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Random Hiatus/Binge Reading is bad for you

It's been a bit more than a month since I last posted anything here.  I have pursued a few minor creative tasks in the interlude, but nothing very involved with the exception of a homemade iron man costume. That project was fun, but I can't say I nailed the helmet. Which turned out okay, because my son didn't wear it much, he wanted to be able to see everything. The real reason for the hiatus is that I was reading. A lot. I read the Outlander books by Diana Gabaldon (rhymes with stone in case you read them and need to shake your fist to yourself and exclaim it aloud whilst reading). There are 8 of them out, and I figure there are around 3 million words, give or take a few hundred thousand.  When I have the opportunity to binge read a robust series that beckons my spirit of adventure while shaming me with her virtuous, hard-working, passionate, and intimate main characters.  I desire very much to be like Jamie Fraser, the main male protagonist. I find that reading a character such as this makes me feel bad in the best possible way.  I do try to live my life well, be respectful, to be selfless when possible and helpful to those in need. When I see similarities between myself and a fictional pillar of heroism, I feel a swell of pride, then when I think about the hard working lifestyle of settling mountains in the 18th century I realize that I am a worthless waste of bone and muscle, let alone the mush I call my brain.  Here is a man who is not only confident, but thoughtful and decisive. I might be called thoughtful, but more often than not the things I ponder are useful only as cheap entertainment.  Here is a man that NEVER bends from the beliefs he holds to be true-it should be noted that these beliefs are antiquated, but sound in their well-considered and educated roots. I am a man who would be fine with going through every single day without any conflict at all, and usually shies away from sharing my own contrary-to-popular-opinion beliefs.  I am trying to get better about it, but I'm a people pleaser, I'm not happy if ANYBODY else is unhappy. This goes double for my wife and half for my kids (sometimes their discontent is verra well misplaced and it amuses me. Google: "reasons my kid is crying").  

These characters have a lot going for them, but they never sit still either. They are always actively pursuing what they want, often without rest or food and in dismal and dangerous conditions.  I'm trying to learn that lesson, as well as the dangers of binge-reading. I'm really bad at life when all I want to do is read and read and read.  I love it so much. But...  I need to take a break. I need to get my house in order and my pursuits on track if I'm ever going to become insanely successful, and build a ranch in the mountains somewhere.  

This is good news for readers. I will make an effort to post here daily again, and sometime soon I will polish up the old website and ask everyone to subscribe.  As of now, I'm just trying to be better at life.

BBAL Y'all.  Another post tonight...
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