This isn’t one of those posts about not posting, except that it kind of is.
A couple of nights ago, Anne and I were sitting on the couch, Seamus between us, watching Modern Family. A fire in our fireplace warmed our living room, and both of our cats, who were stretched out in front of it.
Modern Family is one of my favorite shows on television, because it brilliantly fills a hole left by the Simpsons, when it stopped being about characters and started being about guest stars and whacky shenanigans: it’s a terrifically funny look at a family trying to be a family while their life happens around them. More often than not, it cleverly weaves together seemingly unrelated stories into a satisfying ending, and the writing is consistently clever and unexpected.
During a commercial, I thought about my kids, and my family. Ryan’s 25 and Nolan’s 23. We see them at least once a week for family dinner, but usually more than that. We’re a close family, we love each other very much, and every moment we spend together makes me so proud of all of us, because we struggled and suffered a lot for years at the petty and vindictive hands of their biological father. That we have anything at all is pretty remarkable, considering how relentlessly he tried to destroy our ability to be a family, and that we have something so special and rare makes all the suffering and struggling worth enduring, because here we are today, Team Wheaton.
I said this wasn’t one of those posts about not posting, except that it kind of is. During that commercial, as I thought about Ryan and Nolan and our lives together, I noticed that I don’t write about us as much as I used to, which means that I don’t write in my blog as much as I used to. More often than not, when one or both of them is over, I can take a picture and post it to Twitter, and it tells an entire story that would have once been saved for a blog post. Yes, I could still do that, and add the picture to the post, but that’s not the way we do things these days, and it feels like most people don’t read or comment on blogs, anyway.
So this isn’t a post about not posting, except that it is. It’s a post that reiterates, for me as much as anyone, that I need to write, because it’s doing the right thing, even when I feel like I don’t have anything to write about.
Runners run, even if they’re not in a race, and they run every day, so they’re ready for the race when they find themselves at the starting line.
Sometimes a nice jog, for the sake of jogging, can be a worthwhile thing. In fact, it’s worthwhile more often than not.
Discover more from WIL WHEATON dot NET
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Wil – there are three blogs I look for every day. One is yours, one is Anne’s, and one is a knitting blog. I seldom ever comment, because others have usually expressed my thoughts better, first.
I want you to know that I recommend your blog (specifically “Depression Lies”) to everyone I meet who suffers from depression. You speak so eloquently about how depression feels, and how it affects you, that it should be required reading for every family who has a member with depression.
Thanks to Anne’s blog about scheduling health check-ups, May is now My Health month, a concept that I have shared amongst my friends and family.
I enjoy reading about your family because despite all the difficulties you had in the early years, you and Anne have created a wonderful, loving, and supportive family for Nolan and Ryan. Having a glimpse of what you went through makes it easier to believe that my new family will get there too, someday.
Thank you both for sharing your thoughts and experiences in your blogs. You both make a difference to many people’s lives. Keep up the good work.
I was told to go, and I see my kids twice a week. I guess I must consider myself lucky even if it kills me inside. Most of my extra money is send there, more than required. It kills me that other people have all day every day for them and I have to work, work, work, going home to an empty house.
It will kill me eventually, but not before both are legal adults. That much I owe them.
Even when it all happens in good harmony, someone suffers in silence. This is in no way a remark on Wil’s situation, it is my story, short as it is. It is how not being a dick sometimes just doesn’t work out. It is about finishing last.
Wow I came to this realization the other day as well! I noticed that I had been all out of sorts for a while and one of the reasons was that I had stopped writing. Even something short and sweet each day can do so much for us writers.
As for me I enjoy your blog posts much more than twitter. I enjoy you embellishing a story and filling out the subtle details in your typically fun and clever ways. So as for myself I say keep up the blog 🙂
For what it’s worth, Wil – I read every single post on the blog. I gave up on Twitter about 2 years ago, trying to focus more on long form reading. I don’t really miss it that much, to be honest.
Please do keep writing, Wil. I try to keep up with your posts and find that your words tend to resonate with me. LIstened to you on @nerdist this week too – aside from your talent and humor, i especially like that you get how lucky you are…and you don’t take it for granted…or convey a sense of privilege.
Please keep writing. keep being you. Don’t be a dick. And above all else, play more games.
Just to chip in, I very much enjoy your blog posts, and value them more than tweets. Your writing is appreciated!
I really enjoy reading anything you write about. Mostly because you find humor in all subjects and make me smile as well as laugh out loud, which is the best medicine in the world and I need lots of it. Have been getting some awesome Emails. Have no idea where you come up with all the stuff you write about, but the few personal things I do know about you I’d say your family is your muse and the happiness is from being a blessed man. You are loved and that is because you give love. You are a good guy and it shines through. Thank you for being my friend.