I only worked a couple of hours today, wrote for a few more, and met a friend for lunch by Columbus Circle followed by a leisurely stroll through Central Park in beautiful weather and then back home where tonight I finally watched The Wrestler. I even managed to not compulsively check my Blackberry every few minutes though it wasn’t easy. I’m going to try going a half hour at a time without checking tomorrow.

I don’t think I’m a workaholic, I fear I am. The really frustrating thing about it is I’m not proud of the fact or writing about it with a sense of false modesty. I genuinely have come to realize I need to recalibrate my approach to life. Actually, I need to get one. A life that is. Something with social activities that don’t involve publishing 24/7. I love publishing. I love being an editor and a writer, but both are very consuming and isolating. It’s time I started seeing other people after hours. Some sort of open relationship.

So I’m on vacation this week, but only from one of my jobs. It’s a halfcation. I got up the same time I always do, checked work email like I always do, wrote work emails like I always do, spoke with one author and two agents, and realized I’m not really getting into the swing of things of being on vacation. And it’s not even 10am yet. My Blackberry is always on and always at my side. The first thing I do when I wake up is check email, and it’s the last thing I do at night before I go to bed. Work has become my life. Work is life, life is work.

If anyone has any ideas on how to unplug, unwind, tune out, and otherwise relax I’m all ears…unless I’m working.

For the first time since I started putting out mouse traps I caught one that survived the experience. Not sure how, but it somehow got wedged between the side of the trap (it’s a small contained box-like device) and the swing arm that comes down to break their little necks. I took pity on the little vermin and carried the trap outside and set him loose. Hopefully he stays away and tells all his little mouse friends not to come sniffing around my apartment. If it happens again, Mickey will be sleeping with the fishes.

One of my authors has found some photos he’d like to use in a book that were donated by the Bundesarchiv (German Federal Archives) to Wikimedia. What I can’t tell is whether or not one needs to seek express permission to use the photos. Does anyone know just how the CC copyright works?

Cheers,

Chris

Spent a leisurely hour or so at the Gracie Mews this morning drinking coffee and taking notes. Hit the gym then went for a walk before the rain came. Some reading, some writing, and a half-hearted attempt to clean the kitchen counter. I’m not sure why, but my counter fights order and slips into chaos at every opportunity. Books piled on manuscripts mixed in with junk mail with pens and notepads scattered throughout the strata. If I ever get married I’ll need to clean up my act or have a very understanding wife…