How many books can a bookchuck chuck if a bookchuck…

too many books illustration. Mark Fearing

Here’s an update on my book-letting. Two months ago I wrote about my need to get rid of books. That perhaps being buried alive by books in my studio isn’t the way I want to go…though honestly, it’s not a bad way all things being equal.

And now for some blog-honesty…I haven’t gotten rid of one single book.

I tried. We had visitors for Thanksgiving and I tried to talk them into taking some books with them to read on the way home. But they already had plenty of books.

It gets worse…I recently purchased three new books and my bet is the Holidays will see me get at least one or two or three or more. So I am losing the ‘war on books’. I may never move from this house. I don’t have the energy to box-up all these books…

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Can I fire myself?

I spent most of my career working for very large companies. I lived my professional life in the land of cubicles, offices, booking conference rooms for meetings, trying to understand incoherent whiteboard presentations. Getting regular paychecks…

Now I am self-employed. A freelancer. A stay at home dad. A stay at home everything.

This place has less office politics than I ever imagined. Although there’s no ‘free’ soda or snacks. And it’s not a completely tension free workplace. Sometimes I have to sit myself down and let myself know that if I don’t want to work here, I can walk out that door and find something else. If I don’t want to give 110%, then find a new career.

I tell myself it is impossible to give 110%. You can only have 100% of anything.

Then I tell myself right back, Listen, if I want to be a smart aleck I can find someone else to do this job. Drawing silly cats, writing wacky stories, cleaning out the litter box which happens to be in the studio. (What’s up with that?) There’s no lifetime guarantee that you get to stay here Mr.

No. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. I say.

Good. Now, get back to work. You’re on deadline. And I wouldn’t mind seeing another draft of that last manuscript. Honestly, it kind-a sucked.

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