Resisting Temptation

Temptation is an occupational hazard for writers. Pretty much anything we want to do or try, any experience we can have, can be justified as “research.” Given that a lot of what I do involves being on top of technological developments, and filling my head with a vast variety of experiences that I can bring to play in stories, temptations abound. It’s really easy for me to start looking up just one fact on the internet and suddenly find myself down the rabbit-hole, becoming instantly interested in and resolved to become an expert in one subject or another.

This is not much help when what I need to be doing is piling up words.

Add to that an innate stubbornness that fights against a religious upbringing that suggests there is virtue in resisting temptation. Perhaps in resisting irresponsible indulgence, but in avoiding all temptation? That would make life pretty gosh-darned grey. Oatmeal for every meal—and none of that fancy instant oatmeal or no putting maple syrup on it—early to bed—and you got to wonder why there since there would be no temptations allowed there, either—early to rise and starting on new batches of oatmeal. Blech.

But there are times when this contrariness does make me resist temptation.

Like this morning. I had to run to Costco for food and gasoline, but, you know, they always have these cool things there. For example, they had a bunch of Ray Harryhausen movies in a boxed set for all of $17. I remembered watching those films and loving them as a kid. Actually, now that I think of it, I’ve probably never seen any of them in color, since I would have been watching on a Black and White TV in the basement. I was tempted, sorely tempted, but I put the box down.

Why?

Because someone wanted me to buy it. Some faceless marketer set that out there as a trap. They wanted my money. And my time. And even though I might be able to tap into a sense of nostalgia and that might be useful in a story, I chose to pass.

But that was not the greatest temptation in there. I was up in the area where they were offering gift-packs for the holidays. You know the displays: all the corporate gift packages with liquor and coffees in baskets, and candies filled with liquor. I started making a mental list of folks I needed to buy for.

And then, there it was. completely out of place. Hidden. Another marketing ambush!

Milton Bradley has turned out this Star Wars thing. Using a headset, you can use thought commands to make a ball (which looks a lot like the lightsaber training remote) rise up and down in a tube. I mean, this is a Jedi Mind Trick for all of $65. The headset looks a bit dorky, but just the fun of making the ball bounce up and down would be cool. Might even be relaxing. And only $65.

But I resisted it, too. And felt good about it. It was kind of a Light Side versus Dark Side thing. I didn’t give in to the Dark Side. I made the right choice, the mature choice.

That’s a good thing.

Besides, they had a bunch in stock, and I’ll be going back soon.