I hope you are having a wonderful holiday season, enjoying special moments with friends and family...and that you are reflecting on your many blessings and successes of the past year.
The creative process requires that we be expectant without expectations”.
Todd HenryThe Accidental Creativity
I'm standing up typing this and my lap top is sitting on top of a pile of thick books. Had to go visit my chiropractor because my neck locked up from sitting too long at the computer and I was waking up every morning with a headache. I must be kind to my body and listen when it is screaming at me!
Oh well, I guess it's all part of the sacrifice I'm making to be a committed blogger. You might ask, why bother? This is a good question to ask myself as this blogging can easily become an addiction, munching away at hours of my precious time! I must admit though, I have somehow lost a couple of kilos since I started this blog. Less munching around the pantry maybe.
You know, If I could type double the speed, I'd only be sitting only half the time. If I could touch-type I could sit back in the chair with my eyes closed. Oh the sacrifice...late nights, stiff backs, sore eyes, the self-revelation once you start being honest about your daily antics and missing out on the goggle box. It's funny, I imagine this huge long scroll in a few years time as each new post of mine pushes the previous one down further. I'll call it my blog roll, and that might be all it's good for too! Is it just me or do all bloggers experience that time warp where 5 mins seems to instantly turn into 3 hours and what was once a healthy mobile neck suddenly won't move? Okay, so the novelty has worn off, now it is becoming a dicipline....I'm not so good at decipline or spelling it...here we go red underlines... dicepline....damn...go to dictionary...oh discipline with an 's'!
The positives are, I am improving on my spelling. I am more accountable than I would be if I was writing a personal journal. I do want to have a record of how I see the Spirit of God moving in my daily life. It helps me to plan my direction and goals. My life on this earth isn't getting any longer so I'd like to stay focused and produce some substantial artwork that at least I can get excited about.
Just going to make a short confession here. I have not done my 10 min daily meditation for 2 days now. I'm getting to bed around midnight instead of 10pm. Not good. I wake up in the morning but I'm still asleep! Also I have not been doing my daily walk. I plan to get back into these good habits asap. Discipline is good for me!
Some good news is, I have found an art studio at last. It will be very suitable for the kind of work I want to experiment with this coming year. The rent is more than I intended to spend each month so I will need to keep 2 or 3 students even though I wasn't going to do any teaching next year 2012. I may be able to run a regular touch drawing or Interplay workshop also. After a number of difficult changes that were out of my control (thank you God), and I thought were the end of my world, have proved to be just what I've needed.
"There will be a time when you believe everything is finished. That will be the beginning." ~ Louis L'Amour
I'm excited to get to work but it's Christmas and New Year and then holidays! You wouldn't think I'd be trying to avoid these exciting times of the year but I seriously would prefer to. Cease the day is what I say! Instead, I must exercise patience and not be concerned that my creative energy or ideas may disappear in 2 weeks time. I will just relax and enjoy my family and friends and the Christmas season....Mmmm... do I sound convincing?
Living the Life You've Imagined
By Kate Longmaid
There is a Henry David Thoreau quote taped to my pantry door, "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined." I've come to recognize it's never too late to move in the direction of our dreams, to live the life we've imagined. Our greatest creative challenge is creating our own lives. Often our biggest hurdle is fear.
I have learned many things along the way. Art requires action, commitment, and courage. While there are no guarantees, continuing to show up for our creative work increases the likelihood of success.
What?!? You've lost weight?!?!? Sacre bleue. Okay, I better get on with reading this...
ReplyDeleteThere are a few lines in here that remind me of a really funny song that's about to be written...Don't be surprised if a character drawn from "Creating my blog...I mean my life!" doesn't appear soon! I've done one that began based on an eloquent and heartfelt speech that Puddleglum the Marshwiggle gave in a Narnia book and likewise...there's a tale of someone who wakes up in the morning but is still asleep just begging to be written! Almost as if all I'll have to do is strip away the bare minimum to find where this creature lives. A creature of what though? Truth? Habit? Worldly temptations? I don't know but like you say "Carpe diem!" Alright, it's Chrissy Eve now so definite bed time!
ReplyDeleteI like that. Nothing is without a purpose. I think it's great you're keeping these records. They will perhaps hold more value at least to yourself (and maybe others. Our actions can often escape our notice and really impact on others. Maybe someday your old writings might be worth something.
ReplyDeleteIt's a pain when routine breaks but the thing is to keep it up and keep going. Get back on the horse (so to speak) when you're ready. I just tell myself that. Not done my weekly jog in 2 months... But it can wait til after the festive season. Friends and family are important....but I get what you mean, sometimes great creative ideas come and you don't want them disturbed.
But look at it this way. I am always telling my sister if she is trying to tell me something but then suddenly forgets. " If it's important you'll remember it". Sounds a bit condescending but I feel it's true... Like that saying " if it's meant to be it will be". So hopefully you enjoy your Christmas and don't stress. Those ideas should stay with you if they're meant to.