It's my second favorite time of year: the opening of the baseball season. It reminds me of foggy, damp June afternoons - huddled in a sweatshirt and drinking hot cocoa - watching the Giants at Candlestick Park in San Francisco with my mom.Yeah, trust me, you've never been that cold in June. Nome, Alaska thinks Candlestick is chilly. Polar Bears ask for a parka. You don't need a cooler to keep your beer cold.
But I digress.
I was listening to the Dan Patrick Show (yes, I listen to sports radio...sue me) a couple of days ago and they were having the following discussion in regards to baseball and performance enhancing drugs. The question was: "If you could take a pill that would put you at the top of your sport but at age 60 you'd drop dead, would you do it?"
So I started to think about that concept in regards to writers. If there was a drug you could take that would ensure you produced a NYT Bestseller, but at age 60 you'd keel over and croak like Mama Cass choking on her ham sandwich, would you take it?
Let me clarify: I'm not suggesting that this drug would make you a better writer, a more refined artiste or the second coming of F. Scott Fitzgerald. It would simply ensure by some mystical means that your book would hit #1 on the NYT's list.
And let's take it a step farther. NYT #1 Bestseller, Pulitzer Prize and an Oscar-winning movie adaptation for which you penned the screenplay.
So would you take it?
I'm not really sure, to be honest. I have no real desire for a Pulitzer...but the Oscar-winning adaptation wouldn't suck.
ReplyDeleteBut...60 seems kind of young. I've always imagined myself as one of those guys who just keeps cranking out stuff of varying quality into his 80s or 90s. I want to be a cranky old reclusive writer, dammit!
I thought about this to make sure I answered honestly, but...no. I wouldn't take it.
ReplyDeleteMy grandma lived to be 97 years old, and I've always said I want to follow in her footsteps. She was teaching and tutoring kids up until her early 90s, and I still want to be writing at that age, too.
Besides, knowing exactly what day and hour you'll die is kind of scary.
I don't think it would be worth it. Even if you produce one really good book, you could be passing on several decent books over the career you are shortening with this deal. I see the potential for wasted, well, potential.
ReplyDeleteFun question. I had to think about my reasoning, not so much my answer.
ReplyDelete(First, yay for baseball season!)
No. Because I'm not sure what would be the point. Sure, it's a type of success, but there are lots of ways to be successful, and I know I wouldn't enjoy that success as much if I hadn't bled/sweated/worked my ass off for it.
Besides, I'd constantly by thinking about the day I was going to die. :-p
I found this question really difficult myself. It was posed on the radio in regards to steroids, but made me think in terms of my own life. Personally, I'm terrified of getting old. I'd rather not live past a certain age if my quality of life is going to be shitastic. That said, 60 is young by 21st Century standards.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I don't think I would. But let me tell you, the temptation would be UNREAL.
Only if I was going to die at 60 regardless. Otherwise, then no. I'd consider myself successful just getting something published, NYT bestseller or not.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with borrowing the comparison from baseball is that with sports, people tend to be at the top of their game when they're younger. Writers get better the older they get...or so I keep telling myself.
ReplyDeleteThat said, no, I wouldn't take the pill. I wanna get old, because then I'll have the right to be all crotchety and opinionated. You know, instead of being all polite and reserved like I am now.
No way, I'm hitting the half century mark this year. I'd rather have more than ten years.
ReplyDeleteNYT list is lovely, but I'd just be happy if the bugger got into print.
I first misread your post title as, "Writing Enhances Drugs' Performance."
ReplyDeleteMy mind went in a whole different direction. ;)
To answer: No. My plan is to keep writing books until I'm 90, which I can't do if I cut my life short by 30 years.
At 44, I can say NO with certainty. When I was 20? Who knows? And that's when these guys start taking these things. 60 is so far away.
ReplyDeleteMy parents are in their 70s, the travel all over the place, hike and play tennis and have a social life that makes me jealous. And 7 grandkids to fawn over. The golden years - no kidding!
Oh, and I remember those Candlestick games. I have to say, I don't miss watching games there, the new park is so much better. Cold, miserable, and I always felt so faaaar awaaay.
ReplyDeleteGo Giants! Please tell me you haven't switched loyalties since heading south!
Sheila, GOD NO. Black and orange til I die! Duck the Fodgers and all that good stuff. I swear I take my life in my hands when I see them play at Chavez Ravine.
ReplyDeleteWow, I expected to have to think about that more. But, no, definitely not. Bryn's got a good point - writers age pretty well, at least in terms of skill. Plus, 60 is YOUNG these days. Put it up to 80 and I might say yes then. At 80 I expect all the consequences of living it up to be hitting me, and checking out then might not be such a bad thing.
ReplyDelete