Progress -- Not!

Oh! How I wish I were independently wealthy so that I could spend my time and energy on writing and not on on the daily struggle to keep a roof over my head and catfood in Sheldon's bowl! I'm on a contract now that has me working full-time on the far side of the city, with a 1 to 1.5 hour commute each way (depending on weather and traffic). I used to write on the subway, but back then I was commuting at an hour when there were actually seats left and elbow room to scribble on a notepad... As for writing on the bus portion of the route, need I mention "motion sickness"? And there's no way I can write while standing waiting at the bus stop with the wind howling in my ears, snow swirling around me, and my fingers too frozen to hold a pen! I did try composing in my head, but I get caught up in that, and people look at me funny. This week I was plotting out a suicide/death scene and got so emotionally involved that I started crying. The other passengers were either looking at me strangely or offering to help...

Sigh. It's just that working for a living has cut severely into my time to write, and the exhaustion from the daily grind/commute is leaving me brain-drained. After editing technical documentation and pseudo-code all day, I have to force myself to turn on the computer at night just to read my email. I've become allergic to Microsoft Word.

Anyway... I have started the DUG novel, but it's not progressing nearly as fast as it was while I was between jobs. Right now I'm working on the flashback of how Joe finally agreed to be turned.

The Van Helsing WIP is almost done. It's stalled at the love scene I need to write to complete it -- and the stall isn't due to a missing muse. It's due to lack of time/energy to write it.

I've got the Chinook story all plotted out and have even completed the prologue. The bad guys have just appeared on the scene.

I've done some illustrations for some upcoming zines, but haven't found time to work on any art for myself for shows.

And that's where it stands right now. Indeed, I'm writing in this blog right now because I'm procrastinating doing the technical writing I've been contracted to do over this weekend...

Sigh and double-sigh.