Spreading Myself Around
Maybe Too Much?
Hi friends. I hope you are gearing up to do something fun this weekend. This week I saw Just One of Them Days, which was very funny, but let me warn you: the trailers were all horrifying and scary. I guess the demographic for “urban” comedies and horror movies is the same - young people - and I’m not in that demographic. Regardless, I love an “urban” comedy. I guess I just like to cackle out loud in a theatre sometimes.
If you thought I was referring to the Monica song Don’t Take it Personal (Just of Dem Days), go ahead and enjoy this:
Another viewing recommendation: The Pitt on HBO. The Onion described it as “prestige anxiety dream,” which is accurate. A houseguest who is also an emergency room doctor confirmed that it’s very true to life, and that he doesn’t understand why he watches it, given how much it’s like being at work.
It’s been hard to concentrate on this, my favorite and most personal newsletter, because I have so many irons in the fire. While I am working on a long piece about what I think the Dems need to do these days, I thought I’d share a list of all the weird projects I have underway.
The Octopus and The Ant, which you are reading right now. Try to publish once a week.
Champions of Conflict, my extremely niche newsletter about improving advocacy skills in labor arbitration. Try to publish every other week.
The Pushback, my almost daily newsletter of news and events about people and organizations challenging the Trump administration and the future we can imagine when it’s over.
My untitled memoir about growing up with a gay parent during the AIDS crisis. This has been edited and needs to be revised and I just do not have the stamina for that at the moment.
My mystery novel Death at Solomon, about a union representative who doubts that his correctional officer member was murdered by the activist prisoner who is being charged with the crime. This story is like 95% complete and for some reason, I don’t give it the attention it needs to be finished.
My rough draft of The Last Departure, a speculative fiction novel about a mom who flees Las Vegas to avoid her daughter’s conscription and is ultimately suspected in the destruction of the city. I’m working on the rough draft.
This weird little donkey needlepoint.
An all black and white quilt.
Growing seedlings for my garden from seed.
I won a seat as a delegate the CA Democratic Party convention.
Yes, I have a job.
A script for a legal drama TV pilot about a union law firm that needs to be edited.
A joke Instagram account Sheriffscalls, where I post the police blotter from the Pt. Reyes Light.
What I would LOVE is some advice on how to stop adding projects and finish one, please. Is there a name for this condition? Is the perfect the enemy of the good?
Anyway, dear friends, this explains why I haven’t finished reading a book in months. If you have any insights into my condition, please share them with me!
Let's start with something small: finish that donkey, it's adorable. Bravo for getting all these going--what if you give yourself a hour to just think about this list--what pops out to you as the ONE THING FIRST that would feed your soul to finish? You can do it!
It has been written that procrastination can be a symptom of depression. I wish that I could cite that article (WaPo or NYT?) set a goal to work one of those writing projects, and do it. Best to you.