First off, a little Elvis Costello while you read, if you like:

Man, it’s been a crazy few weeks. As I’ve mentioned, my wife went back to work last Tuesday, so it’s been just Lucy and me during the days. As if that wasn’t enough to get used to, it’s also the busiest time of year for geek news thanks to this weekend’s San Diego Comic-Convention. If you’re unfamiliar, this is the biggest comic convention around that not only draws legions of fans, but also every major comic book company, toy company, collectible creators and even a few Hollywood movie studios, though I hear less this year than previously. Anyway, a good deal of the companies have what’s called a panel where they get up on stage with a bunch of the writers, artists and editors and talk about what they’ve got coming up for the rest of the year, into next and beyond. It’s a huge time to drop news about upcoming comics, creative shifts and new initiatives.

As I write about comics and toys for a living, that means this can be a pretty busy time. Sometimes pre-con announcements are worked out so they stand out from the rest, other times the various outlets work with the companies to get the news ahead of time and write the pieces up so they’re ready to post as soon as the panel is over. It’s a way to keep up on all the news and get it out to people as soon as possible. Every place I have ever worked has done this in one way or another. It makes sense, but it also makes a lot of work for writers. I’m not complaining about this, mind you, I’m just using it as a way to explain that I’ve been busier with assignments than I probably ever have been in my career, like triple my usual workload roughly.

It’s pretty cool actually, but I admit, not the easiest workload to balance while also watching our darling daughter who doesn’t like going down for naps longer than 45 minutes (and that’s when I’m lucky). Last week was crazy busy and so is this week, but I’ve gotten enough done so that I feel like I’m in a pretty good space and think I’ll be able to get it all done–assuming not too many other new projects pop up. Also, being so busy has made me really appreciate weekends and the break they give again.

I mentioned before that my biggest worry with all this is looking unprofessional while on phone interview if Lucy starts screaming. That’s still there, but I’ve really lucked out and been able to schedule most of my phoners for the 6:30-7:00PM time slot which means my lovely wife is home and watching the baby while I talk about top secret comic stuff. That’s worked out really well so far. My new worry is that I’m not being present enough for Lucy. I try to entertain her and keep her smiling as much as possible, but there are definitely times when I have to lay her next to me on the couch and type away. I’m looking forward to things slowing down a little bit so I can hang out with her a little more, work on a few other evergreen assignments, get back on a regular schedule, relax and maybe even do a little creative writing for myself. I can’t keep complaining to myself about not being a big time fiction writer if I continue to not finish anything!

Anyway, as this is the beginning of my first full week of working while also watching Lucy, I’m feeling pretty good about my workload. I’m still not showering in the mornings on a regular basis or keeping up with some of the chores around the house as well as I should, but I’m maintaining. As thousands of comic fans are waiting with baited breath for San Diego either because they’re attending or watching the sites for news, I am looking forward to getting back to a more normal workload. But, hey, have fun with it!