My best friend used to be an actor. Actors are the ultimate freelancers. They're on top one week and the next week they're nobodies.
My best friend, the actor, used to live here in Seattle, but like many of my friends, he has since moved away because he couldn't afford it anymore. Seattle was voted 'America's Most Overpriced City' after all, a title it richly deserves. Voted #1 in worst traffic too! And they don't even have a 'Cloudiest Sky' prize to award, which it'd win hands down as well.
Anyhow, my thespian friend had mastered the art of dawdling through his less active days. He had it down to such a science that he could actually devote an entire week to simply returning a book to the library! Monday was the day he'd start to think about the potential trip. It was a day to be whittled away over his kitchen table spread with overdue bills and coffee cups and ash trays. Tuesday was devoted to clearing out his schedule to make sure that on Wednesday he would be free to return the overdue books. And when Wednesday would finally arrive, then the actual books could finally in fact be returned! Whew... talk about being booked up solid. And of course, after Wednesday, the next weekend could begin.
I think any freelancer ought to be able to relate to this tale of folly. Last week I had 3 projects underway, after working through the previous weekend... with three sets of sketches to finish for sending out and a 5 book project that was threatening. This week I'm wondering if I have anything due at the library. My editor has his automatic email message set to 'I'll be away all of next week'.
I'm thinking I'll paint the south side of the house this summer. Now there's ambition!
4 comments:
Hey John,good to learn about your best friend. However,now that he has moved away, you can find other ways to communicate to him,like phone calls, email etc.He'll certainly love that. Cheers!
You'd think... but I've scarcely heard from him ever since he left. He's got new best friends now. Those theatre people always have a new party to go to.
jn
wow- you're old friend sounds a whole lot like my dad. He can also "plan" for a week to, say, take the car for an oil change. And god forbid if something interferes with the plan! I can't do that. If my schedule is clear, I immediately fill it with other stuff.
Some people are very good at the art of
....relaaxationnnnn....
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