"I'm assuming when you are the creator/writer/executive producer of a running
series that you must spend an enormous amount of time either "doing" things
related to it or "thinking" about things related to it."

Absolutely. Even when I'm not actively working on it, it comes up constantly
in conversation, or in other ways. It never goes away, and I'm always
jotting down notes for future use.

"How does this affect your lifestyle? Can one be in your position and still
have a personal life - or is literally everything you do somehow involved
with, wrapped up in or connected to "the series"?"

Not if you're going to be this involved with the process. It's really a 24
hour a day job. I haven't seen a movie at a theater in the 8 months
preceding the wrap; haven't gone to a party except the B5 christmas and wrap
parties in about a year. For the six years it'll take to make this show --
you count the pilot and post-production on the last year -- I went into this
knowing that my personal life would pretty much go to hell for that period of
time. The show is the single dominant concern; has to be, or it won't be
done right.

"Are you able to go out and have a good time and not think about anything to
do with B5, or is it always there, in the back of your mind?"

It's always there.

"I very much admire what you do, but feel it must, at some point, drive you a
little nuts........"

Sometimes, but only a little. I fought for 5 years to get this show on the
air; it's a great privilege, and a terrible responsibility; WB has entrusted
me to do this properly, and that's a great compliment. In the media, it's
unspeakably rare to get one singular vision on the air, without compromise or
committee...I'm not *about* to complain about the hours. I've got absolutely
no grounds to complain about ANYthing.

jms