Four days off.
That’s like 5 years in internet time, isn’t it?
What a great time it was, though. The whole time we were together, Anne and I kept commenting on how we couldn’t remember the last time we did anything “just the two of us.” After some discussion, we figured out that the last time we spent any time together alone, it was over our anniversary, back in November.
It was really awesome, and a very much needed diversion from “real life.” I turned the computer off on Friday morning, and it stayed off until about 30 minutes ago. And I have to tell you, I am surprised to say that turning it back on was not an easy thing to do…mostly because my poor computer is really on it’s last legs, and it’s painful to watch the poor old girl start up… 🙂
Today is a school holiday for the kids, and I was planning on staying home, and hanging out with them, and working longer days tomorrow and Wednesday…but I have two, count ’em, two auditions tomorrow, and I won’t be able to go into work, so I spent a half day there, finishing up some re-writes that are due in two days.
I really love my job, and I really like the people I work with. I realized as I was driving home today how lucky that makes me. I know so many people who just hate their jobs, and dread going to work, and I am not amongst their number. Sure, it helps that we all play lots of games, but the creative freedom I have on my show, and the visceral excitement I feel when I watch an edit of one of our shows is what really makes the hellish commute worth it.
You know, now that I think about it, there is really a lot in my life that I love: my job, my wife, my step-kids, my dog, my friends and family…
I had an email a few months ago from a WWDN reader who mentioned to me that his Thai Chi master has him write down 7 things each day that he is thankful for. I think that’s a simply brilliant idea, and everyone should do it.
I’ll go first. Today, I am thankful for:
- Waking up to my wife’s smile.
- The traffic-free drive to work, because today is a holiday.
- The cool, crisp, ocean breeze that blew across my face when I got out of my car at work.
- Ryan’s unbridled enthusiasm as he shows me that he can ollie nearly 12 vertical inches on his skateboard.
- The sunset this evening, turning to gold the leafless branches of the trees in my neighborhood, as they reach towards a cloudy, indigo sky.
- Nolan coming to me, when I got home from work, and following me around the house, telling me all about his weekend that he spent with his dad.
- Finding my “This American Life” CD, which I had thought I’d lost.
That’s all I have for now. I’m off to prepare my auditions.
Thought for today:
If you are able, help others. If not, at least refrain from hurting them.
7:48 PM PST: I want to add something to my list…
8. Nolan serenading Anne and me during our dinner.
Now, I will explain: Earlier tonight, both kids went to play at their friend’s houses. As dinner time drew closer, we got a phone call from Ryan, asking if he could stay at his friend’s for dinner, followed almost immediately by a similar call from Nolan. So Anne and I prepared for a romantic, candle-lit dinner for 2, while the boys were off with their friends.
I raced up to the market, and picked up this yummy stuffed chicken breast, and a wonderful bottle of Bordeaux. Trouble was, the chicken took almost an hour to cook, and by the time we were sitting down to eat, both kids had come home.
Nolan walked into the dining room, assessed the situation, and announced that he would be right back. He returned with his saxaphone, and proclaimed that he would play all his songs for us while we ate dinner.
So Anne and I ate our romantic dinner for two, while Nolan played “Hot Cross Buns”, “The French Song”, “The German Waltz”, “Yankee Doodle”, and the ever-popular “Oats Peas Beans.” It was the one of the coolest things I have ever seen him do.
If I wasn’t such a badass, it may have brought tears to my eyes.
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wow! looks like i may be the first to comment on this post! this calls for a celebratory e-letter from wil! (dont worry, im jsut starved for attention….no strings here)
i will tell you though, i have been starved for some updates and posts from you wil…ive been house-sitting in the middle of nowhere, and while i do have the phone to talk to my friends, none of them really drive, and therefore i am basically alone, except for the puppies (who are wonderful company, arent you molly and ginger?!?!)
kay, now i think that i am scaring you as well as me, so im gonna stop talking to the dawgs via typing (how does that even work?)
gotta run now, and have some human contact!
good luck with the auditions wil!
colleen~
7 things I am thankful for:
1. Beer
2. My Dog “dot com”
3. Having a job that at least lets me keep up with the bills.
4. howlinowl.com
5. Chili Dogs!
6. Compact discs, so I don’t have to listen to the radio.
7. Beer, oops said that one. Uh, Online Porn!!!!!
Isnt it wonderful when you feel that everything in your world is going sooooooo right??
*breathes in heavily and exhales thus:*
AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
Keep the faith, pally
Break a leg at the audition tomorrow, and if that doesn’t work, start on their fingers… I give it two mintues before they give you the part
Glad you had a good time over the week end but am also glad you are back Wil, we missed ya.
1. The new GZA single.
2. Escape From New York pizza in my stomach.
3. Unemployment insurance.
4. The recent spate of nice weather.
5. Haruki Murakami.
6. A good public transit system.
7. 10 hours of sleep.
Welcome back Wil! Glad to know you had a wonderful time with your wife. You deserve it.
Here’s my list.
1. My health
2. My job (although I don’t love it, I don’t hate it)
3. My family
4. My friends
5. The sunshine today, after the dreary day yesterday
6. My new pillows that allowed me to sleep past 7:00 am today for the first time in months.
7. Having a car – to be able to escape from my apartment.
BTW – Finally saw Lord of the Rings this afternoon. WOW! That’s all I can say.
Vickie
1.being married to a great guy
2.Having two silly weirdo cats
3.Having great ideas for drawings
4. being able to draw
5. The smell of spring coming
6. my b-day coming in March
7. Being rapped up in my new fleece robe
Seven years dry — today!
John McGregor
You know, I just realized something: by taking the time to actually think about 7 things for which you are happy and or thankful, you are increasing the amount of positive energy in the world, and, specifically, in your immdiate vicinity.
I think that’s really cool 🙂
Ok, I’ll throw in my 7 cents:
1. My green VW beetle
2. The Binary Code blanket I’ll be getting in 3 days for my birthday.
3. My mother’s health
4. A good paying, if occasionally stultifying job.
5. The knowledge that I’ll be back in school come September
6. Increasing acceptance of my geekdom
7. Internet access so I can interact with all of you weird, cool people (sniffle, barf)
John-
Congratulations, and happy birthday!!!
I have many, many friends who are in recovery. 7 years is amazing.
🙂
Oh btw, best of luck on the auditions tomorrow. Hey, if you think positive things about us beforehand, you’ll increase the area with positive energy 50,000-fold. There’s a comforting thought. 🙂
Hey Wil , grand idea to have folks list their favorite reasons for life:
1) having a wonderful family of my own
2) our health being pretty good
3) having a roof over our heads (jobs that don’t completely suck, but do nice things for others!)
4) reliable transportation
5) food in our bellies
6) education and freedom to learn
7) living in the USA
Take care all!
— Beej Martin
1 – The wife.
2 – Kid #1
3 – Kid #2
4 – Kid #3
5 – Working in a family business
6 – That I got my PC working today (finally!)
7 – ReplayTV
7 things I am thankful for:
1)my son
3)my family
4)my friends
5)my job
6)my Chevy Tracker
7)Wil being back online to entertain us 🙂
Hey break a leg on the auditions tomorrow…kick some butt…
Hmmm…seven things…
1) My family
2) That I am able to go to college
3) Not having a roomie for a while
4) Not having a roomie for a while
5) Not having a roomie for a while
6) Alfredo sauce (who needs the ten commandments, he gave us Alfredo sauce… ;-))
7) Actually having the sun come out
oh…and GOOD LUCK at the audtions tomorrow Wil.
Welcome back Uncle Willie! My list is slightly different, it’s the Seven Wonders of the World.
1. To Touch
2. To Taste
3. To See
4. To Hear
5. To Feel
6. To Laugh
7. To Love
Yeah, so it’s not original (I ‘borrowed’ from a Man O’ the Cloth) but still, it made me think. Kinda glad we’re here, huh.
Just had to say “welcome back, Wil!” I know that your family needs you – but, I’m sure I speak for lots who visit here when I say “we sure missed you”!
seven things? that’s gonna take some thought…
1. My youngest daughters smile.
2. Being able to apologize to my fiancee last night about a stupid argument.
3. Not getting the usual *eyes roll* from my fiancee after apologizing.
4. The unusual response from my fiancee *grinz*
5. Sleeping till 4 PM today.
6. Thinking of something else to write, and hearing my 10-year old daughter (step-daughter, but I prefer to call her my daughter) doing the dishes!! *writes this one down in pen*
7. Microwaveable hot pretzels dipped in Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing. *gulp*
this made me smile. helluva idea he gave you there, Wil… sounds like it should be a daily thing… maybe read them when it seems there’s none to write about…. *gets out his PalmPilot*
now back to my pretzels and ranch dressing….
the things i’m grateful for:
1. that i’m not pregnant and/or addicted to drugs like it seems most other sixteen year olds in the world are
2. i have a job! $$$$
3. today is a holiday, so i have the night off from said job
4. wil finally updated! i was having withdrawls
5. i finally have time to work on my website
6. my new judy garland cd came today!!
7. i aced the trig quiz that i was worried about
yay wil’s bak!
Happy Presidents Day.
“My father taught me to work; he did not teach me to love it.
I never did like to work, and I don’t deny it. I’d rather read, tell stories, crack jokes, talk, laugh – anything but work.”
Abraham Lincoln
Welcome back Wil! A few days away is always a breath of fresh air. My husband and I are in the middle of a huge project, which means we work 24/7 for a while… but our time to rest will come!
7 things:
1. my spouse and his loving smile
2. clear, dark skies at night and the sight of a million stars
3. music to make my soul sing
4. the glow of finishing up a project and actually liking it!
5. two great science fiction mags showing up the same day
6. the soft, brown sound of a cat’s purr
7. the taste of chocolate
Mr. Wheaton (SIR!),
I am able to help. I shall do so.
“If are able….” in Your post should be “If you are able….”
Glad to be of service, SIR!
Oh…. And is that the CD that we all told You Ferris had stolen and hidden, and wasn’t really lost?
Wait a minute.
Does anyone realize that when Wil becomes a big star, he’s not gonna have time to blog much? I mean hectic shooting schedules, press junkets… Oh the horror!
J/K
Break a leg Wil. … err wait… 2 interviews…. Break both legs. 😉
:)Something tells me that that last directive of yours, AM, was not meant in a purely selfless way ;):)
Just found this site yesterday, wow and i thought i was an only geek, so many of us with Wil leading the pack! Ok hears my 7
1. Monty Python
2. Mel Brooks
3. Steven Wright
4. Fat Baby’s
5. Music of Jon Anderson (the guy from Yes not the county one)
6. Jimmy Fallon (am i the only one whe thinks this guy is truely gifted)
7. The Movie “Neighbors” Freeze-Don’t shoot its me Earl your neighbor-BAM BAM
Thanks for the forum
Things I’m thankful for:
7. Being able to do something every day that I enjoy–research! (Yes, I’m a sick bastard.)
6. Being able to teach people to think for themselves, rather than relying on others’ work.
5. That I can help others with their problems, be they personal or technical.
4. The 5 years I spent working for a company that makes “electrically illuminated gas station signs,” during which I realized the importance of reality as opposed to pie-in-the-sky theories.
3. Music.
2. Friends, in general.
1. Mandy (aka “Amanda,” who used to spend a lot of time arguing with me here), who has become probably my closest friend and the person I most enjoy spending time with.
Things I’m not thankful for:
7. Inconsiderate labmates who think nothing of borrowing and destroying my equipment.
6. Lazy students, who are unwilling to even attempt things on their own.
5. Powertrippers.
4. Professors who can set a schedule, but can’t keep it (file under “hypocrites”).
3. Mandy’s (Amanda) bf. (j/k! 😉
2. St. Patrick’s is on Sunday this year. No bars open in SC!
1. Potted Meat.
Chris: huh?
AM: That was a joke. You had just mentioned the “horror” that would ensue if Wil had no time to spend blogging, then told him to break both his legs. Meant to be funny, even though I could tell you were being sincere 😀
Things I’m thankful for
1) my loving and intelligent husband
2) Having a broken oven be the only inconvienence in my life.
3) Everyone I know and love is alive
4) being employed
5) REM’s “Shiny Happy People” for those times when co-workers are not shiny nor happy
6) The morning Vancouver fog that only hangs over the river and then seems to mysteriously recede into the valleys of the mountains.
7) wil having initiated this
The seven things I am (presently) thankful for:
1) Moulin Rouge
2) TNG reruns on TNN
3) Super-cool famous people who actually keep in contact with their fans 😉
4) A flawed, but loving, mother.
5) Two very quirky kitties.
6) The three-day weekend.
7) Not living on the street 🙂
Erm…
1. My husband
2. Our girlfriend
3. Butter
4. The girlfriend cooking us steak and potatoes for dinner tonight
5. Having an interesting job, with robotic arms and everything
6. Having a passion for language (as opposed to not having a passion for anything)
7. Pillows, and warm blankets. And warm Icelandic socks.
Oooh, I have something to add:
8. Haagen Dazs Hazelnut Gelato ice cream. Truly the ambrosia for the new millenium.
Welcome back!
Just got back yesterday from a week in Texas, visiting some family that I’m thankful for….
got my WWDN sweatshirt in the mail while I was gone. I look stunning!
Good luck tomorrow.
Corky
Chris: Woah, I missed that, hehe nice catch.
1. My new girlfreind
2. The Filet Minon’s and Lobster’s my Mom gave me
3. Spending time with my Mom today
4. Frank Sinatra’s voice
5. Having the whole day off
6. Free computer parts
7. My clean and reliable old car(84 vw rabbit gti)
Good luck tomorrow.
1. The movie I just saw, Renaissance Man. Very moving. Some how I think you should see it, Will. Trust me, you should see it.
2. The ice cream I just ate.
3. My wife that is just going in the shower. Maybe I’ll make up an excuse and walk in on her.
4. The warm winter so far here in New York on Long Island.
5. The job I’ve had for the last 8 months after being laid off after 17 years at my last job.
6. My son Brian.
7. Friends.
1. My self – finally(health, attitude, personality etc…who I am)
2. My husband
3. My Job – I really do love my work, I just love to swim in it all day long.
4. My new house and that I was able/fortunate enough to get it.
5. Electricity – long story, most of you know it.
6. My knowlege and experiences
7. My Friends
🙂
7 things I am thankful for:
1. My Friends: which includes hubby and a few family members.
2. Great Dead Authors: Douglas Adams, Tolkien, George MacDonald, Shakespeare, Jane Austin.
3. Geeks: from computer geeks like Gates and Jobs to whoever the hell thought up insulin – I’ld be dead without them.
4. Musicians and Composers: again, probably die without them.
5. Whoever first created chicken satay: what can I say? food of the gods.
6. Quantum & Quasar: my two pugs, comic side-kicks to my life.
7. Anyone who stands out and does something different with their life: kudos to to weirdos!
Tish
Dude I’m crying again. Gees Wil thanks. So like the rest of you I will try for seven things that whatever.
1. My friends no matter how far they are away.
2. My cat even though he isn’t here.
Dude my life sucks. Can I list the things I hate about my life instead. They seem to outwiegh the good things.
1. The fact that my dad doesn’t want to see me no matter how much I tell him I love him and what he did in the past doesn’t matter any more.
2. School sucks majorly. The professors and their lack of respect for my religion make me want to stop going.
3. The fact that no matter how nice I am or how outgoing I am I can’t seem to make any friends or find a boyfriend.
4. I can’t drive.
5. Dale Jr. is hot and I can’t have him. LOL!
6. My sister. Enough said.
7. I miss my cat.
Okay see that was so much easier than 7 good things. LOL!! I have issues.
1) My cool boss who makes me feel good about my work
2) My boyfriend who loves me despite my faults
3) The easy day I had at work today (for the next two will be busy busy busy)
4) Spring being just around the corner
5) My cat
6) All the people who choose to point out the good in me rather than focus on my shortcomings
7) Wil Wheaton, for having this idea and making me realize what a good day today really was
Hey Yay Wil is back-
Break a leg on the Auditions Dude!-
Here’s my top 7 things I am thankfull for-
#7- My health
#6- My husbend
#5- The kids and their health
#4- The awsome an weirdness of my prozac cat and over lovey dog
#3- Hubby has a job- I am a hosewife- he’s good man.
#2- That I am close to my family
#1- After 7 years togther my hubby and I still hold hands in the car when we go somewhere- anywhere.
Live- Love- Laugh- and be at peace-
One thing I wish I had: Was a step dad like Wil. My mom can’t pick them. lol!
Gosh, this site is great! Break both legs and tell us how they went. This site and its refreshing attitude is one of the 7 things for which I am grateful. How lovely to be able to be so open with your fans and friends!
Oh, and: (2) Bassett’s Licorice Allsorts, (3) Dark chocolate-covered coconut, (4) Caramel, (5) Pesto-covered cheese ravioli, (6) my health and eyesight to be able to appreciate sunsets, gosh that went by quickly, didn’t it?
Welcome back, Wil..glad your weekend was a relaxing one. Thanks for your insightful thoughts today. Here’s my go at a list:
1. A wonderful wife
2. Three great step-kids
3. A mom who has been supportive
4. Good health
5. Three incredible Border Collies
6. Being able to change careers from one that
sucked to one that I love producing music
7. Having a piano to play
8. And grateful that Wil takes the time each day to make the world a better place
Good luck on the auditions!
#1 Waking up in the morning and realizing I don’t have to get up (doesn’t happen very often tho)
#2 My workbench of 4 computers all in some delightful state of disaray
#3 Having good books to read
#4 MP3s
#5 My cat
#6 Starband (even tho they block morpheus)
#7 Webshots pictures