When I was in high school and college, I worked at a shiny new ice rink that opened up not long after my group of friends had decided that we liked ice skating and it was officially Our Thing. As a result, lots of us ended up getting jobs there and becoming fast friends with the other coworkers who stuck around for any significant length of time. After we closed on Saturday nights, after the busiest and most stressful sessions, we had a habit of unwinding at the IHOP until the wee hours of the morning. It was great - all of us so loopy by that point that we thought it was hilarious every single time Scott Lyons ordered onion rings and upon their being delivered to the table, would hold one up to the waiter or waitress and say, "look, sir, droids!"
It wasn't much, but it's those little things that get you through. I miss having things like that, and I wonder if it's not a big part of the reason I've been such a chronic procrastinator lately. I don't know a whole lot of people in my new town yet, and I don't have any rituals or standing plans to look forward to at the end of a day of hard work. So what happens? I end up not working so hard, because even though the reward is a paycheck, it's delayed and practically intangible as it goes straight from source to bank account to bills that need paid.
Therefore, here's another New Year's resolution: find something to look forward to at the end of every work day. Maybe it'll be a visit to some cool spot I've been told about. Maybe it'll be a walk to the coffee shop for a latte. Maybe it'll be a visit to a friend. Just... something I can put on my calendar as an appointment I've made, which can only be done once the paying work is done.
At this point, yes, I am a little bit afraid of jinxes, so I'm not going to come right out and say I got some promising leads on some proper writing work today, but I might have done so. Instead of talking about that and saying too much, other people deserve the spotlight today.I'm so lucky to be surrounded by these wonderfully talented people who pursue a higher calling than "just some job." Some of them, I've known since childhood. Some of them, I've only known a short while, or only know casually, or may not have met in person. Thanks to them, I know better than to settle for mediocrity.
Villains of the Day: My Creative Friends
A is for all of them, who inspire me to never give in. B is for Betsy, who dances and spins. C is for Carrie who writes of vampires and sins. D is for Dennis who knows all about dreams E is for Elwood, who proves toys are not merely what they seem. F is for Finding something for this line to say G is for Greg, who makes art out of clay H is for Heather ('cause it's all about me) I am now thinking this is harder than it should be J is for Jeri whose books thrill and amaze K is for Keith, everyone's favorite DJ L is for Lisa who does it all with such grace M is for Mikey, in shows and in plays M is also Melissa who runs, writes, and designs N is for Nins, best roommate one could find. O is Overestimating my talent for rhyme P is for Patrick, who loves a good game R is Really making this poem lame. S is for Stacey, Samantha, and Scott T is for Tim, the most ecclectic friend I've got U is for Unsect, and guitar hero Chris V is for Versus the Universe, more musical bliss W is Wishing I'd thought this through before starting X is the spot where my head's really hurting Y is for You, who read this whole post Z is for Zach, drummer with the most (and a theremin).
To reward you for suffering through that, you get the only Star Wars prequel video I'll ever post, and only because it's... well... it's something:
