Tuesday, January 25, 2011

on creating (or advice for gods everywhere)

a few thoughts have been rolling around my brain about the whole process of creating something. humans have this need to make things that are either entirely new or a unique version of something else. why? what inside our souls drives us? is it vanity? do we simply want the attention for some grand new invention? i don't think this is true. yes, we love acceptance and admiration but i believe that this need exists inside of every one of us to use our creativity to better the world, or at least alter it. it's as if we feel like our existence could very well go unnoticed otherwise. is that it? a simple mark made on the universe? a scratch that says "i was here and i made a difference!. my guess is that it's a combination of all of these and more. from writing a song, a book, painting a picture, creating a new life... most of us are instinctually driven to create. gods? us?

but it's not that easy. we think of this grand "new thing" we'd like to create and suddenly we are immersed in thoughts of how. next we start trying to make our vision a reality and are often met with dismal versions of what we see in our heads. we face the constant frustration and self doubt, the inner editor telling us that it will never be good enough. that bastard that says we are crazy for even trying to do something so different. who are we to think we have even a speck of talent? the inner editor is our worst enemy. many projects get thrown aside, many genius ideas are lost all due to this voice. how do we face this voice? or do we find a way to ignore? "la la la, i'm not listening silly little inner demons..." somehow we find a way through the mire of self flagellation and find a way to finish our creation. or do we?

that's the challenge. stop telling ourselves that what we are doing is shit. stop throwing half finished pieces of work aside. finish that song and realize that it doesnt have to be the best song ever written. finish that painting and remember that it is still unique and wonderful even if it's not a Monet. finish the story about the woman who woke up every morning to find she'd lost one of her five senses just for that day. it might not be the "Next Great American Novel" but someone out there might have their day brightened by reading it.

maybe our job is simply to create for the sake of creating. the simple act itself is good for our souls. it's like soul aerobics. so, create. do it for yourself alone and let the world be changed as a side note.

...r...

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

EARS!





i tackled a new project this last Christmas..tiny crocheted earrings. i was pleased with the way they turned out and plan on making more this year. my model makes them look even prettier (thanks steph).
...r...

Monday, January 10, 2011

daily craft


time to send thanks for all sorts of wonderful christmas gifts. why buy cards when i have everything i need here at home to make some cute little handmade ones? i decided to use the blank side of the paper for the outside so that when the recipient opens the card they'll be all "wowza"...or maybe they'll be like "hmmmm"....i might get a little "awe cute" even.
...r...




Saturday, January 8, 2011

note to self


you've been a dreamer your whole life
labeling everything as out of reach
putting wishes in little boxes of hope
looking ahead to "someday"


someday is today
...r...

Sunday, January 2, 2011

high resolution

the new year
stretching out ahead
a curious cat
with claws

resolutions
set in sand and water
a blueprint
of fuzzy lines

...r...


Monday, October 18, 2010

letter to one landlord in particular

So you've decided to move someone else into our house and give us not enough notice and not even written. fine, i'll find somewhere else to move in a place where their seems to be no good rentals in our price range. I'll stress about it for over a month, packing on my weekends and obsessively checking the listings hoping that maybe this time their will be that perfect place. When it comes down too it, i'll settle for a place out of our price range in an area that i don't really want to live who's owners standard for "clean and ready to move into" are quite a bit lower than mine. When miracle of miracles they have another place that is really nice and in the country and i get actually a little excited about moving i'll start packing the essentials and nervously wait for these people who are obviously not good landlords to finally answer their phones to give us the key. I'll rent a uhaul, buy uhaul boxes, and pack up half my house including my entire kitchen food and all and load it into said uhaul ready to move to the new (dirty and out of our price range, but nice) house.

so, really? really you wait until half of my house is in a uhaul in the parking lot to call and say "oh by the way that deal fell through and you can stay if you want"? can i just tell you how much i hate you right now. You say you "realized your mistake but just didn't think to tell us because you were so busy", well that is b.s., and if it wasn't for the fact that i needed that money that we would be spending on this house to get myself out of this town i would not even give it half a thought and i'd be cleaning that dirty house right now to move into. Congratulations you are officially my least favorite person, and if i kept a list of people to get revenge on sometime in my life, you would be moving straight to the top.

P.S. i've had a cat inside for about two months now and as well behaved as he is i hope when i finally do move out you find "little presents" from him all over the place down stairs in corners that i have no intention of cleaning.

L.