Gratitude and Latitude

I’m profoundly fortunate to do the work I do, and I never, ever forget: it’s only possible because people generously give of their time and attention to read and listen, to show up at live events, and to stay with me across books, podcasts, performances, and whatever else I manage to conjure and deliver.

The overriding message: I’m deeply grateful and real lucky. Thus, what follows is neither a complaint nor a solicitation of sympathy, it’s simply a message regarding the state of the situation.

My day-to-day life is real regular. Just another self-employed dude. But like a lot of self-employed folks, we get spread a tad thin now and again. Between the weekly podcast deadlines, the travel for speaking gigs, one-man shows, and band concerts, the ongoing book and script projects (plural, always), the recording and voiceover sessions, the speculative stuff that consumes big swathes of time but may or may not ever see the light of day, and the very real joys and responsibilities of being a father and husband, and—over the course of the past two years and right through the present—helping my family support other beloved family members through serious health challenges, I’ve simply hit a wall when it comes to reading manuscripts or offering blurbs, feedback, or commentary on new creative work, or even responding to emails. I’d love to say yes to more and keep things one-to-one, but in order to keep putting out the work that I hope speaks for itself, and in order to give my best when I am “public-facing,” I have to guard my offline time more fiercely than ever. It’s not about being aloof—it’s about staying afloat. In order to meet the expectations I’ve set for myself and the promises I’ve made to others, now more than ever I must narrow my focus to work, performance, and family.

I am fortunate in that I have a terrific manager named Ben, and this is my chance to thank him publicly for all he does for me and our family behind the scenes.

Ben also handles my speaking and musical bookings. More information here.