Trash house book

[mrissa]

Thermionic Night is a trash house. For a long time, it was exhausting, overwhelming even just to clear a little of the junk out, because the progress was almost entirely invisible. It was still so far beyond a mess. Two or three or twenty bags of recycled newspapers made no difference. Now, though, I think I have paths cleared so I can get into all the rooms. I have the kitchen sink, the cabinets, the fridge, and the kitchen table clear. I have a plan for handling the rest.

This doesn't mean I won't find a drawer full of rusty razor blades or a bag of decomposing cats or something else in the corners that will make me go, "My God! Yuck! What kind of a person could possibly -- GAHHHHH!" But when that happens, I can flee downstairs. The kitchen table is clear, and I can get into the clean fridge and pour myself a glass of milk and take deep breaths. At least, that's the theory.

Unfortunately, I'm still not sure whether I'm going to find cheap mass-construction when I'm done with all this mess -- usable when cleaned, but not really very pleasant -- or whether I'm going to find amazing Arts-and-Crafts woodwork and molded ceilings. Or whether I'm going to find amazing Arts-and-Crafts woodwork that someone painted avocado green in 1976. Still, the floor plan is looking a bit promising, and I just found a cleaning solution that'll get the years of grime off the chandelier, slick as a whistle.

Last night markgritter reminded me that the books (the ones I write, he meant) are worthwhile to me for themselves, for getting them out of my system on the bad days and for doing something I love on the good days. That long-term goals for a career are a good thing, but that on a daily basis, sometimes doing what you do is its own good thing, to be appreciated.

As I keep saying, I keep him around for more than decoration.

Comments

[dichroic.livejournal.com]

Besides, think of the alternatives. If you weren't doing this, you'd probably end up going out to work, in an office or whatever. Not that what you do isn't work, but it's so clearly your Proper Job that you'd end up doing it in addition to whatever else you took on, just because you couldn't help it.

Also, I think your brain might explode.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Well, yes; I would not be recognizably the same Mrissa, I don't think.

I would likely have stuck harder to physics if I wasn't stuck on writing, though, and...hmm. I'm convinced that would have been a bad, bad thing for me-as-I-am; leaving physics was a very right decision for me. But if it was a me who was not so stuck on writing, well, I'm hard pressed to say what would have been good for her in the first place.

[ellarien]

That resonates with me, in an odd way. About ten years ago, I was getting far more satisfaction out of writing than I was out of my research job, and I seriously considered giving it all up and trying to write full time. I actually spent six months doing each half-time, and then found a new research job where I was much happier. I've done less and less writing since then, and found that I can more or less pacify the creative urge by crocheting instead. It's interesting to hear from someone who took the other fork, as it were.

[sartorias.livejournal.com]

Last night markgritter reminded me that the books (the ones I write, he meant) are worthwhile to me for themselves, for getting them out of my system on the bad days and for doing something I love on the good days. That long-term goals for a career are a good thing, but that on a daily basis, sometimes doing what you do is its own good thing, to be appreciated.

Oh, well said, well said.

This gent is definitely a keeper!

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

markgritter is a Very Wise Person indeed. I vote you keep him around.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

The minute this becomes a democracy, I will take that into account. :)

[songwind.livejournal.com]

As I keep saying, I keep him around for more than decoration.

Wise, as he clashes terribly with the drapes.

[blzblack.livejournal.com]

Very cool. How lucky you are.