I have been sitting it out. I have been unplugged. A week ago it was through near technological disaster. (laptops don't much like water, glug, sizzle, pop!) Then it was from need to spend time with the family. A fella has to get his shit together in the real world sometimes. Now, I seem to have lost my gusto for the whole thing. I am not sure of the point of all this time spent (wasted?) on line.
I love this blog. It has afforded me the opportunity to get a few of my words out there. It has allowed me to contribute with some amazing friends and fellow writers. The NAD has puffed me up. It has filled me with confidence. The NAD makes me feel like I can.
The NAD is not the problem. Nope, as much as I might be distracted to blog, blogging is good distraction. If anything, I could probably blog more often. Anytime I am writing, I am being productive. No, folks, this blog has been good for me, it is not to blame. What is to blame? Do I really have to tell you? Those of you in my on line world, the ones that know me best, you know what the problem really is. It is social media. I have an addictive personality, I am a creature of habit. Social media sites like Twitter can consume me and all my time.
This is not really a condemnation of social media. Far from it, I love social media. I also love all my on line friends, my Tweeps. This is simply a bit of self-analysis. I get swept up in things. I get sucked into the web... I get neglectful of the things that are real, the world around me.
The truth is, as hard as I try, I can't turn 140 characters into a down payment for a mini-van or a house. The NAD, even with its ironic Scientology ads, will not bring in the extra scratch and make Christmas all that better. Nope, the constant chatter, even at its most engaging does not pay the bills. The truth is, I need a job. In order for me to find one, I have to severely cut back on social media distraction.
I hate looking for work. It is not that I am averse to working. Heck, I can do anything. It is not the prospect of a soul sucking 9 to 5er that bothers me either. It is the search. I hate the phone calls, the resume building, the reference finding, the interviews... the feeling of constant judgment. All that and damn it, do I ever want to write for a living. Alas, I haven't figured out how to make that work, yet, so off to work I go. Back to punching the clock. Weee!
So bear with me dear friends. I have to focus on the real world and in order for me to do that I need to limit my on line distraction. I will probably blog less, Tweet less, I need to be Joe unplugged. Wish me luck. Better yet, send money. I kid, I kid, a least until I can figure out how to turn the NAD into a charity.
Good luck Joe...if you need a reference I can think of at least 144,000 twitzens that will happily oblige. In the meantime I shall continue to fly the flag for and point people in the direction of The NAD and tell them to check Joseph Lane's daily essays as there is something going on in that canny canucks cannister ( a little bit of alliteration for you )
ReplyDeleteAs Bill said to Ted "Be Triumphant Dude !"
Thanks so much Brian, you are always so supportive. It is fine blokes like you that make me feel like the NAD is going to be 'most excellent'.
ReplyDeleteHey Joe,
ReplyDeleteYeah the looking sucks, but I know when you start working ya love it. You are a seriously good, hard, dedicated worker, and you enjoy it. I think you need a job, not just to bring home the bacon, but also to open your world up a bunch. You have a great deal to offer the blog world for sure and you can and should continue doing so, even if you have a time consuming job. But I think you will be even more interesting, soulful and informative to all of us, if you are coming from a balanced place.
By that I mean, less limited to the house, the kids, twitter and NAD and more about getting out, enjoying yourself, having a bit of money to follow your dreams, enjoying the kids more coming from a more balanced space and finding the time and ability for you and Amy to splurge on yourselves a wee bit.
After all that I still think you will have time for all of your tweeps and some totally awesome essays that will blow NAD and Twitter away.
Good luck Joe!! Kick some butt for the old fella.
Papagene
'Most excellent' indeed. I will miss your regular updates Joseph, yet understand keeping the wolves from the door must be your priority.
ReplyDeleteNAD, is and will remain one of my favorite blogs. Will still pop in from time to time clinging to the possibility your wonderful vocabulary is pasted to the page.
All the best and good luck job hunting :)