So many projects

And if I could finish just one of them I'd be happy. I just sat down and listed all of them (actually there are more but they haven't even been started yet; they're just ideas) Here's what I have so far:

Clementine Sees The State (children's book)
Christmastime With Clementine (children's book)
Short story (for The New Yorker)
Book about my city
Horror movie (for Lifetime)
Paintings (for a gallery show)

Here's the progress I've made:

Christmastime With Clementine- I've got more than half of it written in a notebook, but I think it's lacking something. I want to start over, or, at least, punch up what I've got. I wanted to have it done, illustrated, printed, and ready for sale in time for Christmas this year but it's probably too late unless I quit my job and work on it around the clock.

I got the idea for Clementine Sees The State first. Then I thought Who's going to buy a book about my parents' dog? People would, however, buy a Christmas book about my parents' dog. Now I'm thinking I'll do this first and publish it sometime in early 2011.

I started the short story for The New Yorker Monday night and I'm 1/4 of the way through the first draft. I think it has a lot of potential. I'd like to publish it here at RJ Battles first and see what you think of it.

I was reading Rat Girl and I looked over at a pile of books next to my loveseat and saw an old, small, black & white book about Ireland, slim and plain, but with very nice photos. I want my book to be half Tom Wolfe and half Amy Sedaris. I'm not sure how to approach it yet but I know I want it to be fun.

I've always wanted to make a horror movie. I've got a story kicking around. The thing that I think is most important is setting a mood. I want the viewer to feel like they're right there. I want to evoke a certain mood, the same way that whenever you watch Halloween-no matter what time of year it is- you feel like it's October 31st.

My whole life I've thought of myself as a painter (or a drawer). Somehow, though, I lost interest. Up until the time I was 18 I did it all the time. Maybe because I was shy and had trouble talking to people and since then I've gotten better at it. I don't know. Still, I still have pictures I want to make and I'd like to have other people see them. I've got to give it a try or otherwise forget about it forever.

I'm thinking about all the time I waste. Number one, I walk 40 minutes each way to work. That right there is a shitload of wasted time. I come home and go on the computer and read the newspapers and blogs and go to Craigslist Missed Connections to see if anyone wrote about me. I've gotta cut that out. Maybe if I used my time better I could finish all these things by the end of the year or sooner. We'll see.