Lollygagging
(Warning - This is a ramble.)
There's a word you don't hear every day. But that's how I would describe last night here at work. A chance glimpse of a snippet of lyric in someone's blog post sent me off on hours of YouTube-ing; tracking down tracks, following trails to other singers and acts... a little journey down memory lane. Backtracking tonight to the original post I find the person was referring to a different song but 'what the hey', it made for a good diversion. Just a small difference between John Prine and 'Presidents of the United States of America'. For anyone that cares the same words are contained in a song by PotUSoA and Prine's 'Spanish Pipedream'.
Thing is here at work - once my actual work is done and if the clients and phones are quiet - I've got a ton of time on my hands. There are cycles I go through where for a time I'm alright to read and it doesn't bother me. Then for long stretches there is no way I can read on the job - it'll put me to sleep in no time... and that is verboten. Every once in a great long while I'll watch a movie but that is only if the house population is way down and everyone is in good shape. Otherwise I feel cut-off from the 'pulse' of the house and preoccupied where I oughtn't be. Hence, lots of time at the computer... it does keep me occupied.
Lately I've considered junking this blog and it's for a variety of reasons. There is one prime one that I won't go into but one of the lesser ones is that it eats a lot of time that I think could be put to better use. While I don't consider myself to be a writer I do like to think that aspiration is within reason. That with some serious application to the craft of writing I could eventually get good enough at it to lay claim to that title. I'd also like to re-apply myself once again to drawing and painting... and for that desire I'd have to give credit to all that I see about me on the blogs. I can remember clearly the enjoyment I used to get from artistic expression and creation. Of course, the next step is kick starting myself from anticipation / contemplation to action.
One story I like to tell would be a fictionalized biopic of 'Connie', the wife of a guy who just completed our program. See, Connie survived, in a physical sense, a misdiagnosed terminal illness and the treatment thereof. But mentally she never did recover and essentially resigned from living out her re found life. 15 years of occupying space with a heart beat and little else. The trickle down repercussions are incredible, complex and bewildering. I'd like to get her view on these last 20 years and see how it compares with that of her husband.
In a re-approach to art work I can think of a few different avenues right off the top of my head. First, I would start with simple colour choices, line and shape and work from abstract to representational and back again. Play with it in order to free up my mind and hand. Second, I would go back to still-life drawing with an almost 'drafting-like' approach in order to get my eye and hand in synch so that I can once again accurately represent what it is I see. Third, I'd go back to india ink sketches and watercolour washes to see where that would take me. Next, I'd 'construct' - come up with a premise, some idea and explore it and let it evolve into a project I could build using a variety of materials.
Lofty ideas.... when does the rubber hit the road??
There's a word you don't hear every day. But that's how I would describe last night here at work. A chance glimpse of a snippet of lyric in someone's blog post sent me off on hours of YouTube-ing; tracking down tracks, following trails to other singers and acts... a little journey down memory lane. Backtracking tonight to the original post I find the person was referring to a different song but 'what the hey', it made for a good diversion. Just a small difference between John Prine and 'Presidents of the United States of America'. For anyone that cares the same words are contained in a song by PotUSoA and Prine's 'Spanish Pipedream'.
Thing is here at work - once my actual work is done and if the clients and phones are quiet - I've got a ton of time on my hands. There are cycles I go through where for a time I'm alright to read and it doesn't bother me. Then for long stretches there is no way I can read on the job - it'll put me to sleep in no time... and that is verboten. Every once in a great long while I'll watch a movie but that is only if the house population is way down and everyone is in good shape. Otherwise I feel cut-off from the 'pulse' of the house and preoccupied where I oughtn't be. Hence, lots of time at the computer... it does keep me occupied.
Lately I've considered junking this blog and it's for a variety of reasons. There is one prime one that I won't go into but one of the lesser ones is that it eats a lot of time that I think could be put to better use. While I don't consider myself to be a writer I do like to think that aspiration is within reason. That with some serious application to the craft of writing I could eventually get good enough at it to lay claim to that title. I'd also like to re-apply myself once again to drawing and painting... and for that desire I'd have to give credit to all that I see about me on the blogs. I can remember clearly the enjoyment I used to get from artistic expression and creation. Of course, the next step is kick starting myself from anticipation / contemplation to action.
One story I like to tell would be a fictionalized biopic of 'Connie', the wife of a guy who just completed our program. See, Connie survived, in a physical sense, a misdiagnosed terminal illness and the treatment thereof. But mentally she never did recover and essentially resigned from living out her re found life. 15 years of occupying space with a heart beat and little else. The trickle down repercussions are incredible, complex and bewildering. I'd like to get her view on these last 20 years and see how it compares with that of her husband.
In a re-approach to art work I can think of a few different avenues right off the top of my head. First, I would start with simple colour choices, line and shape and work from abstract to representational and back again. Play with it in order to free up my mind and hand. Second, I would go back to still-life drawing with an almost 'drafting-like' approach in order to get my eye and hand in synch so that I can once again accurately represent what it is I see. Third, I'd go back to india ink sketches and watercolour washes to see where that would take me. Next, I'd 'construct' - come up with a premise, some idea and explore it and let it evolve into a project I could build using a variety of materials.
Lofty ideas.... when does the rubber hit the road??
posted by Norm at 4/03/2009 03:08:00 AM
9 Comments:
How fun to trip on YouTube from one thing to another. I love those inspired times. And yeah, a bit of a difference between those two artistes, hehe :)
I so understand where you're coming from re ditching your blog to pursue writing in a different sphere. I play around with that idea too. It's funny, I was just reading another blog where someone was commenting on the amount of bloggers dropping out because they just feel it's "time". I have wondered that myself.
But then, I really enjoy blogging still. I'm not sure, I shall wait and see.
Ahh, the motivation to make art. Yes. It's funny, I just can't do it when I am unwell, even if it's a cold. It's a very strange thing. And now, after having an ear infection for weeks and weeks and then a cold/flu for 2 weeks, I am finally back in the land of getting creative. It's a very heady land. I wish I could stay here all the time.
(Not that I've actually done anything creative tonight except sit on my bum and write a movie, but it's more a headspace and a body space than anything. It feels like dancing on the inside you know? :)
Hi Sue and thanks for dropping in to comment. That was funny about the mix-up with the songs. Glad you striahgtened me out there.
Yeah, might be premature to ditch the blog cuz, of course, I'd have to learn to write FIRST. But I could be learning instead of blogging, right?
I suppose the thing I've enjoyed the most about blogging is all the characters I've met through doing it.
As for limbering up artistically, most nights I could bring materials in and fart around with it at work.... why not??
Dancing on the inside sounds like fun... must try to land in that headspace soon.
ya'know I'd miss you in blogland
but if it means you'd be pursuing your art again, it might be a sacrifice I could live with :-)
the rubber hits the road when you fill the gas tank, take the handbrake off and hit the accelerator
cheering you on from the sidelines
This 'little black duck' would miss being here. (Good memory, eh?)
I'll have to plug back into the muse and see where it takes me. I must, I must....
Thanks for the encouragement.
I would miss you, Norm. Just so you know. :)
I think I understand. I've been having similar thoughts about my blogs. They take up too much of my time and lately I've had the desire to try out some new ideas (and work on that book project that I've let slide for the past few weeks).
I may take a break or cut back on the blogging. I haven't decided which one just yet.
Well, you're going through some hectic times too, what with the wedding coming up and all. Maybe cut back for a bit and see how that feels.
While out earlier I picked up a drawing pad, a pack of 20 markers and some oil pastels. Time to play!!
Oooh, them's nice toys to pick up, Norm. Wheeee :)
I've been playing with watercolour pencils. That's been fun toys too :)
Interesting. Very interesting to read this... for one because I read your last few posts, and I was sitting there thinking, 'Boy, he writes really well... these are wonderfully composed, clear, straightforward & elegant.'
So I don't think learning to write is going to take up too much of your time.
As for the rest... y'know, I've been blogging a few years, and it seems like there's cycles. Almost like, the community I read and write with goes through pruning periods. People quit or go on hiatus, or move. I quit my first blog during one of those, and began again a month or so later.
The core though, remains. There's a certain endurance to the main part of this community, the people that are the fabric of that. I consider you and Robin to be part of that fabric.
So I'll be selfish, and say.. stay. Keep blogging. Be there. And maybe you could be selfish too, and pull back a little from the reading and regular posting part that takes up so much time. But keep the basics here, to pick up again.
And it would be *totally* cool to see some of the art you're talking about posted here. I'd just love that. The india ink sketches? Please, please do that and post some of the results up on your blog.
That would be awesome.
(I had to do a trackback in order to realize who was commenting - I'm not used to seeing this I.D.)
With that out of the way; thanks so much for your kind words and encouragement. It truly means a lot to me as I consider it to be high praise coming from you. *Respect*
What I take from the later words is 'remember to suit up, show up and give it your best shot' so long as I stick it out.
In the weeks to come I hope to get down to it and into some drawing. I hope the results are worth sharing. (may not be awesome, but...)
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