10/14/07: Retirement, weeks 1-2

[davidlevine]

Word count: 64356 | Since last entry: 280

Everyone I talked to about being retired said that they couldn't imagine how they managed to get everything done and still work a full-time job. It's true. You'd think that with 40 extra hours in a week I could relax. But no -- I'm not even keeping up with my email.

You know how, going into the weekend, you think you'll be able to get a lot done on your day off? And yet somehow the tasks expand to fill the time available, and you find yourself at the end of the weekend with only three of the twenty things on your to-do list crossed off (plus eight more things done which hadn't been on the list in the first place)? Every day so far has been like that. Like the day I bought the iMac... it took basically the whole day, because I had to go to two different Apple Stores (one of them twice) before I found the computer and printer I wanted in stock. And getting the thing set up and all the files and applications switched over has taken a lot of time, though not nearly as much as I'd feared.

It's easy to forget what day of the week it is. Every day feels like Saturday. But every day feels like Sunday too, because yesterday felt like a Saturday. There's a bit of that Sunday afternoon angst, that uncomfortable can't-possibly-get-everything-done and yet at the same time what-am-I-doing-with-my-life vibe.

Mind you, I have been able to take the time to do some things I would not otherwise have done. In the last couple of weeks we've attended four plays, three movies, and a reading by autopope. (Weekday theatre matinees are... different. The house is half full and they're all female and over 60. Where are the retired men? Are they all dead, or do they just not like the theatre?) We finally got caught up on the TV shows we taped while we were in Japan. I've been doing the dishes and the laundry the way I always meant to. When Kate's folks came for a visit, I was able to hang around with them instead of running off to the day job.

I've been writing every day, but not much... 100-300 words most days. I need to do a little more than that if I'm going to make my next crit group deadline. It's hard, because I'm still trying to take this novel over the hump in the middle -- the main plot driver for the second half of the book is just peeping its nose over the horizon now. It should start building momentum again in the next chapter or two, I hope.

I fear that I am transitioning from a successful short story writer to an unsuccessful novelist. Novel #1 has so far failed to find a publisher, and because I've been focusing on novel #2 I have, ironically enough, sold fewer short stories in the year since winning the Hugo than any year since I started selling at all. Also, next year's Writers' Weekend, at which I was to be a featured speaker, has been cancelled.

However, there is some good news on the writing front. "Charlie the Purple Giraffe Was Acting Strangely" (Realms of Fantasy, June 2004) has been picked up for The Mammoth Book Of Extreme Fantasy, edited by Mike Ashley. And I will be joining such luminaries as ramblin_phyl, kenscholes, jaylake, maryrosenblum, and djonn, plus several other writers WANOLJ, at Powell's Cedar Hills for a multi-local-SF-author event on November 14. Watch this space for more details.

Tomorrow we're heading to Ashland, where we'll be visiting square dance friends markens and apparentparadox and seeing three more plays. We get back just in time for kateyule's 25th college reunion weekend. The days really are just packed.

Comments

[calimac.livejournal.com]

I tend to avoid weekday matinee symphony concerts: they tend to seem rather subdued. I'm not aware of weekday matinees by theatre groups I know.

On the other hand I will attend movies in virtually deserted theatres, and that is my preferred time when I can get it. Audience adds a lot to live art, but it doesn't do much for the movie-going experience, at least for me, unless for riotous comedies. (I saw "Galaxy Quest" in a very crowded theatre, and I suspect that contributed a lot to the entertainment.)

I look forward to seeing your report on Ashland.

[smofbabe.livejournal.com]

You know how, going into the weekend, you think you'll be able to get a lot done on your day off? And yet somehow the tasks expand to fill the time available, and you find yourself at the end of the weekend with only three of the twenty things on your to-do list crossed off (plus eight more things done which hadn't been on the list in the first place)? Every day so far has been like that.

A few years ago, Stephen was "made redundant" at a job after 14 years and they then hired him back as a contractor so he made mucho dinero between the redundancy package and the contractor rates. Australia was bidding so he didn't look for another job for a while - spending some of the time traveling around the US. For the rest of the time, he said that he had a bunch of projects he figured he'd do but somehow even with no job he never got around to them. As he says: "I always figured that I wasn't getting the projects done because I didn't have time. Then I found out that I was just lazy!" :->

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you're enjoying the retirement. I am envious. :)

Re the transition from short stories to novels. It's not just that novels are longer, they are different and need different skills. I know you know that intellectually, but you might not yet have allowed enough time and practice in order to make the transition?

[kristine-smith.livejournal.com]

Everyone I talked to about being retired said that they couldn't imagine how they managed to get everything done and still work a full-time job. It's true. You'd think that with 40 extra hours in a week I could relax. But no -- I'm not even keeping up with my email.

Yeah.

::tried to smother Envy Elf with a pillow, but it keeps squirming out from under::

Still a couple of years for me.

::envy::

[joycemocha.livejournal.com]

You have to be firm with yourself about this stuff. BTDT, as a teacher on summer break. I was really, really too lazy. Now I know what to expect.

[lauriemann.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've been unemployed for much of the last two years (or employed intermittently) so I know what you mean.

I have something like a schedule. I don't sleep in anyway, and start off Monday by doing the laundry. Today, I'll also mow the lawn.

Tomorrow, I do have to get up early as I have a part-time job again that requires me to be at work by 6:30 three monrnings this week. By since I'm normally awake much earlier than that, it's no big deal

[davidlevine]

Yeah, but how many novels am I going to have to write (at 1-2 years each) before I get good enough to sell? It's frustrating. I want my instant gratification *now*, dammit!

[criada.livejournal.com]

>>.Also, next year's Writers' Weekend, at which I was to be a featured speaker, has been cancelled.

:-(
You should come to the Iron Springs retreat Karen's planning for next June.

[holyoutlaw.livejournal.com]

If I'm unemployed for a long time (as I was after leaving Microsoft) I can make adjustment and get really productive. If I'm between assignments (as I can be these days) I tend to sleep in and laze about, which just gets depressing.

But yes, there were plenty of times after leaving Microsoft where I wondered how I'd ever held a job.

[jeffsoesbe.livejournal.com]

Ashland - excellent! I love that town - my wife and I have been going there every year for about 17 years to see plays and hang out. Recently, we've started taking the kids for July 4th.

There were some good plays this year: I really enjoyed "On The Razzle", "Gem of the Ocean" and "The Tempest". My wife and daughter liked "Romeo and Juliet". Alas, we missed "Tartuffe" and "Rabbit Hole".

Have fun and drink a Snakebite (cider and lager) at the Black Sheep for me...

- yeff

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

I know how you feel!

Currently it's taking me more like 3 years per novel and at this rate, I'll be about 90 by the time I finally get it right. :(