WIL WHEATON dot NET: Where is my mind?: braindump

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May 27, 2004

braindump

A few people have e-mailed me recently and wondered where my posts from the politics department have all gone. There's no shortage of things to be outraged about: the torture in Abu Ghraib, the daily barrage of lies coming out of the Bush administration about the war, the New York Times's half-assed apology for helping Bush and the neocons mislead the country into war (way to let Judith Miller get off scott-free, Times. That's some top-notch responsibility-taking you've got going there) . . . but here's the deal: I'm actually getting paid to write some things now (more on that tomorrow), and I have editors and readers who expect things on time -- that don't totally suck -- so I don't have a lot of "extra" time right now. When I write about political issues, I like to heavily research and footnote my comments. My goal when I write about politics is not to simply rant and rave . . . it's to hopefully enlighten, and inform people. Right now, I don't have time to do that, but there are others on the Intarweb who are doing a fantastic job: Salon, DailyKos, Atrios, Josh Marshall, The Daily Howler, Juan Cole, and Kevin Drum are just a few of the sites I read at least once a day. I do a lot of nodding along in agreement when I read them, and they always say what I would say, with more eloquence and passion than I can currently muster.

It's a strange thing, the concept and reality of "time." There are so many things that I want to do in a day, and there really isn't enough time to get it all done. As I get older, I find that my time is more and more valuable . . . and I have less and less of it. I'm still working up the D&D campaign for Ryan and Nolan, and I just joined a new campaign as a player . . . the first campaign I've played in since high school. I haven't had time to sit down and play poker in ages, and I'm still reading the same book I started almost three weeks ago. Roger Waters was on to something, man.

So in consideration of this time thing, and how it ties into the lack of political writing, which is, I guess, what this entry has become all about: I can only write so much, and I can only write so much that's not total crap. It takes more time energy to write a good political post than it does to write about something that truly brings me joy and makes me happy. And you know what? There's enough anger and strife in the world right now. I'd rather put my time and energy into reflecting on the things that make me happy, than the things that piss me off.

When I put myself in lockdown to finish Just A Geek, I opened up this creative vein, and all kinds of stuff came flowing out. I wrote almost daily for Best Week Ever, put up a few things at the Cult of the One Eyed Cat, and contributed pretty frequently to blogging.la . . . but once I was done, I just . . . ran out of energy. My friend Kathleen described it as "red-lining" for weeks, which made a lot of sense to me. Since I finished, I feel like my creative engine was so heavily taxed for so long, it takes longer to get it started, and it's harder to rev it up to a point where it churns out lots of good stuff.

Over the last week or so, I've started to feel creatively rested, and I think I'll be able to write here more often . . . but more importantly, I'll get back to more narrative work, like lying in odessa or some of my recent blogs about the kids.

I gave a talk to Nolan's humanities class about two weeks ago (man, speaking to thirty 12 year-olds is harder than addressing a convention hall of thousands!) and I discussed how writing can take you places -- emotionally, and physically -- the same way reading a good book, or watching a good movie can.

For the time being, when I write, I'm going to visit some cool places . . . but now, I'm going to read my Expanded Psionics Handbook.

Posted by wil at May 27, 2004 03:17 PM

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Comments

I won't harp on it, but please rent Wonderboys, Wil.
I know you've neglected answering me about it because a) you're busy, natch and b) you haven't seen it and don't want me harassing you.

So I'm harassing you now.

Rent it.

Posted by: Evan at May 27, 2004 03:22 PM

Psionics!! Man, I HATED psionics when I RPG'd. Always gave me a headache. HEY! They worked!

Posted by: Mike Bailey at May 27, 2004 03:24 PM

Well, even though I miss your well thought-out political posts, I am even more eager to read Just a Geek :)

Mari
(digging on The Picard Song from DarkMaterial)

Posted by: Mari at May 27, 2004 03:28 PM

Wil, go to the following site, [http://iraqthemodel.blogspot.com/]. Written by an Iraqi who lives in Iraq. He also has links to other Iraqi bloggers.

You get a much different picture from the people who are there, and who have daily contact with the people there.

Posted by: Alan Kellogg at May 27, 2004 03:37 PM

Creative lockdown. I have an answer to my dilemma, I think. Now if I can just focus long enough to combat this damn ADD, I might get something...hey, is that a bag of cheese puffs on my desk?

Posted by: Renpiti at May 27, 2004 03:37 PM

That Daily Howler link should instead be http://www.dailyhowler.com :)

Posted by: Elizabeth at May 27, 2004 04:09 PM

I just want you to know that I am joining my first ever DnD campaing tomorrow night.

And it's all because of you.

Damn you!

Posted by: justtra at May 27, 2004 04:11 PM

Someone please tell me what Psionics is!!!

Posted by: Elisabeth Freeman at May 27, 2004 04:26 PM

Wil-

Congrats on getting the book done. I am really looking forward to picking up my copy. I know that this is asking a lot, but if you find your way out here in Baltimore for a book signing or something, I'll be there!!

Good luck with Psionics......just so you know, unleashing the power that is psionics on Nolan and Ryan is just E-vil. My 9th level telepath got hella powerful after the upgrades. Let us know how it works out....I'm intrigued.

As if you don't here this enough.....thanks for doing the good deed of letting us glimpse into your life.

Posted by: Trevor at May 27, 2004 04:27 PM

psionics have been a rolling joke with our campaigns for a LONG time, silly boy. i hope i'm stilling gaming when i'm... uhm... your age? i didn't mean it like that. really.

i just wanted to say, redlining is hard, and we sault you, and will again when we read your book.

come to canada!

Posted by: dave at May 27, 2004 04:48 PM

Being an old timer I've only played 1st edition D&D rules and I always thought Psionics kind of sucked.

Wil - don't trust what the media is telling you about this war. I've stopped listening to the press, the left and the right and started reading Iraqi citizen blogs as well as our soldiers blogs. You get a much better understanding of what is actually going on over there.

We must win in Iraq. We must win the war on terror. The future of the modern world depends on it. For my children and for yours.

Posted by: Bribo at May 27, 2004 04:54 PM

The one lession I'm glad to have learned while I can still take advantage of it is this: Americans are so concerned with money that they happily give up their time in exchange for it. But money is renewable, time is finite. I'm not saying you have to spend your every moment doing something worthwhile or productive, but it should matter, at least to you.

I might not see as many movies as other people, but I have scads of my own time in return. I don't make a lot of money, but I make enough to live on and I quit work at 5:00. My evenings and weekends belong to me and my wife.

I'm just saying...when trying to decide what to do, remember that time is a finite resource...use it wisely.

Posted by: Legomancer at May 27, 2004 05:47 PM

Wil you work for the Best Week Ever on VH1? Thats awsome I love that show I watch it every weekend its hysterical!

Posted by: Maureen at May 27, 2004 05:49 PM

We have such short memories. It was the terrorists who declared war on the U.S. when they flew those jets into the World Trade Center three years ago "and war is what they got." War sucks, but we didn't start it.

Wil,
Thank you for choosing to write about what makes you happy rather than what pisses you off. It's no use getting all of us pissed off when you don't have to. Grace and peace to you and your family.

Freeman :)

Posted by: Freeman in Louisiana at May 27, 2004 06:43 PM

Ugh, psionics. Why bother with psionics when there's already two types of magic? Bah!

Me and my dwarf cleric have some orc heads to smash...

Posted by: Keith at May 27, 2004 06:53 PM

Sir!

I would love to hear something about your new "Wil Save" column.

Please give us some love. :)

Posted by: Michael Zenke at May 28, 2004 01:33 PM

"Since I finished, I feel like my creative engine was so heavily taxed for so long, it takes longer to get it started, and it's harder to rev it up to a point where it churns out lots of good stuff."
Wil is a professional author. Do not use these metaphors at home. :-)

On busy-ness:
In the Penguicon 2.0 Panel on "blogging as literature", someone asked or made a comment about real journals as opposed to fiction in the form of journals.

Neil Gaiman responded that one of the major things that's different is that in a fictional journal, on boring days there isn't anything, and on important days, there's lots of stuff, "Wow, what a day it was. I went out...". On the other hand, in a real journal, on boring days you have lots of time to write, and so tend to be fairly voluminus. On hard-working days, you write "busy day, must sleep now" and that's it.

Posted by: Craig P. Steffen at May 28, 2004 01:48 PM

I created a personal web site four years ago and haven't done much with it since--due to having two kids since then and a major reallignment of priorities. It's all good, though. I have found the time to play D&D, off and on, with the justification that it is way to socialize with other guys my age. How are you adjusting to 3rd edition? I was actually in the middle of a campaign when the new addtion came out, and we tried to convert it. Tried.

Posted by: Speed Racer at May 28, 2004 04:37 PM

hello, wil

Posted by: Freeman in Louisiana at May 29, 2004 08:09 PM

Wil,

This comment page seems to be working. I'll bet it was that guy at UT that messed up your server. Have a nice weekend.

Freeman :)

Posted by: Freeman in Louisiana at May 29, 2004 08:13 PM

wil,

Enjoy the evening with your beautiful family.
BBQ chicken is my favorite. Add a guinness and the day is complete.

Peace and happiness.
Freeman :)

Posted by: Freeman in Louisiana at May 31, 2004 05:44 PM

Reflection on Memorial Day: