Preoccupied

Every day when I'm on my one hour commute on the NYC subway, I marvel at the other people who can just sit there, listless, for the duration of the ride. If they fall asleep, that's fine. But I simply cannot wrap my brain around those people who stay awake and stare blankly into space—or at other riders.

Increasingly so, in recent years I've been unable to let my mind idle for too long. I need some kind of stimulus to occupy my mind: a magazine that I've already looked through, while not ideal, will do. Failing a book or periodical, music will suffice. I can escape into that ephemeral medium for a time. It's not that I require in-depth mental pursuit. I just need a little something new or inspiring to ponder, however small.

I guess it's about escaping boredom. If I'm somewhere without book or music, I resort to my blackberry. It's got a very slow and very limited access to the Web, so I can at least peruse Dictionary.com if I'm truly bored. But it's something, you see. I can't stand unoccupied moments.

What's wrong with me? Or what's wrong with them? I actually like that I need some kind of phrenic activity to stay content. But it has its obvious drawbacks. When I'm in an environment that offers no active stimuli, time oozes by like molasses wearing heavy, wet denim...

Shining star, light up the sky

The moon is crescent, the air is cold (hence, enjoyed), my latest project reaches its home stretch, this movie intrigues me greatly (for reasons obvious to some) despite its silly name, my free hours are few, and Escapee episode 33 is posted.

Escapism

Two weeks and no new post? That's no good. But I've been struggling to find time for...anything.

So! Escapee has returned, with episode 32 posted on over at Sidedown & the Amazing Technicolor Website. As Josh pointed out to me, you must now begin to scroll down the table of contents to get to the latest episode. Holy crap, that's a lot.

Because I don't get much feedback on Escapee, I'd love to do a poll to find out just how many people read my little serial. I'll keep writing it regardless of the number, though—as time allows. But I'm definitely curious. The story arc itself is beginning to unfold in my head, and I realize the story really is becoming more a more milieu-based one.

Duality

Goodbye, Gregorian Calendar Year 2005. You were a fickle boy and brought interesting developments into my life some of which I'll grumble about and some of which I'll always remember happily. Highlights included going to GenCon, a good job promotion, a memorable U2 concert with my dad. Stains include your beginning, a not-so-happy January and a steadily increasing flux of lost free time. But you were a memorable year, and I thank you.

Hello, Gregorian Calendar Year 2006. Be good to us all, miss. Don't be as capricious as your brother. I do know you bring to the foreground, moreso than your mischievous little brother, the well-weathered duality that all my writing peers face and deliberate: balancing a dayjob and a writing job that you want to make happen but have far less time for. I do have the feeling you'll bring some surprises, good and bad, throughout your twelve-step ellipse around our sun.

Escapee is taking a week or two break right now while I figure out into which fantasy cloud my head needs to go.