I’m still in Lakeview, so my options are a bit limited. I was able to work just fine, but when the work day finished, all I have are a couple of laptops and a longing to do things at home. I want to play Cyberpunk, or work on my new keyboard, or try out my new VR headset and see if it’ll be enough to trick me into exercising.

While at my mother-in-law’s home tonight, someone on Twitter reminded me of this post I wrote last year, about doing what you love. I reread it and it’s a good one. “Do what you love” is one of those messages I need to remind myself of from time to time, because it’s all too easy to get stuck in a rut, doing things just to get by.

Again, I’m in a hotel room, so I can’t exactly do the what I really want to. I can do more preparation for the novel I’ll be starting in… holy shit… 11 days?!? What the hell happened to October?

Ahem.

Most of the things I really want to do, I can’t do right now. That doesn’t mean I’m just going to sleep until Sunday morning, when I get to drive us back home. I’m going to do stuff.

That’s where this follow-up idea comes into play. If you can’t do what you love, is what you’re doing making you happy?

While sitting in my mother-in-law’s home eating dinner, I was forced to watch local television, and it definitely did not make me happy. I avoid TV so much now that it felt like I was consuming poison. I think they’ve shortened the time between commercials, so you’re constantly flooded with half-truths and calls to action, with no time to catch your breath and think about what they’re forcing into your eyes and ears.

Melissa saved me from that by shutting off the TV, and it felt like the tiny home filled with air again.

Right now, I’m writing this blog post. It’s not exactly what I love, but it does satisfy me. I’m using this cool keyboard I built, sharing my thoughts with the world, moving one step closer to finishing my goal of writing at least one post a day, every day in October. It is good. It makes me happy.

Sometimes, we must to do things we do not want to do. We have to deal with the loss of a pet or loved one. We have to do that thing at work that no one wants to do, but if it isn’t done, the project will fail and no one will get paid. Sometimes we have to mow the lawn when we’d rather be playing video games, or do our taxes when we’d rather be reading a book. Responsibilities are a part of life.

It is good to do those tasks, even when they don’t make us happy. Sometimes we have to do something just because it’s the right thing to do.

I think it’s important we stop every once in a while and examine what we’re doing. I spend a bunch of time on Twitter, and not all of that time is good. It isn’t edifying me or bringing me joy. It’s not fulfilling any need or responsibility. Sometimes it’s just doom scrolling or participating in the current drama, which none of us should be doing ever. That isn’t to say that Twitter is always bad. I have friends there, and I get some measure of socializing when I chat with them. I just need to stop and recognize when it’s time to close the tab and look at something else.

Last year’s post was the answer to the question I’m asking today, which is, “What should I be doing right now?” I should be doing what I love, and if I can’t do that, I should be doing what is right.

If I’m still not sure what to do, I should do something. I just need to make sure that I don’t overdo it, especially if it’s not the healthiest activity.