Things I Would Do If I Had More Free Time

Whenever I’m at home by myself, I wind up wasting a ton of time when I really should be working. Like the time I watched the entirety of a TV show I hadn’t seen in 13 years over the course of four days (now that I own the DVD set, I’ve only watched a handful of episodes–hmm). I also wind up forgetting to eat, so I’ll be a lethargic mass on the bed/chaise/rug. Then, after peeling myself off the ground and eating a bowl of cereal, I usually run around outside.

But!

I’m not at home right now.

I’m in someone else’s home (Sort of. No one actively lives here expect people who show up for days or weeks at a time to finish projects. My project is the current draft of Conjoined States–two chapters to go. Actually, that’s debatable, but I only have two more chapters left to revise. I might write others) and, because there are really no other distractions, I can actually get some work done.

But, now that my work is done for today, I’ve skipped to the running around stage. But it’s nighttime, so I can’t run around outside. Instead, I’m distracting myself with things that I’d probably do if I regularly had free time.

I’d probably watch a lot of live versions of songs that I love.

Like Eleni Mandell’s Nickel-Plated Man.

Or Carissa’s Wierd’s They’ll Only Miss You When You Leave.

I’d also give up after unsuccessfully trying to find a live version of The National’s All Dolled Up in Straps.

Then I’d watch music videos for Gotye songs that aren’t Somebody That I Used to Know.

Like this music video that makes me think of the offspring of Labyrinth and Princess Mononoke would look like.

Or this music video that’s like Peter Gabriel and the internet having a baby (I especially love the PacMan shot at 1:59).

I’d also take a photo of my sweater.

And then I’d probably go make a video (forthcoming).

That reminds me. I’ve started a daily video series called This Is an Experiment. Each experiment features me reading single pages from stories and novels I’ve never read before.

For those of you who have heard/seen me read, I think you can vouch that I’m professional about it. I rehearse beforehand and I like to go in looking like I know what I’m doing.

That is not what this series is about.

This is about me reading work I’ve never read before. So I’m flubbing lines and mispronouncing words and screwing up and laughing.

I only do one take. And then I give it to you.

So, join me.