Largo al factotum

Back in June (maybe May), I told my friend Cukes about my blog and how I was having trouble reading much less writing about it. He suggested I write about all the things that are keeping me from reading and writing. So here it goes. First, there’s the problem of making a living. That always seems to get in the way of things.

Then there’s Clyde, our cat. He goes outside now thus eliminating his need to play as soon as I rise. Still, I end up leaving my hovel, my reading and writing hovel (it is kinda dark in here) to check up on him. And occasionally he comes back in looking for me and asking why I’m not out playing with him. Yes, he talks.

Guitar. I took up the guitar just a few years ago. My teacher says I don’t have to play more than five minutes a day. Sometimes I play no minutes a day. You see the pattern here. Set goals. Fail to live up to goals. Go to sleep. Wake up and start anew. I get the bug to play sometimes but it’s not the first thing I do in morning. Maybe it should be.

Exercise. I noticed I was in much better shape this year at the beach than last. This could possibly be due to the fact that I find time to work out four to five times a week. You’d think if I spend a half hour at the gym twice a week and toddle on down to the beach for a run or two that I could write (or read) for at least a half hour a day. I usually read but I don’t write every day. Why?

Then there’s this internet thing. “Yeah, it’s the inner netting they invented to line swim trunks . . .” Ode to Carl Carlson. I’m on the web all day. The most egregious use of such time is when I follow Yankee games online at ESPN or MLB.com. It’s worse than hearing a game being recreated like Ron Reagan did back in the day because you don’t hear anything. I like ESPN though because when a ball is hit in play they try to simulate the trajectory of the ball and the scoreboard moves like a pinball machine. Can anyone tell me this isn’t a colossal waste of time? Especially with the season the Yanks are having. I go into convulsions whenever Edwin Ramirez materializes on screen as the new Yankees pitcher.

Drinking. So far I have not had a drink for two days this week. That’s a rarity but much needed after a week at the beach in which days were capped by returning to the condo to fix a margarita, G&T or colada. Dark and Stormys are always good for the beach but I ran out of Goslings and couldn’t find a place in San Clemente that sold it. I was also into making Spiced Rum Coladas using this fine NY Times recipe but I didn’t have Coco Lopez and had to use Mr. T’s. Ugh. So I started drinking Cap’n and Cokes and almost kicked the bottle . . .by myself. I don’t think I have drinking problem. Would it make you feel better if I said I did? That main way it gets in the way of reading and writing is that once I start I’m usually more apt to watch TV or play music than read. Drinking can be a night ender. But I never start before five. Ok, four on Fridays.

Tunes. My friends turned me on to last.fm recently and I like it. But I don’t listen to much music during the day. That’s when I should be reading and writing. At night though we listen to Jason Bentley on KCRW here in SaMo except on Tuesdays when they broadcast City Council meetings. I have an extensive music collection though. My iPod has about 2500 songs on it and I have probably five hundred cds and records. I used to have more records. I was DJ in college. Now, I end up burning cds for friends and spend time working on various mixes. I’ve been saying I’m going to download Audacity so I can really mix but I haven’t. I frequently tell Bethany that being a successful electronic/dance DJ must be the greatest job in the world. Everywhere you go are happy people who want to dance.

TV. I really don’t watch much TV except for sports and when I can’t sleep at night. Occasionally, I watch PTI or check what’s on HBO. Nothing is the answer. We have a saying in our household whose phrasing is borrowed from the Brits: TV is pants. It really is. We got into The Wire and ended up watching Seasons 1-4 last year before Season 5 came out. Season 5 was terrible but we still miss the show. Now, we’re into Mad Men but it’s no Wire.

Vid. Here’s something I’ve really cut down on. I really got into EA soccer for a while. And Madden and EA Hockey (took Ottawa to the Cup). Ok, it was against the computer. I also played a lot of GTA San Andreas and Katamari and some Guitar Hero. But outside of GH I haven’t play a video game since January when we got Clyde. In a way I’ve substituted reading. But not in a big way.

So there you have it. With all these other interests it’s a wonder I sleep. My real problem is I’m a dilettante, jack-of-all-trades master of none. As I wrote this I paused to go find the cat. He was climbing a tree. The sun is out. I think I’ll join him outside with a good book in tow.