on a long run

After spending so many weeks on location, it's been more of an adjustment than usual to settle back into my normal routine here at home. For the last week or so, I've come into my office, opened up a text editor, and just stared at the blank screen and insistently blinking cursor until, frustrated, I give up trying to find something worth writing about and just go read Reddit instead.

I don't think it's the end of the world that I haven't been able to motivate myself to write more than a few words at a time, and I've come to sort of grudgingly accept that, after months of creative output, it's very likely that my brain just wants to recharge its HP and MP. Since I can't force inspiration, I've gone back to the most comfortable and inspiring constant in my life: comic books and RPGs. I've been on a real superhero kick, plowing through 52 (which I wasn't interested in at the time it came out, but have enjoyed tremendously; I'm up to week 18, so far), a re-read of 1602, and a Marvel TPB called The Heroic Age. I picked up Joss' Astonishing X-Men, and I have Brubaker's Captain America Omnibus on my desk, too. I guess, after 20+ years of reading everything but superheroes, I'm making up for lost time.

I've also been playing Fallout 3 New Vegas a little bit every evening. It's taken me 17 hours to feel like I'm really doing anything, but I've enjoyed every moment of it, so far. I would like to point out that, though the Powder Gangers and Legion really hate me, I've only blasted their faces off in self defense. Thank you.

I haven't been able to get my gaming group together since … well, shit, it's been so long I can't remember. I think it was March or April. Wow. I have all these RPG books on my shelves in my office, and nobody to play them with at the moment … just like when I was a young geek, carrying around my red box set and a folder full of characters, just in case.

It feels good to be home, even though it's sort of like putting on a pair of pants I haven't worn in a few months. I'm hopeful that, by taking time to relax and consume things, I will be able to get excited and make things sooner than later.

40 thoughts on “on a long run”

  1. It’s not true that you aren’t making things… the stupid cell phone videos (anf BBT reminders) are proof of that. You are just swimming in a different creative pool right now. You’ll get back to your own home pool soon – I believe.

  3. I know the feeling of long times between games and finally coming home. I spent 20 years in the Navy and am glad to have done it. Even more so to be retired now. Any word on coming back to Seattle for Emerald City ComiCon? Felicia Day is already scheduled.
    Joe Haight

  7. As I sit here, staring at a pile of as-yet-unread books and a pile of as-yet-unwatched DVDs and a pile of as-yet-unplayed video games, I can empathize with your current status.
    Enjoy your foray into recent superhero stuff. May I recommend the last few years of the Superman books, as well as anything Geoff Johns has ever touched?
    Happy es-cape-ism!

  10. Good too hear you have some spare time on your hands now, always good to get away from it all. Enjoy your RPGs and comics, i’m the same recently. I’ve got a couple of “Buffy” comics and two issues of “The Guild” to get through, as well as your “Just a Geek” and the first “The Walking Dead”.. plenty to keep me going 🙂

  11. Considering you mention Powder Gangers and Legion, I assume you ACTUALLY meant Fallout: New Vegas, which just so happens to be like an improved version of Fallout 3 (and a really fun game!).
    A minor oversight of course and given your current state of readjustment, totally understandable so don’t sweat it one bit! In fact, I’m not sure exactly why I felt inclined to point it out. I swear it was something along the lines of trying to be helpful and definitely not being a dick at all. 🙂

  13. I’m glad to hear that you’re playing Fallout: New Vegas, as I feel exactly the same way about it as what you’ve described. It takes a really long time to do anything, but the experience is so compelling that I don’t mind the time investment. It’s so much more sprawling even than Fallout 3 was, with something like twice the quests and locations. Plus the quests are intertwined and at times in conflict. It seemed like in Fallout 3 I only ever had two or three quests available at a time. I’ve especially enjoyed how different the economics are from the Capitol Wasteland just because of the differences in supply and demand. It’s amazing to see 4000 cap prices for armor and gnarly weapons.
    Are you playing on Hardcore mode?
    Anyway, congrats on needing to recoup. You’ve been the good kind of busy lately. Cheers, Wil!
    P.S. I did a little nerd dance when I found you as a Robobrain.

  15. I’m still working my way through all the extra content my son downloaded for Fallout 3. I’ll jump on New Vegas then. Looking forward to having Felicia Day as a companion in New Vegas. A lot easier on the eyes than Fawkes. (The mutant, not the Guild character) 😉

  16. At least you can create things in the first place. I’m trying NaNo this year and… not doing so well. And my health and mana bars were full to begin with. I think I was born nerfed. See if I ever pick this stupid class again.
    I had a group I was RPing with, but two of them are off at college and one is an almost-sort-of-semi-famous musician with no time for us silly nerds. That leaves our GM and I, which doesn’t make for a great gaming experience. We have two other friends that are sort of interested, but I don’t know how serious they’d be about it. Past experiences have been bad. (No matter how funny it was when one of them tried to name their twi’lek scoundrel Howard Wolowitz.)
    It’s comforting to know my idols are as lonely as I am sometimes. Like cooler versions of myself. I mean like… a dude with a sweet beard and not a whiny, teenage girl, but still.

  17. I can definitely relate to the jonesing for a game group thing. Due to various circumstances both the game I play in and the game I DM have been on hiatus. We’re finally starting back up again this weekend. I can’t stinking wait. I’m definitely looking forward to reading more RPG posts from you as those were what really lit the fire in me in the first place to finally take the plunge. In the meantime I have been playing Fable 3 and I finally snagged a copy of HeroQuest on eBay so I’ve just been drinking up the nostalgia of it and playing against myself. It’s kind of sad but I really don’t care.
    Glad to hear you are back home and taking some time to relax!

  20. I just moved back to the US from Canada. I missed Big Bang last night. I knew where to catch it (legally) in Canada. What about in the US? Hulu doesn’t seem to have it…

  22. Hi Wil!
    Being a writer, I was wondering if you could help a lowly fan out. I’m starting a composition and language class in college. We are going to be required to write a research paper and I wondered if maybe you had any thoughts for a good topic to look into? I really appreciate your help. I look forward to seeing you on the small screen soon and also to your new entry. Take care!

  23. Choose a subject that you find very interesting, or feel passionately about. If you have to do the work and [dad voice] your grade will reflect your effort [/dad voice], you may as well choose something that you're going to enjoy.

  24. Hello Wil,
    Just out of curiosity, have you ever read the comic series Irredeemable? If not, I’d highly recommend it. Mark Waid writes it. It basically explores a concept along the lines of “What if you took a Superman-like individual, and turned him evil beyond redemption?” It’s got 4 TPB’s out now, and has so many twists and turns it’s amazing how Waid does it. I have to admit, 52 turned out better than I thought it would. Other than that, are there any DC titles you’d say you follow? Just curious.

  25. D’oh, I just realised I replied to two posts on the other post, the note about the game group opening should have been here. ;o)
    Have you got more acting work lined up or will you be concentrating on writing again after you’ve recharged your HP/MP?

  26. I *love* IRREDEEMABLE. I did the voice of Qubit for the motion comic (which hasn't been released, yet, as far as I know.)

  27. I’m a university student, so I would love to have time to do nothing but read and play video games (I can’t play Team Fortress 2 as frequently as I used to…). But I have to spend all my time writing essays and looking for a part-time job (something else I need to worry about). So enjoy any down time you have! 😀 And some good relaxation will definitely get your creative juices flowing again. 🙂

  33. Sorry about the writer’s block. I’m glad it’s not hitting me. I’ve been kicking NaNoWriMo’s ass (already over 30,000 words!).
    I know how you feel about the red box and character sheets just in case. I carry around Fiasco and dice in my bag at pretty much all times. Just in case.
    Also, while I’m thinking about Fiasco and improv based roleplaying, you might want to give “Play Unsafe” by Graham Walmsley a read. The price is a bit steep for an eighty page book, but the contents are great.

  35. My husband has been playing New Vegas every night since he got it, and also most mornings before work. He’s at drill right now, and I don’t need him to tell me that he probably misses it more than he misses me. lolz
    I haven’t played it, but the music isn’t too bad. I liked the Fallout 3 soundtrack better, but it isn’t bad.

  38. Wil, you might consider recharging your batteries at the Verdugo Hills Golf Course. Yes, the VHGC is still hanging in there.
    Green fees have been slashed to $10 a round, seven days a week. Even cheaper for juniors and seniors. And that’s just for starters. There are more promos to be had. The reduced prices are intended to encourage folks to come back to the course and hopefully bring in some new golfers as well.
    In order to save the golf course it must be proven viable.
    This morning I posted our Nov 14th eBlast online with the details regarding the new prices and other promos being offered. http://www.gcvoice.org/emails/2010Nov14.htm
    There’s also a link from the Save the VHGC FB page:
    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-the-Verdugo-Hills-Golf-Course/251085423613?v=wall&ref=ts
    P.S. Beer is back at the VHGC! Tee’s on the Green is serving draft and bottled.

  39. On an unrelated note, I suggested that the Minneapolis Public Library pick up more of your books, and they are now carrying three copies of Dancing Barefoot, three copies of Just a Geek, and they have two copies of The Happiest Days of Our Lives on order. ^_^

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“The library is a safe place.”

In order to survive, I disassociated for much of my childhood, but I clearly remember the books. That's where I found comfort, companionship, inspiration and validation. It's where the imagination that powers everything I do creatively in my life today was born. And it all started in that library, with that librarian. She was one of the first people I can remember asking me, "What do you like? What's important to you? What do you want to know more about? How can I help you find it?"

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