Morning Pages: better this week, I think I had five out of seven days. I had a litte realization about them today though. I work a regular 8:30-5:00 office schedule, and I drive a carpool with a schedule to match, so I have to get up earlier to do morning pages on weekdays. But on the weekends, I can do the morning pages at my leisure, so I'll take a shower, feed the dog, make some coffee and sit down with my notebook. But then I find myself getting frustrated with having to sit and write when I could be sewing, knitting or even doing more mundane activities like cleaning or filing the bills. Inevitably, I end up putting down my notebook (just for a second, I tell myself), getting a second cup of coffee, get distracted by something else, and the next thing I know, it's one o'clock in the afternoon and I notice my still open notebook in the living room, right where I left it, midsentence.
Furthermore, I don't think I've written an entire three pages since I started the morning pages, and I have a small notebook to boot. Some days, I write only a paragraph. I truly don't feel like I am holding back, hesitant to commit thoughts to paper, I just don't have much to say. I end up making lists, about what I am going to try to accomplish that day or that week (a useful exercise in itself, so I don't intend to stop), but I get the feeling that it's not the "brain dump" it's intended to be.
Based on what I've just written, it seems like I should be writing morning pages on the trials and frustrations of writing morning pages.
All that said, I do like the morning pages activity, and maybe it'll grow into something more theraputic than list-making, so I've decided that I'll keep on writing them, I just won't get hung up on how many pages I write, or how long it takes. I'll modify the excercise to make it work for me.
Artist's Date: Perhaps a sorry excuse for an Artist's Date (ok, ok, I forgot about it) but I did go skiing with Eric on Wednesday and I made sure to take a deep breath and appreciate the wonderful scenery and weather we were lucky enough to have.
Weekly Walk: I had a couple of walks this week, and I like taking the time to center and think about the activities to come. My grandfather-in-law slipped into a coma on Wednesday and died on Saturday, so my long walk this morning was focused on that (and how abnormally well behaved my dog was on the walk) and what it will bring over the next week.
Showing posts with label WitW. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WitW. Show all posts
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Sunday, January 20, 2008
WithW: week 2 check-in
Morning Pages: I'm embarrassed to report that I only managed one day (today!) of morning pages, and even they were spare. I even remember my first waking thought as the alarm clock went of at 6am on Tuesday: morning pages suck! Don't get me wrong, I don't mean to criticize the activity, I just can't seem to get my arse out of bed on weekdays. I realized that there is a strategical problem that is working against me. We recently painted our bedroom, and rearranged some of the furniture, namely moving the dresser to my side of the bed, placing the alarm clock (atop the dresser) within my reach while I am still in bed. So instead of getting up to turn off the alarm clock, I have been listening (and snoozing) to NPR for an extra 30 minutes every morning. So the alarm clock has got to move.... maybe to the kitchen.
Artist's Date: I went with some dear friends of ours to the Seattle Art Museum. My first visit, and a lovely creative date. I spent sufficient time wandering by myself, often in rooms alone. I sat on a bench in one of the European Art galleries, closed my eyes and grounded myself a bit, then listened to the sounds of the museum... murmuring voices in the next gallery, the soft shuffle of the museum staff member making her rounds, muffled construction noise from First Avenue. I tried to absorb.... I don't know, an aura? of these long-dead artists, whose works I have studied before. While the museum was very enjoyable, afterwards, over lunch, my friends and I recounted what we saw and what we liked. We even ended up talking about what it is to be an artist... are any of the three of us artists? Mukwa Ogimaa reminded me that in order to achieve the sorts of art I want to, I have to show up. There's a quilt that I have designed in my head. I have tried to sketch it out a couple of times, and sometimes I really like what I see, but sometimes I just get frustrated when I sit down with fabrics and really think about how to make this quilt. Mukwa Ogimaa asked me if I was afraid of starting. Without hesitation, I said "yes." I then recanted, because while I am extremely hesitant, it doesn't feel like fear. I just know (and accept) that the pieces, when I do begin, won't be what I want at first. I've been good at quilting so far, so now I expect instant gratification, but this design will push my skills as an intermediate quilter and I fear that I've bit off more than I can chew. Mukwa Ogimaa gave me some good words and reminded me that I just need to show up in order to get my bearings, and to not expect a perfect piece o f work right away. I really need to remember that. Even though I know and understand that from a logical point of view, my inner artist still expects perfection the first time... and if I don't try, I won't fail. I know the Artist's Date is supposed to be a solitary activity, but this time, the encouraging words of my friends were the real inspiration.
As a bonus artist date, after seeing my friends off, I went to a nearby quilt store that I hadn't yet been to. I bought some lovely batiks for a different quilt, which are now tumbling around in the dryer.
Weekly Walk: I walked to my carpool on Friday morning, about a mile. It was hard to not be thinking about work or the weekend, but I managed to center myself a little and enjoy the crisp morning air and the sounds of the waking city. Maybe too short or too purposeful a walk to really make any self-discovery. I'll try to stick to my more leisurely lake walks or similar from now on.
Artist's Date: I went with some dear friends of ours to the Seattle Art Museum. My first visit, and a lovely creative date. I spent sufficient time wandering by myself, often in rooms alone. I sat on a bench in one of the European Art galleries, closed my eyes and grounded myself a bit, then listened to the sounds of the museum... murmuring voices in the next gallery, the soft shuffle of the museum staff member making her rounds, muffled construction noise from First Avenue. I tried to absorb.... I don't know, an aura? of these long-dead artists, whose works I have studied before. While the museum was very enjoyable, afterwards, over lunch, my friends and I recounted what we saw and what we liked. We even ended up talking about what it is to be an artist... are any of the three of us artists? Mukwa Ogimaa reminded me that in order to achieve the sorts of art I want to, I have to show up. There's a quilt that I have designed in my head. I have tried to sketch it out a couple of times, and sometimes I really like what I see, but sometimes I just get frustrated when I sit down with fabrics and really think about how to make this quilt. Mukwa Ogimaa asked me if I was afraid of starting. Without hesitation, I said "yes." I then recanted, because while I am extremely hesitant, it doesn't feel like fear. I just know (and accept) that the pieces, when I do begin, won't be what I want at first. I've been good at quilting so far, so now I expect instant gratification, but this design will push my skills as an intermediate quilter and I fear that I've bit off more than I can chew. Mukwa Ogimaa gave me some good words and reminded me that I just need to show up in order to get my bearings, and to not expect a perfect piece o f work right away. I really need to remember that. Even though I know and understand that from a logical point of view, my inner artist still expects perfection the first time... and if I don't try, I won't fail. I know the Artist's Date is supposed to be a solitary activity, but this time, the encouraging words of my friends were the real inspiration.
As a bonus artist date, after seeing my friends off, I went to a nearby quilt store that I hadn't yet been to. I bought some lovely batiks for a different quilt, which are now tumbling around in the dryer.
Weekly Walk: I walked to my carpool on Friday morning, about a mile. It was hard to not be thinking about work or the weekend, but I managed to center myself a little and enjoy the crisp morning air and the sounds of the waking city. Maybe too short or too purposeful a walk to really make any self-discovery. I'll try to stick to my more leisurely lake walks or similar from now on.
Friday, January 11, 2008
WitW: week 1
By way of explanation for this post and those to come....I am participating in a self-exploratory online read-along with some folks from the about.com quilting forum. The book is called Walking in this World, The Practical Art of Creativity by Julia Cameron (hereafter WitW), and it's described as a "jump start to the creative process," and employs inner reflection, self-study and alone time to achieve this. I don't know that I am feeling stalled in my creative process necessarily, but it sounded interesting, and I was intrigued at the idea of self-exploration, something I would have resisted even a year or two ago.
It's a twelve-week "program" and each week includes a "check-in," which I am going to do here on Sundays starting today. So bear with me while I get touchy-feely (it won't be too bad this week, I promise), or if you'd rather, stop reading now and come back later.
Morning Pages: I only managed three days of morning pages, though towards the end of the week, I had ideas for things I wanted to write about. I am not at all surprised that I didn't manage them all this week, I know they will take practice for me: both the getting up earlier and the writing itself -- my first entry largely consisted of I-don't-know-what-to-say sorts of thoughts. I'll make a better effort at them next week, and I can already tell that they'll be useful once I get the hang of it.
Artist's Date: not yet. Well, at least, not for real. While out and about on other errands on Saturday, my husband and I went to an antique shop in Seattle that we had driven by many times and had always promised to visit. Like I said, I wasn't alone, so it wasn't a real Artist's Date, but it was certainly as close as I was going to get to one this week. It was a real antique store, not a junk shop, but also not superfine, collector-level antique place. I was inspired by the farm-esque kitchen cabinets and utencils... I also particularly loved the vintage knitting needles (some plastic, some aluminum), all organized in a circa 1950s "knitting pin" display.
Weekly Walk: I walked the dog around Green Lake solo on Saturday morning (busy day, Saturday), and I tried to focus on my creative self, to some success. I walk quite a lot in my daily life, so I feel like I might have to go for special walks to fulfill this activity...though it would feel weird to walk without the dog.
It's a twelve-week "program" and each week includes a "check-in," which I am going to do here on Sundays starting today. So bear with me while I get touchy-feely (it won't be too bad this week, I promise), or if you'd rather, stop reading now and come back later.
~~~~ Week 1 Check-in ~~~~
Morning Pages: I only managed three days of morning pages, though towards the end of the week, I had ideas for things I wanted to write about. I am not at all surprised that I didn't manage them all this week, I know they will take practice for me: both the getting up earlier and the writing itself -- my first entry largely consisted of I-don't-know-what-to-say sorts of thoughts. I'll make a better effort at them next week, and I can already tell that they'll be useful once I get the hang of it.
Artist's Date: not yet. Well, at least, not for real. While out and about on other errands on Saturday, my husband and I went to an antique shop in Seattle that we had driven by many times and had always promised to visit. Like I said, I wasn't alone, so it wasn't a real Artist's Date, but it was certainly as close as I was going to get to one this week. It was a real antique store, not a junk shop, but also not superfine, collector-level antique place. I was inspired by the farm-esque kitchen cabinets and utencils... I also particularly loved the vintage knitting needles (some plastic, some aluminum), all organized in a circa 1950s "knitting pin" display.
Weekly Walk: I walked the dog around Green Lake solo on Saturday morning (busy day, Saturday), and I tried to focus on my creative self, to some success. I walk quite a lot in my daily life, so I feel like I might have to go for special walks to fulfill this activity...though it would feel weird to walk without the dog.
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