Today I worked

Recently a very good friend told me she didn't really fully understand that I worked at home until she saw my home office for herself and we talked about my job. I thought about that for a long moment after she said it.

I wonder how many other people realize that I actually do work at my house. No, I don't punch a clock. No, I don't have to check in with a supervisor. No, I don't have to get in my car and find my parking pass and ride the escalator and unlock my office door.

But I do work at home.

And I don't belabor that point to make anyone regret the time they've called me or texted me or asked me out to lunch or asked me to run an errand. I do all of that just as Angela does or my mom would do. I take personal calls during the day. I jump on calls about volunteering. I run to the post office. I do laundry and make muffins and put dinner in to cook.

But I also work. I sit at my desk before the sun is up in the window above my computer screen and I get to work. Sometimes that work is ready 28 articles I've been bookmarking throughout the week. Sometimes that work is checking in on a Twitter Q & A about independent film casting. Sometimes that work is trying to figure out how a woman would shoot a gun while jumping out of an airplane. Sometimes that work is writing a biography of myself for a writing fellowship. Sometimes that work is putting my earphones on and tuning out the world and ripping apart a script I've spent eight years working on.

That was today. Today I had a relatively quick (45 minutes) notes call with Tami. We talked about my latest thoughts on a draft and some of the changes I've made. Then she said, what if...

That what if sparked a forest fire. By three-thirty this afternoon I had moved scenes around, rewritten scenes and completely changed the ending of something, including un-killing a main character. Yep, I un-killed him. I let him live. I imagine some day the actor playing the part will be pretty happy about that. One more scene. One more chance to tell a story.

Today I did some work.

Yes, part of that work was listening to the same four new Taylor Swift songs scream through my new Beats over and over again. Yes, part of that work involved me dancing in the kitchen while my beef stew heated up in the microwave. Yes, part of that work involved me doodling on a piece of paper as I read the captions on an inspirational speech video given by Peter Dinklage. Yes, part of that work involved using way too many Post-It notes to scribble and write checklists and reminders of when to do this in the script and when not to do that.

That's all my work. And it's all done here, in my bedroom. In my office. At home.

It's my job.

And it's incredible that it's my job. And it's almost unfathomable that this is my job. That wheels are turning as I work and write and dance that make it possible for me to do this job, to continue to do this job.

And I can't wait to share it with everyone soon!