of my life. Obviously, I have some choice in the matter, but if I want to make enough money to buy myself a kid (and reach some of the other goals we have) this is what I have to do. I can't do this any other way right now because the jobs just aren't out there. But that does kind of mean I'm a sellout, which really bothers me.
---
There is some hope on the horizon, though--or will be as long as I get my ass in gear. I've still been managing to squeeze in some work on my novel here and there, and cranked out ~3,700 words/a new chapter in just a few hours yesterday. The story is really starting to take shape, and the more I work on it, the happier I am with it. There really is nothing else quite like it out there right now, even though it's familiar enough territory to be sellable, and I think it can at least get me an agent. As long as I have the time/mental energy to work on it, I'm hoping I can have it at least in rough draft stage within a few more months. I'm hoping something comes of it eventually, at least, because that's the only thing I have right now keeping me from feeling like I've wasted my entire year frittering away on fandom and other nonsense.
---
On a completely different note: Apparently, my totem animal is a raccoon. In addition to the staring contests I had with 3 (!) of the little guys a few months back at Point Defiance, we had one show up on our back step last night to chow down on some cat food we'd left there for one of the local ferals/strays. My goodness but s/he was bold. Wasn't the least bit afraid of Otter, who was downright livid about the whole thing, and held eye contact with us pretty much the entire time. I admit: I kind of love the fact that we live close enough to a major greenbelt that we get a lot of critters running around. It's like being out in the wilderness while we're still 3 minutes from the freeway.
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