As usual time seems to be moving along faster and faster around the holidays. The days themselves are so short, and I'm very much a creature that succumbs to sleeping when it's dark out, except the few hours before it's light.
I did my morning pages 7 out of 7 days, and they really don't reveal much to me. They are very similar to the daily confessionals I've been writing to my friend Rosie for many years now. With few exceptions we write each other daily, so it was a habit already ingrained.
I don't know that I did anything that I could count as an artist date, but my well is so full, it is overflowing. I had so much inspiration and am so filled with ideas after my vacation that I need to carve out some time to start putting them into reality. I tend to put constraints on my creating by making up rules about needing things in order and put away before I can start. It's a long established habit, and when I give it any thought, I know I'm going to make a mess all over again, but I feel like I need to have a handle on it before I start.
In finally getting to the end of this chapter, one of the comments that Sophie made about artist-brain activity made sense to me. My "job" is filled with artist-brain activities, repetitive work that doesn't require concentration. I've always been good at daydreaming and trying on alternate lives. I sort out a lot of issues while I fold sheets. I think it's possible to put good or bad vibes in things such as fabric and food. The only food I know that benefits from anger is breadmaking, which I haven't done in a long time, but I routinely would bake a batch when I wanted to work through some anger; the worse you punish the dough, the greater the reward. Though I thought I wanted one, I quickly returned the bread machine I got. It removed the connection with the dough.
Right now my life is in moderate flux, and that seems to stifle my creativity except in the kitchen, but that's a good thing, since it will soon be Thanksgiving. Hope you all have a wonderful holiday.
2 comments:
Hi Hilda,
I'm new to the group so thought I'd say hello.I know what you mean about the bread making thing and folding sheets. Some of my best inspiration has been whilst mindlessly washing dishes. There's a saying I learned when doing Akido classes... "chop wood, carry water" and when I can focus simply like that creativity flows.
Any how... as I'm late joining do I just get started on the first page and try and catch up or did you do any organised tasks with the group?
best wishes
Hilda my friend, I feel exactly the same way about making bread -- someone asked me once if I wouldn't like to have a bread machine,and I said no because I really enjoyed the process of kneading the dough and worked through a lot of agression that way -- also gives you a lot of time to just think even if you aren't angry or upset about something, just because you're doing the same repetitive motion over and over. I rarely bake bread anymore - cause I really like homemade bread and would eat more bread than I already do if I made it - but I did always enjoy the process.
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