I almost never write about my private life here. But in the weeks since my recent, involuntary, five-day Internet fast, I’ve returned to certain habits and behaviors into which I’d gradually fallen over the months of my current unemployment.

I’ve been letting my mind, my most precious possession, remain stuck in first gear all day.

I’ve spent hours upon hours sitting before this machine, reading and looking at other people’s creativity, day after day, week after week. Not writing much; finishing even less. Getting a quota of job applications out, but not doing nearly enough of the ol’ in-person schmooze-networking.

I’ve got about a dozen and a half book ideas; few even close to completion. I’ve had all the time in the world, but instead have been watching scores of DVDs and reading self-help books about positive mental attitudes that don’t seem to ever really work.

I don’t know what to do about this condition.

But part of it must surely involve changing the circumstances of my daily existence.

I’ve got to spend less time online. Maybe even drop my home connection from DSL to dialup.

And I’m never going to become a “Kill Your Television” puritanical hippie (moderation in everything—including moderation). But I do need to spend lesss time with other people’s stories (even well-made art film stories) and more time devising my own.

For you the loyal MISCmedia reader, all this may mean fewer updates. Or it may mean more and longer updates, but concerning topics closer to the so-called “real” world than to the media-mediated worlds that have been this column’s main topic lo these past 16 years. Or it may mean more fiction pieces or long, serialized research projects.

Of course, if I just somehow attained a lucrative day job that kept me out of the house and out of my own head several hours a day, that also might help my condition.