The Year of Challenges: March

It's the middle of March. Actually, it's the 17th. St. Patrick's Day. I have two weeks left of this month and I am not anywhere near a script for the pilot. I have been working my outline like crazy.

I also have two day jobs right now. I'm teaching. And I'm staffed on a web series. I'm producing a night of theatre for my students. And I just finished coordinating a Play Rewrite Challenge for my theatre group.

I've decided to say no to applying for another writer's group. I've had to postpone a reading that was supposed to happen in April…to May. I'm nervous about getting that done. And now I have a new manager (more on that soon), so there's even more work to be done.

This month's challenge was supposed to be a non-writing Challenge. Like Yoga. Or Hiking. The way this year of Challenges is turning out, it's not going to be that. Maybe my Challenge this month should be to get some sleep. I'm sure that will be an upcoming non writing Challenge. I have to finish this new pilot rewrite by the end of the month. I'm seriously uncertain if this will happen But it needs to because I need another sample to have in case I need it for something.

I've thought about abandoning the Challenges because the point of them was to stay productive. But work has taken care of that. I still think it's important to do my own work while still getting paid for other stuff.

If March's Challenge is a final draft of this pilot.
Then April's will be the play rewrite for the reading.
And May's Challenge will be a new pilot idea suggested by my manager.
Then I'm leaving shit open-ended.
June could be the play rewrite of the play I just finished if I have nothing else to do.

But in the spirit of keeping the path open and making sure my launching pad is clear (this is an idea that worked very well for me earlier and I believe helped make room for the web series job), I am not going to plan anything else for the rest of the year. I'm leaving room for work to start filling those voids.

But at that point I will have rewritten a pilot, written a new play, rewritten that pilot again, rewritten an old play, started a new pilot and rewritten the play I started in February. That's literally a script a month. And it will result in working on three scripts in six months. Plus the two scripts I'm getting paid to do.

Holy shit. That's amazing. I can't complain. I'm working at a breakneck pace.

And then maybe sleep. Somewhere. Somehow.

I am grateful for the rest I do get.
I am grateful for peace and quiet.
I am grateful to have money in my pocket to make plans with friends.
I am grateful for the good things that have happened.
I am grateful for the love of friends and family I have.
I am grateful that I have some peace and quiet. 
I am grateful that I'm seeing some very good playwright friends next month.