I’ve overextended myself on reading and writing projects this year. It was inevitable. The first change was to adjust my movie watchlist for 2022. It doesn’t account for screeners or blogathons, which are not scheduled (albeit with deadlines and embargoes), and are more fun. Even when an ancient watch list item is good, the run-up to watching it is still rote.
I’m also adjusting the Love and Rockets read-through. Instead of two issues a week, it’s going to at least one issue a week. I read those issues three times each and like having dwell time in between.
My prose reading is also in danger, but it’s the thing I want to maintain most, so I’m doing something with it. But, unfortunately, my first idea, a dedicated read day, does not work.
Finally, Selected Declarations is getting out on hiatus. At least the idea of doing it weekly. It’s too indeterminate a space; it’s too many words to free write without writing about free writing.
I have an idea for what I can do with it, but I’m also not particularly enthused with that idea, so it might not be a thing.
2022 was supposed to be freer headspace, but there’s just not enough room. 2022 is taking up too much on its own. I do love escaping into Love and Rockets though. I could probably get away with a double read on each issue, but I like doing the third just to enjoy.
One of the most influential classes I took at MFA school was Systems of Writing; at the time, it helped me balance writing constraints with generative word blathering. Since then, it’s helped me think about approaching various projects. They’re fun to figure out, but then in practice, it’s just going off a watch list I made in 2019 or earlier and checking items off. Even when something’s pretty good, I’m upset it’s not better, especially if it was something I hyped in my youth.
The podcasting is almost entirely fun. Like, “Free Spirit” was a chore, and I pulled a muscle on the exercise bike watching it, but I’d have been biking anyway. Otherwise, those projects are just fun. Selected Declarations isn’t fun, especially since I keep forgetting it. Unlike finding my keys, there’s no endorphin rush after I post it either. I just wonder how I’ll get another one done in a week.
I’m also getting closer to finishing my offline project—turning the guest room slash computer room into a home office, storage, and cat recreation room. It’s been a slog, but it’s also nice not feeling crowded.
Of course, the home office refresh was waiting on Apple to ship Universal Control, so it had better work when it arrives next week.
And so ends this eleven-week attempt at a “lifestyle” post… maybe next time, it’ll run twelve.
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