Will power(less)

Here's the thing about freelance work: You can never leave work to go home (you're already there); work becomes a state of mind that either engulfs or eludes you completely. I'm either working nonstop or unable to start.

There's a moment before I commit to either extreme where my mind says, "okay, this is it...the choice is yours to make and the consequences are blah blah blah blah blah" but it's too late...I've been sucked into an episode of "I Love New York," followed by "The Daily Show," "The Hills," "Gossip Girl," "The Real World," "Sarah Silverman," "My Super Sweet 16," and "Best Week Ever."

When I've exhausted my DVR'd collection of brain-melting drivel, I raid my roommate's despite a growing migraine from the TV's glow and a nagging little "but you've got work to do..." I watch shows I've never cared to see before: "My Name is Earl," "Scrubs," "The Office" and "30 Rock" (I think her old TV only got NBC).

Nine hours later, I'm drowning in a puddle of drool and empty 100-calorie bags of Sun Chips (portion control is also a work-in-progress for me). Avoiding eye contact with the pile of work on my desk, I shuffle to bed determined to wake up "early" (i.e. before 2 pm) and start fresh the next day.

Until I get a job that involves leaving the house, I've got to figure out how to tap my will power and evolve into a worker bee whose hive happens to be her bedroom...


(dig the poster I made at www.despair.com in their DIY section [yes, I used a double negative on purpose -- when you know da rules, you can break 'em]...maybe it should be my Christmas card?)