Kristen Lippert-Martin: Emotional Investment: CANNOT DO

Friday, May 10, 2013

Emotional Investment: CANNOT DO

Guys.

This writing thing, it’s my whole life and all, but, man, it does get in the way of watching some awesome television.

I’ve now had a bunch of friends tells me, “OMYGODINHEAVENABOVE you must watch Sherlock! You bloody well must!”

These are folks who I know share my taste in movies and TV, so I do not doubt the awesomeness at all, but I just … not right now. I find that when I’m deep in the middle of a first draft, I’m so emotionally spent by day’s end, I cannot invest any time or energy in getting up to speed on a new show and can hardly keep up with the ones I do follow.

PLUS. There’s the betrayal thing. You know what I’m talking about.

Let’s take for example, that freaking Downtown Abbey Season 3 finale. At the end of the episode, I stared at the screen for a moment, with this expression of ARE YOU EFFING KIDDING ME?! Then I slapped my thighs and said to no one in particular, “Alrighty then, that’s the end of me watching that show.”

Writing first drafts drains me utterly. I feel like I'm doing push-ups all day while listening to audio transcripts from war crime tribunals. With opera as a soundtrack. The ups! The downs! The torment! The heavy lifting! I just cannot invest in any new fandom right now. Maybe I’ll play catch up over the summer, go on a TV bender, and finally be able to stop avoiding all spoilers, but for the moment, it’s all cooking shows and re-reading familiar books. I need some comfort after thrashing the keys all day.

Is there anything you avoid while you’re drafting?

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Mirka Breen · 620 weeks ago

Yup-yup. Just got through this. It's actually the happiest time for me, in that funny way that being so focused (and feeling so delusionally accomplished at the same time) will do. But I give up (gulp) reading others' fiction for this first drafting period, and it's a biggy.
Keep trucking. Your story depends on it.

1 reply · active 620 weeks ago

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KLM 70p · 620 weeks ago

Yes. Selective tuning out is important but you do feel a little out of the pop culture loop at times like these. Small price to pay, I suppose. Like I said, I look forward to catching up on all the cool TV/movies/etc once I get this puppy pupped!

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Dianne K Salerni · 620 weeks ago

Oh, I felt the same way about Downton Abbey! I've had it with that show!

And I've had SO MANY people tell me I need to watch Sherlock, but I have no interest in it whatsoever. None.

And I'm not even drafting. In fact, I'm burned out on editorial revisions and not quite ready to dig into a new project, so this would be a good time to watch a television series.

But still not interested in Sherlock. And especially not interested in Elementary, either, that turned Watson into Lucy Liu. No. Just ... no.

Some things should be left alone.

1 reply · active 620 weeks ago

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KLM 70p · 620 weeks ago

I know. There are some sacred cows out there. Sherlock Holmes isn't one of them for me, which is probably why I could -- in theory -- get behind this reboot. BUT. Hadn't thought of it before but maybe I've lost my trust in BBC shows after the DA debacle? That might just be it.

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Steven J. Wangsness · 620 weeks ago

Matthew getting killed in a wreck was the final Downton straw for you? Not when they killed off what's her name, the sweet youngest sister? Not when that Canadian faker showed up with his ridiculous story, then just sort of left? Not when Lord Grantham met a new maid, almost had an affair with her, and then sent her packing -- all in the same episode? Not when nearly everyone in the house had a sympathetic view of Thomas' homosexuality, even though it's the early 20th century? Not when it turns out that Edith's lover can't marry her because his wife is in a mental hospital?

Or every preceding soap-operaish turn?

I hate that Mary, by the way. What a bitch. Matthew is lucky.

Actually...since the actor who played Matthew didn't want to extend his contract past the third season, you pretty much knew he was going to get knocked off in the finale. I'm just surprised the baby was a boy and they aren't going to be putting us through a whole who's-the-next-earl-going-to-be drama.

2 replies · active 620 weeks ago

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KLM 70p · 620 weeks ago

Yeah. Yeah. I hung on through all of that. I'd forgotten about that dumb plotline with the guy claiming to be the long-lost cousin. It's best they dropped that and pretended it never happened.

So, yes, the Matthew thing was my final straw. I realize the actor was leaving the show but HELLO? Get a different actor to play the role. All those English guys look alike. Probably no one would have noticed.

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sierrapeccadilloes 2p · 620 weeks ago

But if you stop watching, you won't get to see what certain hot Irish former chauffeurs do. And anyway, Matthew was super boring. Whatsername (Michelle Dockery) is wayyyyy better without him than with.

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sierrapeccadilloes 2p · 620 weeks ago

So yes, I don't watch television much anymore either. I can't do it for the exact same reasons. I have been putting off watching Call the Midwife simply because I can't take the time.

And Elementary? Yes, great show but it makes you think for a solid hour and no one wants that! TV is like a glass of wine: mindless winding down. And although Johnny Lee Miller was hot in his Trainspotting days, his massive forehead frightens me.

Game of Thrones is the exception, plus True Blood when it starts back up again.

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Free intraday tips · 583 weeks ago

This is my first time to encounter this words, "Emotional Investment". But I learned many things about this topic in your post.

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Kristen Lippert-Martin

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Friday, May 10, 2013

Emotional Investment: CANNOT DO

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