About What You Take Out

Post 530:

I’m fairly certain this is the longest I’ve ever gone without updating the blog or working on a novel or short piece of fiction. I literally did nothing to do with work from Sunday until the time I’m writing this. I hardly even read anything. Not knowing why at first, I felt really uncomfortable. This wasn’t the usual workaholic mental foible, although that played some small part. This was deeper. After a few days, I realized that time away from the craft was hard because I wasn’t sure I would want to go back to it.

It’s probably akin to a relationship break or something like that. Either you’re going to miss the person, or see you later and that’s the show. I should have more faith. I think I do. I think that I couldn’t stop trying to be a writer and entertainer if I wanted to. It’s part of me.

All that aside, I really didn’t want to waste brain cells on a story or a character or a plot. I wanted to forget those words even existed. Just a common case of burnout. It happens to everybody on some level and to some degree.

We need breaks. God rested, gosh sakes.

Not thinking about your life and what you do is unbelievably valuable, because it means you’re probably thinking about something, or more importantly, someone else. Nothing is more of a balm than getting off your own crap.

I’m ready to refocus. I made plans without thinking, and they’re better than the ones I made when I was trying to play master of the universe. We know what we are, and there’s not a lot of people that can escape it. If you do something like play music or counsel kids or write or anything that puts food on you and yours’ table, that’s a good. If you’re some sort of loon, maybe take a permanent vacation. Take a break and leave the lunacy behind. We get it. Now stop. It’s embarrassing.

For the rest of us in our states of rest, maybe we leave a little behind, but for the most part, we take out what really matters and put it back in the old toolkit. That’s what my head says to write today, anyway. I’ll get back with you next vacation and see if my opinion has changed. Should be about—three to ten years from now.

Cheers and see you after. That means sooner than later this time.