I've been on break from teaching for about a month. I've rather enjoyed the time off, which shall soon come to an end. Since mid-December, I've barely left the house, and even then, only for brief stints, such that my car battery is now dead and charging.
I have spent much of that time inside my head and in front of my computer. I finished writing two songs, made progress on a few others, and I wrote the first draft of another original feature-length screenplay. This one is a bit different in style and tone than what I usually do, but I think I like it. I plan to keep revising it until it feels like it's done. At this point, even the working title is still in flux.
I've also been playing a lot of bass guitar lately. I had forgotten how fun it is.
My hermit beard and mad scientist hair are coming in nicely, although some grooming may be in order before I resume teaching. I'm not quite ready to start wearing suits and ties again, either.
All in all, this past month has been a productive reminder of how to make the most of a place where I don't have a lot of friends and there isn't much to do. As I long I have projects to work on, I am relatively content. Writing dialogue also provides a reasonable excuse to talk to myself for hours on end.
Over the past few weeks, I also took the opportunity to finally watch Better Call Saul. I watched all of Breaking Bad for the first time last summer and had been meaning to check out the spin-off ever since. I'm almost through the last season now.
I could have spent the past month depressed, lonely and a bit stir-crazy, but writing saved me once again. Although I try not to conflate art with therapy, I don't know what I'd do without the ability to express myself through creative means. It's also good to enjoy some quality entertainment in my downtime.