Week 7

As I begin to read through Week 7, I'm immediately struck with a realization. "Art is not about thinking something up. It is about the opposite - getting something down" I've often marveled at the people who can step outside them selves and create from a higher source. It's something I've always was beyond me. Maybe, just maybe, I can experience this also. Yes, I think I can.

Is JC talking directly to me when she writes about pefectionsim? "There are no first drafts, rough sketches, warm up exercises. Every draft is meant to be final, perfect, set in stone"

If I didn't have to do it perfectly, I would try:

- Make that first stroke of oil on canvas.
- Learning to play guitar
- Learning a foreign language
- Dabbling around Photoshop tutorials
- Writing a memoir about my Great Uncle
- Revisiting and revamping my website


My Jealously Map:

I'm jealous of people who have a significant other.
- Find happiness in the independence of being single.

I'm jealous of people who can splurge and shop without worrying about being able to pay the bills.
- Change my view of money and the value, or lack of, of material possessions. Be thankful that I can pay my bills on time.

I'm jealous of people who are comfortable with confrontation.
- Take a class in communication skills.

I'm jealous of people who are fit and healthy.
- Maintain an effort to change my lifestyle and exercise even when I don't feel like it.

I'm jealous of people who can play a musical instrument.
- Take my boss up on his offer to give me free guitar lessons. Buy a guitar.

I'm jealous of who can draw and paint with no reference photo.
- Turn up at the page and just draw something.

I'm jealous of people who are can write poetry.
- Read more poetry.

I'm jealous of people who can get up in front of people at an open-mic.
- Write a poem and read it a small, intimate open mic night. Add it to my list of 101 things.

I'm jealous of people who aren't fussy eaters.
- Try a new food each week.

I'm jealous of people who can express their feelings without the fear of rejection.
- Write in my blog more often and get comfortable expressing my feelings. It's okay to feel what you feel.

I'm jealous of people who keep artistic sketchbooks
- Start one. Maintain one.


Archeology - An Exercise

As a kid, I missed the chance to go to a more academic school.
As a kid, I lacked true friends.
As a kid, I could have used true friends.
As a kid, I dreamed of being a librarian.
As a kid, I wanted a horse.
In my house, we never had enough family time together.
As a kid, I needed more courage.
I am sorry that I will never again see my dog, Heidi.
For years, I missed and wondered about Renee Hutt
I beat myself up about the loss of my marriage.


I have a loyal friend in Suzy.
One thing I like about my town are the squirrels.
I think I have nice eyes
Writing my morning pages has shown me that I feel good when I've accomplished something I struggle with.
I am taking a greater interest in music.
I believe I am getting better at being organized
My artist has started paying more attention to painting, crafts and guitars
My self care is still erratic
I feel more hopeful
Possibly, my creativity is blossoming

101 Things in 1001 Days.

List is still in progress.

1. Ride a Roller Coaster
2. Go Zip-lining
3 Make and Fly a Kite
4. Complete a 5K Walk for Charity
5. Complete Metallica's One on hard level on Guitar Hero
6. Swim in the ocean.
7. Listen to the Pink Floyd discography in chronological order.
8. Read all of Kurt Vonnegut's published works in chronological order.
9. See Twilight movie.
10. Make a terrarium
11. Make a pot of meatballs and freeze them
12. Make a batch or tiropitas
13. Throw a Cinco De Mayo feast for friends.
14. Get a reclining chair like my Mom's
15. Go to Falling Waters
16. Grow my finger nails and get a french manicure
17. Buy new make up and wear it every day for a month.
18. Make the final payment on my car loan.
19. Go to a bonfire.
20. Fill an entire sketch pad with random doodles
21. Go to Texas to meet my cousin, Kym and Anne.
22. Go to a Water theme park
23. Meet friends for lunch at The North Market.
24. Learn to crochet
25. Go to the Museum of Art
26. Watch a Xmas movie on Xmas Day
27. Make a snowman
28. Go Canoeing
29. Make a "Best Friend Trophy" for my best friend.
30. See my first Hockey game
31. Watch a sunrise and sunset.
32. Get tipsy with friends.
33. Organize my music files.
34. Send a Post Card into Post Secrets
35. Drop 3 Dress Sizes.
36. Renew my passport.
37. Walk in a labyrinth
38. Get a bread maker
39. Learn to juggle
40. Learn to change the oil in my car myself.
41. Visit a haunted site.
42. Photograph a Day in the Life of Me.
43. Take a class in Botanical Art
44. Write a poem
45. Keep a food diary religiously for 2 weeks.
46. Get a massage
47. Have my first pedicure
48. Complete The Artist Way.
49. Transfer video to a DVD
50. Watch the video from my Australian vacation
51. Join a racquetball team
52. Do a Tai Chi video every day for a month.
53. Go to a Comedy Club
54. Take a walk in the rain with someone I love.
55. Go without coffee for a week.
56. Put an ad on an online dating agency and go on a date
57. Go horse riding
58. Go Camping and make S'mores
59. Finish my cross stitch
60. Get my cross stitch framed
61. Start guitar lessons
62. Write a poem
63. Recite a poem at an open-mic.
64. Try 10 new foods.
65.

Money Exercise.

People with money are lucky.

Money makes people ungrateful.

I'll have more money if I find a better paying job.

My thought money was to be saved and put away for the future.

My mom always thought money would buy her happiness.

In my family, money caused us to grow apart.

Money equals security.

If I had money, I'd buy a house.

If I could afford it, I'd go to art school.

If I had some money, I'd find something else to worry about.

I'm afraid that if I had money, I would lose it.

Money is not the root of happiness but it can ease anxiety about the lack of it.

Having money is not everything.

Money causes people to become greedy.

In order to have more money, I'd need to stop worrying about the lack of it and open myself to it coming in from unsuspected sources.

When I have money, I usually spend it on food, books that I never get around to reading and movies that I rarely ever watch. Lately, it's been guitar hero games.

I think money is too important and to central to existence.

If I weren't so cheap, I'd spend more money on getting regular massages.

People think money is the most important thing in life.

Being broke tells me that I learning to make the most of what I have and be gracious for the small, important things in life.