You may ask yourself, “well, how did I get here?”

About two hours ago, I said goodbye to my friends on the set of Eureka, and rode back to my home away from home, here in Vancouver.

About an hour ago, I started doing my laundry and packing my suitcase. I think the last time I did coin-op laundry, I was 20. It's strangely familiar, and the unique smell that happens when a dozen detergents and softeners all combine in the warm, humid air of a laundry room hasn't changed at all in 18 years. Breathing it in provokes of sense memories from so long ago, they almost feel like they belong to someone who exists only in my head.

It's a beautiful day outside: a very light breeze is sort of lazily pushing some sparse clouds through a deep blue sky, over the tops of the buildings outside my window, and through the open window I can hear the traffic droning through the streets below. It's a peaceful backdrop, and I'm glad that I finally have some time to reflect back on my time here, and write some of this stuff down.

I can't get into specifics about work until these episodes air, but there are a few things I don't want to forget. This may be overly-general and a little weird, so please bear with me:

In every scene I do with Colin, we find something entertaining during rehearsal that wasn't there in the script (which is always great to begin with.) The producers and directors have been supportive of our creative discovery, and it's lead to this great relationship between Doctor Parrish and Sheriff Carter. Colin and I had a scene with Joe Morton the other day where Joe and I decided that Parrish and Henry would get all excited and geek out about some scientist stuff, totally ignoring Carter while we did. The foundation Colin and I had built for our character relationship let this thing I had with Joe stand right on top of it.

Niall Matter and I have decided that Zane and Parrish are friends from working together, and their mutual irritation with authority in general and Fargo specifically has formed the foundation for that friendship. So far, we haven't had much to do together, but when we're in the same scene, we make sure to look share character-based "can you believe this frakkin guy?" looks that may not ever read on the screen, but sure are a lot of fun to create.

Last Wednesday, I twisted the fuck out of my ankle on the set, and ultimately had to go to the doctor to get it looked at. I can't say how or why (it's spoilery) but the timing couldn't have been worse: we were on location, I was in almost all of 9 pages that day, and it happened during first rehearsal, before we'd even shot a single second of film. It was a long and painful day, but I ended up with a brace, a cane, and a Naproxen prescription, so I'm doing much better now. I don't need the cane, and I don't even limp that much, which is nice. An X-ray said it wasn't broken, and I said, "Holy shit, a talking X-ray!"

I really, really, really miss my family, but I've had a great
time being here. As I look back on these two episodes, I see a lot of work I'm
proud of, a lot of people I'm glad to know, some great times out with
good friends … but mostly, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. I'm
so grateful for this life, and what I'm able to do with it, that even
on the longest day on set when I'm in a scene that stopped being
interesting and fresh hours ago, I can remember that I get paid to imagine. I make my living making things up to entertain people, to give
them a place to escape to every once and a while, and I just love it. I've said it a lot on Twitter lately, but it bears repeating: I am the luckiest guy in the world. Sometimes, I feel like I'm living someone else's life, and I don't ever want to wake up.

52 thoughts on “You may ask yourself, “well, how did I get here?””

  1. I love it when you write these stories. I’m 2 hours away down south right now; the weather is gorgeous and cool. It’s a good day for meditation and reflection. /tip hat

  2. When are you going back to the States? I would still love to meet or at least bump into you one of these days in Vancouver.
    You should bring your family to visit Vancouver/Victoria sometime :)!

  8. Could I get some of this beautiful weather Wil? Please, pretty please? Maximum temperature today here in Europe was about 12°C (54°F). It’s still August ffs.

  10. Loved reading this post. It is amazing to look back and see the unexpected places life takes you. I’m sure you’re family misses you just as much as you do them and will be glad to have you back home. I along eith the rest of the fans thank them for letting you go every once in a while t=so we can see you perform. Sorry aboutthe ankle.

  11. I’m happy for you Wil. Envious, but still happy. 🙂
    I hope your ankle gets better soon, and that seeing your family again is the best reunion ever (so far, heh). Oh, and have fun at PAX. I wish I could go, myself, but Dragon*Con beckons! 🙂

  12. Only you can take being cooped up in a stuffy laundromat and turn it into something absolutely day brightening.
    Hey, question: I was hoping to get to see you at some point during PAX but the only thing I see you listed for is the live D&D thing. I have never ever played D&D before(my husband is a big fan of it though) and while I think it would be super fun to watch you and the rest of those guys play, I also *really* don’t want to take a seat away from someone who loves the game and will understand what is going on during the session. Will you be doing any other signings or appearances while you are there?

  13. How incredible that you get to do something for a living that you love, makes so many others happy and yet maintain the down-to-earth accessiblity that makes us all feel we are somehow on the journey with you. Thank you and your family for sharing these parts of your life with us.

  14. Wil, you always make me smile. ((Except for when you are making me cry. But there’s always emotion, and I’m like a Vulcan, so making me emote is always an accomplishment!))
    Sorry to hear about the ankle. And holy crap, *I* want some talking x-rays! 🙂

  15. I'm going to post all about my PAX plans here tomorrow. The short version is: I'm going to mostly attend, with only the one scheduled event. I'm doing VERY limited signings, because I've been working my ass off for three straight weeks, and I think I've earned a PAX where I can just have fun.
    That said, if you see me around, of *course* you can come say hi to me, provided I'm not obviously in the middle of something important, like playing DS or something 🙂

  16. Because we as fans appreciate what you do, you appreciate what you have and continue to do, what you do.
    It’s a beautiful cycle.

  17. As long as your ankle is injured, you should shave your head, get a wheelchair and cosplay as Charles Xavier at PAX.

  18. Wil: Thanks for this. There is something really kind of neat about reading about you doing laundry in a public laundromat. Especially when it is in a city where I used to live and still visit frequently.
    While reading this, I pictured walking in to do my own laundry and finding Wil Wheaton there doing the same thing. Why does it look like the laundry room from TBBT?
    I started following you here and on Twitter becuase of your Star Trek work, but I continue to follow becuase of who you have grown into. It is so nice to see a “child celebrity” grow up into a good, kind and responsible adult who can still entertain us in new and different ways. You should be proud of what you have done and who you have become.
    I look forward to one day meeting you in person at a con or at a Wootstock or something. Maybe you’ll let me buy you a Guiness or something.
    …and don’t stop writing!

  20. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t so flippin’ jealous of the opportunity you have to do all that! I know you’ve worked hard for it and earned it, though. I’ve done a bit of work in film and couldn’t imagine how incredible it would be to do it for a living. Being on set even for the longest of days remains so incredibly magical even after the scene loses its “freshness”, lol!

  21. Wil, more people need the kind of outlook you have on life, at least when it comes to finding joy in the mundane.
    Hope you have a great time at PAX being a mostly-attendee, sounds like you are definitely well overdue for a relaxing geekfest.

  24. Now the real question is, did someone steal your clothes and/or laundry basket and *really* blast you back to being 20 again?
    I adore Eureka and am so glad you are going to be on one of my favorite shows, and I’m really glad you’re enjoying your time on it. And I’m totally beyond squeeing happy that Felicia Day is going to be on, too. I can’t wait for winter and the new season!
    And BTW, take care of that ankle. I thought Colin was the only one who was allowed to whine about getting hurt on Eureka.

  25. Because of the title of this post and the fact that your ‘kermitflail’ is one of my favorite things on Twitter, I’ll just leave this here:


  27. Too bad your episodes will be after the mid-season break. Far too long a time to wait because Eureka has been fantastic this season. They’re going from strength to strength, both the acting and the writing, it’s highly enjoyable.
    Take care of your ankle and I hope it’ll be fine by the time you’re in Seattle so you can enjoy PAX.

  28. Lovely post, as always. I’d love to see pics of “Old Man Wil” with his cane. Glad your ankle isn’t broken. That can really smart when that happens. Be careful & be sure to put ice on it.
    I can’t wait to see these episodes. We are all lucky to be able to enjoy having you on our TV sets on a regular basis. 🙂

  30. Listen, when next I see you, I’m going to do this thing with my hands where it looks like you’re giving off heat and I’m warming myself by your fire. That is exactly what I’m doing.

  31. And, Wil, if you were to be offered a permanent gig on Eureka, would you accept, assuming the family was willing to temporarily transplant?
    –Jerry

  32. 1) Talking Heads – Are these getting eaiser or what? 😉
    2) The pendulum is swinging the other way. Now you dont have to worry about leaving you know what TV show (double wink).
    3) When are you doing a Priceline commerical with Shatner?
    4) Will you be on Shatners new TV show? LOL
    5) Would love to see you in a new movie (Star Trek based or other wise).
    Would really like to see a Poker post in the future if at all possible.

  33. “Breathing it in provokes of sense memories from so long ago, they almost feel like they belong to someone who exists only in my head.”-Perhaps the best and most thought-provoking line I have read all year.

  37. Will, sorry to hear about the ankle, but very glad to hear you are currently enjoying life to the hilt. 🙂 Eureka and The Guild are high on my viewing priorities right now…and you are certainly doing justice to both. Looking forward to the day you attend a Comic Con or something here in Manchester, UK.
    Cheers! PS:- the Talking Heads quote – epicness!

  38. “This is the time to remember / Cause it will not last forever/ These are the days to hold on to / Cause we won’t although we’ll want to…”
    Thanks for letting us share your happiness. I very much enjoy following your thoughts. Not being a native speaker, I still love the easiness I find in your posts.
    Have your books ever been translated into German?
    All the best from Bremen, Northern Germany, from an old geek trying hard not to be a dick…

  39. With regard to the talking X-ray machine, welcome to the future you helped to create.
    I think it’s axiomatic that our computing and electronic medical devices as we know them today are a direct result of what have been seen in the various Star Trek shows — for multiple generations of computer scientists and engineers, the motivation has been to see a device depicted on the screen and think, “I want a [whatever] which can do that,” and if it didn’t exist, to figure out how to make it. The X-ray machine you used was undoubtedly inspired by something seen in an Enterprise sickbay set.
    So, it wasn’t magic, it was appropriate karma. Congratulations, and thank you.

  40. Fantastic post, and heartwarming. Eureka is one of my favorite shows, and I love seeing you on the cast. I hope you end up being back on the show at some point. Enjoy being back home, and can’t wait to find out exactly how you managed to mess up your ankle.
    By the way, are you doing Blizzcon with The Guild in October?

  42. I just wanted to let you know you were awesome in this episode of The Guild. Fawkes is one of my favorite characters anyway, but this episode in particular was brilliant for him.
    You actually made me swoon a bit at one point.

  43. I would miss my family like crazy too! I don’t know how you do it. Coin-op laundromats…UGH. Don’t miss those days.
    I feel for you on the ankle injury. I had arthroscopic surgery on my right ankle 2 1/2 weeks ago. The combination of the bulky walking boot (which, in a cruel irony, I haven’t been given the green light to walk on) and the crutches in the 100+ degree Texas heat is going to drive me nuts. I have 13 more days of the crutches. If the doc doesn’t give me the OK to walk on it as promised I might have to hurt him.

  44. That’s just a beautiful piece of writing Wil. Thanks for sharing. You deserve the moments of bliss that you have been reporting recently. Kudos!
    H

  45. Such a great story; I could hear you in my head reading it. Thanks for sharing. And we’re very supportive of you and your “world of make believe” because you stay humble and recognize how fortunate you are. Much love and luck in all your adventures!

  46. You’ve signed on to perhaps the best show on TV. I ’bout lost it when James Callis mentioned hallucinating about a long legged woman in a slinky red dress! Was there any scuttlebutt about this (possible) improvisation?

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