My work life is weird. Most people have a reliable schedule and know when they’ll work, and how much. They can plan out their week, their month, and their budget accordingly. But not me. I will go weeks or months without a job, and then work my face off for 45 straight days. I’ll look at an empty week on my calendar that suddenly fills up before the end of Monday. I’ll have zero jobs and a wide open calendar for weeks at a time, and then four jobs all want me and they can only work at exactly the same time so I have to choose just one. (I hate it when that happens. I’d do so much more cool stuff if not for the constant conflicts).
I mean, look, this as far as problems go, as far as uncertainty goes … this is not the worst thing. I love how much I get to just do my own thing, usually whenever I want to, it’s not the worst thing! But I also am not crazy about that uncertainty. To make it less intense, we made a choice about 15 years ago to keep a year of liquidity in savings, just in case. Knock on wood, we haven’t needed it. And to take even more control over my life and career, I started developing this project that, if it finds its audience, could become the thing I do full time. I would love that. You have no idea.
This week, I’ve been working my face off on what feels like the final lap of this passion project I’ve been developing for a couple of years. Late last year, after a long development process that felt at times like it would never end, I started work on the thing. Last week, we hit a significant milestone that allowed us to set a release date on the calendar for next month, and I’ve spent all day every day this week doing so much writing for it, my fingers are numb and my brain is mush. I want to keep going, but the flesh is spongy and bruised.
It’s been a nice break from the horrors, though, and I have been so grateful for that. It reminds me that, even though everything is terrible and America is in the middle of a fascist coup, we still need breaks from the fight to restore our hit points and our mana. We need to step away from the fire hose of social media and all of its algorithmically-driven agitation and addiction. We need to breathe and taste the air and practice some quiet self care. As an entertainer, I can help create that space for anyone who wants or needs it. That’s how I can be a Helper. That’s what I want to do with my work, and that’s what this project is all about.
I really want to make sure you know about this when it releases. The best way to make sure you do is by signing up for email alerts when I make pots posts on my blog. If I did what I think I did, you should be navigating about ninety thousand popups and reminders that you can subscribe.
Here’s one more.
Okay bye!
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Work is an excellent distraction from the horrors popping up all around us. I retired from the Canadian military six years ago and find other ways to focus on positive things such as your blog. 🙂
Have you been asked to appear on @fter Midnight yet? That would be a good place to plug the project too, I think, plus you could compare the new show to @midnight
If you are making pots on your blog, will I need the alerts? Won’t all the clanging be enough?
Looking forward to the thing! Whatever it is I’m sure it’ll be a welcome respite from everything that guy is doing to break the world right now. Thank you!
I look forward to your wit, your humor, your blazing honesty and beautiful vulnerability, Wil. Good God, could you run for President and end this orange assault? Jesus.
Seriously Wil. If nothing else, you have at least played someone on TV who has a strong sense of honor and duty, which already makes you more qualified than the Orange Overlord, besides the fact that you seem like a really decent guy in real life too.
And I’m betting Patrick Stewart’s campaign commercials for you would be brilliant.
What a perfect idea. Please, Wil, please?
Yes please! Wheaton 2028!!
Here’s hoping your secret project will save the world… literally, we need something good and big!
As a professional musician, I feel your words about feast or faminine and having to turn down cool gigs because they all came at once very deeply. My day job is what so far keeps things stable. Some weeks my calendar are open and some weeks it doubles my working hours.
Email subscription? Your blog’s in my RSS reader, which I check more frequently. (and this isn’t even an old nerd joke lol)
I’d try to focus on my job but I’m too busy banging my head on the wall. November of 2028 seems so far away.
(Bang…bang…bang…bang…bang…)
Hey thanks for your explanation on the way. The day goes. I had friends in the film industry who had to pay their dues for the first decade decade and a half. You never turned down a job. And then when they finally saw a six week gap of time with nothing to do they would finally take a vacation if they could afford it. now, after being in the industry for at least 30 years during the much better position to pick and choose. But they also want to dimension something that’s happening in my backyard where I grew up around NASA where my father worked. People are now getting the letters from Elon Musk telling them that by high noon on Monday they have to turn in five things they did at work or accomplished at work. To keep their job. Or consider themselves fired.
Anyways, a lot of people always say “oh that should be really easy to tell people what you did at your job otherwise you shouldn’t have a job“. Anyways, I try to inform people that it’s actually really slick trick because the goals are not announced and you could absolutely say the wrong thing and lose your job and it wouldn’t be actually wrong to have done that. It comes off is really cute and understandable and it’s actually not in the end. Anyways, keep up the good work appreciate hearing from you
For sure, work can be a good distraction to what is happening in America/ social media. So is nature, being with loved ones, exercise, eating good food, community building, learning new things, reading books and so on. I’m a recently retired Canadian woman trying to find meaning and structure in my life post work and child-rearing. So far it isn’t hard. Please stay motivated though: your voice is needed and I want to keep reading your blog.
Looking forward to hearing about this new venture (adventure?)!
On top of all that I have noticed that most actors don’t retire. In fact some die in the middle of a project or between films / episodes.
Love this! Thank you!
I love your work and hope you have the best of times. I loved the movie you were, what eye opener it was.
I hope your project works out and we will all be able to see and enjoy it. So far, your creative output never disappointed me, and I am looking forward to new things. Good luck!
Always admired your work Will since Stand by Me.I admire you even more for calling out Musk.There is hope for your country when theres guys like you prepared to stick your head above the parapet.
Out of nowhere I started thinking about TableTop and went to look at the episodes. I can’t believe it’s been 7 years since I saw a new one! I used to LIVE for those episodes. Looking forward to seeing what your new project is.
Excellent post. Taking some quiet time for reflection and, well, peace of mind is so critical in today’s age of social media (of which I’m a very, very, very limited participant).
Argh! The suspense is alternately killing me, and making me smile…is that weird? (Par for the course for me) Looking forward to the reveal!
I cannot wait to find out what this is going to be! It’s going to be great.. I still can’t wait!
So excited for you, and to find out what you’ve been up to!