Mike,
I can totally relate to what you are saying. I am unemployed and living with family and when my job search stalled, I gave myself the gift of 3 weeks to write a story … 10,000 word minimum. I didn’t even put pressure on myself to have it published. I just wanted to see if I could live the dream. And I did. No job hunting, no interviews no searching for a place I could call home. I just wrote and wrote, trying to craft something I could be proud of. And, the deadline is tomorrow. And I failed. i am only about 7000 words into it and it is not going to be done in time. I can see spending another 3 weeks on this to get paid maybe $1000. I need to grow up and go work at the mall and support myself. Just typing that sentence brings tears to my eyes. I don’t see a good life ahead of me.