Every fourth week my schedule requires me to hit three separate deadlines: a Wall Street Journal drama column, a “Sightings” column for the Journal, and my monthly essay for Commentary. This is one of those weeks. Sometimes I manage to write and file a piece early, thus relieving the monthly pressure to produce, but I’ve been squeezed of late by various personal responsibilities and so haven’t been able to get ahead of the game.
On the other hand, I could have written my “Sightings” column last Friday, a day on which I had no places to go or shows to see, and I guess I really should have done so. Instead I chose to lounge around, listen to music, read about Arturo Toscanini and John Dortmunder, and watch a couple of movies on TV with Mrs. T. I am, I suppose, a workaholic, but not a degenerate one. I’m perfectly capable of taking and enjoying time off so long as I make myself do so, and I decided that I’d better do so in preference to burning out. So I did. In fact, I took the whole day off, and was (and am) the better for it.
For that reason, though, I won’t be blogging this week, save for the usual videos, almanac entries, and other regular postings. The fruits of my invisible labor will be made manifest starting Friday. Until then, be patient.
See you later.