Just a note, first ("for starters"), to anyone who might be a user of "social media" (Facebook, Twitter, Google-Plus, etc.): So am I. This blog, despite what the title may lead you to believe, will not be one against the use of any social media.
I try to keep my real first-&-last names off my blogs... [I've been hacked a few times, and as the fictional Richard Castle (@nathanfillion; I "follow" him on Twitter) says in the pilot, "Cuff me once, shame on you...".] However. if you know them & care to look on Facebook or Twitter, you will find me on both. (Fact: I remain rather active on Twitter, & apparently added a new "friend" on Facebook recently I actually was in-person friends with a-decade-plus ago, but the me typing this blog has no actual access to the F-book account, leaving my sister to often read me a list of Facebook "friends" who leave me birthday wishes.)
Anyway, let me tell you what I've been up to in the few-weeks-or-so since I posted my last blog: Reading. That may sound boring to some of you, but it's actually been rather enjoyable for me. As you've probably "gotten" from my past blogs, I had a lot of doctors' (not sure where the apostrophe should go in that case) appointments in a little bit of time, so it was especially nice for me to be able to decide how to fill my time when I've had a seemingly-related break from them since. (I admittedly spent a ton of it sleeping, but I often found myself simply enjoying the fact I didn't have to be awake, doing laundry, etc.)
My family will probably admit that I've been doing more reading than many my age for a long time. Honestly, I read it once in a book by a still-active author (Stephen King) that “If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” [The book was, ironically (no joke) called, "On Writing."] At the time, I thought that was a bunch of crap. Honestly, though, in the time I have been sort of "taking off" from writing (I have been "printed several times, but never paid for it," as my Twitter profile reads), I have found myself doing a ton of reading: Fiction; Nonfiction (why not just call that "reality" the way we do TV... "Reality reading"?... As Micky Dolenz says, "I love alliteration!"); Newspapers & old issues of Rolling Stone; And probably some others that list doesn't cover which my thumbs have.
In my last blog, I mentioned an upcoming meeting/appointment with a counselor. (I certainly won't name her here, as there are apparently rules barring her from mentioning what we discuss to anyone else. I'm still sorry my previous counselor can't tell anyone about some of the still-to-come things I mentioned to her!!) She mentioned, among other things, that it might help to try being more social amongst my family (at the very least). Guess what?! Tried that, & discovered it's somewhat of a "no-go"; It seems much of my family listens to conversations like looking for "tags" on a blog. For instance, when my mother or sister hears me mention wrestling at all, they "tune-out" like Timothy Leary. This leaves me a few options: First, there's my father, somewhat of a local celebrity (especially when it comes to local sports), & I'd be happy to converse with him... However, when I texted him about events of today's Steelers game, he reminded me (in very-certain terms) I said I wasn't speaking to him anymore. I recalled this was due to a conversation we had when he was over last week for our then-weekly time watching wrestling together. (I'd rather not get into it; Suffice it to say I will not be changing my mind!) I also could talk to my nephews. However, both are too young to understand much of the words I find my adult self able to use very simply & regularly.
I then find myself looking for ways to simply "kill time". One early way that I tried (not originally planning on using it as a means to do so) was to attend a birthday party for my cousin's daughter... However, I then went into the math it was the 2nd birthday of her daughter, & the cousin herself was not born until I was a few years old! This made me think about what I've accomplished in my "X number of" years, which proved largely depressing. On to time talking with my sister (over the phone or in person)... This went OK, until I heard her yelling at one of my nephews. In addition to my never having been employed, I have no offspring to speak of. "Chalk that up" to never having dated anyone even once; While that assures I will also never be questioned by Maury Povich or police, it's another thing my sister & cousin have both accomplished I have not.
(It's kind of ironic, honestly: That previously-mentioned, yet-to-happen thing I discussed with my counselor has often been the reason I tell myself for not jumping off of a local bridge, as some of the necessary components still exist only in my head, so it could not be fully "done right" without me. That said, for whatever reason, it has "yet-to-happen", so it remains right up there with travelling to other continents as something I have never accomplished.)
I then often find myself reading. This seems relatively-easy & not-depressing, as well as being something I can do whether I am in my home or away from it. [I "killed time" reading a paperback recently (searching "Tweets" proves it to actually be Aug. 24th) while also drinking a diet soda at/near the local Mall's Food Court.] However, even with things already-printed-in-completion, I find myself with questions... For instance, I just yesterday finished "Split Second" by David Baldacci. (Was first interested in it years ago, & having watched first season of "King & Maxwell" series on TNT, became so all over again.) But the book now comes with a preview of his next book, simply titled "King & Maxwell", due out this month! To read or skip?! (Finally, chose to read, & it barely mentions them, & "Edgar", my favorite character on show, even less! Disappointed again!) Now, onto "Ghost In The Wires", "reality reading" by Kevin Mitnick. (Feel better about this one; Good review by creator/producer of "White Collar", & interesting Foreword by Steve Wozniak, who I wouldn't know if I hadn't seen him on "The Big Bang Theory".)
But, when done "in whole", shouldn't reading just remind me more of the writing I have yet to (technically) accomplish?! (I wrote a ton of "short stories" roughly 15 years ago, & have tried contacting the "big name" publishers online, but no responses yet.) Worse yet, even travelling on foot (I call myself "the king of the walking trips") just reminds me I come from the same town as Dave Grohl, who has accomplished so much more (& made so much more money doing it) than me!
Therefore, I largely find myself attempting to write for online fiction sites (though this is where I believe the aforementioned hackers to have originated, & I am often left to "submitting" the same story "threads" repeatedly on subsequent days), or posting about things on Twitter (though, as I mentioned, it's often about the fictional characters I'm regularly watching do things, or the fictional characters I'm reading that are either doing things or deciding what they should do next).
All-in-all, an overall-largely-depressing practice.
Even so, it seems my financial rations from my previously-blogged-about "guardians" arrived this weekend, & tomorrow is the first day of the work week for many people in many companies, stores, etc... Maybe that can mean something good for me... And if not, at least screwing it up can be something I've accomplished.!
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