Barry's scared of the vacuum, so that's out...

[desperance]

It's 11am, and I am having a day off.

I didn't wake up till nine. Then I gave Barry his breakfast and listened to the news (woot! go America! etc) and gave me my coffee and was properly grateful to me and remembered that this was a day off (woot! finished book!) and wondered what to do with the day and thought "shopping!" and checked e-mail and found that two nice people had sent me things to read so thought "shopping! and pub!" and before that, possibly, housework, because I have spent the last [embarrassing period of time] letting the house decay entirely about me "until the book is finished", so I ought to do something about that now. That would be a useful kind of a day off, wouldn't it? That left some part of the house cleaner, and me happier? (shopping! pub! reading!)

I have years, decades of expertise in finding non-worky ways to fill what should have been working days, but give me a day to fill with non-work and I can so easily be baffled. 'Specially at the end of a long haul, which is almost the only time I do get official days off. Takes time for the ticky-machinery to run down, I guess.

As witness: I am two hours into the day, this declared day off - and I have already started a short story. Just an opening I may never pursue, but it was a line I caught off the radio this morning and I couldn't resist. A kidnap victim being kept in the dark, he said he talked to everyone he knew, living and dead - and it was only the dead who talked back. How good is that?

Comments

[deadcities-icon.livejournal.com]

I'm pleased to say that beginning Thursday at 7AM, I will actually have five days off in a row.

After working 10 shifts over 8 days, I think it will be a welcome break.

Have a good day off.

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Yay! But, um, what will you actually do...?

[It's all right, I'm not serious. I know you have a genuine job, and a life apart from that. My problem is that the two things are not diverse; my job occupies the same physical space and the same head-space as the rest of my life, and they squabble. Constantly.]

[deadcities-icon.livejournal.com]

Well, hopefully I *won't* be ringing bells to raise money over my days off.

What will I do on my days off? I will write. And work on a secret web project. And truth? I'll be working harder than when I am actually working, if you know what I mean.

But yes, I get what you're getting at!

[samarcand.livejournal.com]

"A kidnap victim being kept in the dark, he said he talked to everyone he knew, living and dead - and it was only the dead who talked back."

Oooh... now that is good. I like it. I just wish I'd heard it first. I'm thinking about what to do when I finish Ylahyem and I was considering trying to write a short story or two to 'cleanse the palate' before settling down to the follow-up. And that would have been so good. But I'm so not competing with you...

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Oh, take it! Use it! This stuff is broadcast, it's accessible to all. I don't get dibs just 'cos I heard it first. If you and I both use it, the only certainty is that what comes out will be two completely different stories, and this is a good thing.

[samarcand.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know that, but it's slightly intimidating knowing that you will be writing something even similar. I may do something with it anyway... I'll think on't.

[triciasullivan.livejournal.com]

I feel all vicariously jazzed since you finished your book. I recognize that buzzy energy that you've got, all the engines burning away and you don't quite know how to come down. Who cares what you do? Enjoy!