these days

"So, what are you doing these days, anyway? You're up all night hammering away at the keyboard - those chapters you sent me last week are in desperate need of a serious reorganisational effort, by the way - but what do you do all day? Is it sleep, then?"

"The day is spent trying to sleep, yes - and read."

"Well, no wonder - you're tossing and turning trying to hold together a world which doesn't exist outside of your own head. Why not try your hand at writing something real. Something, you know, not so fictional."

"But can it not be at least a little bit fictional?"

"I suppose, but if you ask me, fiction is a big waste of time. You should try your hand at - sorry, could you pass the salt? Thanks - you should try your hand at something a little more real - something like photography. I'll bet photographers sleep rather soundly."

"Photography! Everyone is a photographer these days. Everyone in this room right now is a bloody photographer! No, absolutely not."

"Well, it seems that everyone these days is a writer as well. What is this thing you're building, this blog? Fairly common medium these days is it not?"

"That's not writing, that's blogging; there's a gigantic difference. In fact, you could fly a 747, march the Chinese army, or two-step with Michael Moore through the huge space between writing and blogging."

"If you say so. However, in my humblest of opinions, that's a distinction without a difference. And hey, was that a crack at my weight? Very sensitive subject I'll have you know."

"No, no, sorry. Just finish up so we can have her bring us the dessert menu, will you?"

"Right on."