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Well, I'm still settling into the new place. I finally got my computer plugged in, which took all of five minutes, but who's got that kind of time? One thing we all need in life is the occasional reminder of how rough it is out there in the world when you have nothing. It makes you a little more grateful for what you do have.
So what does that mean? Should we settle for less in life than we want? Isn't "less" better than "nothing"? Not always. Having no money means making no decisions. Having a little bit of money means that you now have to decide which of the myriad of things you want or need will be what you spend the money on, leaving you wondering whether you made the right choice, and worrying that something may come along that is even more crucial to your well being.
A lot of writers jump at opportunities that aren't really opportunities. If you're been at this for a while, discouragement is a common companion, and in our diminished mental state we may be easily distracted by shiny things. "A producer wants to see my script? I hope I don't break my leg tripping over myself to send it to him." Excitement does tend to get the best of those of us who have so little of it. Like a starving child who's given a bowl of rice, we surge with energy we didn't even know we still had in us, anxious for any solution that might actually be the answer we've been looking for.
No, less is not better than nothing. The person who's one step away from being homeless is far worse off than the guy living on the street. The guy on the street has no bills, isn't worried about becoming homeless, no one bothers him, and he's always got an imaginary friend to talk to. The writer with no prospects has hope and dreams. The writer with a lot of false interest has discouragement, which is the worst dreamkiller of them all.
Don't pay for discouragement, people. You can get it for free by doing it yourself. Or, better yet, you can learn and grow, so that the next time you have to start over, you'll get back up to par quicker and better. |
