The marvelous Velvet, who is more marvelous than a sausage sandwich, is leading some of her minions on a journey through Julia Cameron's book "The Artist's Way". As such, we (Velvet's zombie army) will be conducting weekly check ins, as the book instructs. This is week one's check in.
1. I did not do any "artist pages". (Cameron suggests you begin each day with free writing for 30 minutes in a notebook.) Mornings are tough for me- we're often trying to get three people to three different places, making it hard to find 30 minutes for anything.
2. I did not do an "artist date". I took several unscheduled trips, places like Target and OfficeMax where I can browse pens and paper and think for a while.
3. Probably the most significant issue I came upon this week was writing a non fiction piece for my buddy Matt Potter's magazine Pure Slush about my father's passing in 2009. It was a lot harder than I had imagined it might be.
I started doing morning pages again after a looong break. Funny, I wrote my first poem in YEARS after a couple of weeks of doing them. Mornings are hard for me, too, but I find my life really improves when I make time for them, even if I don't do them in the mornings.
ReplyDeletewhat you wrote was terrifically moving, Michael. excellent work.
ReplyDelete"More marvelous than a sausage sandwich" may be the best compliment ever. Also, my mother would be darn proud to know that I officially have minions, at least according to you.
ReplyDeleteNow, I know I'm not the boss of you, but mister, I must insist you give yourself time for an official artist date. To be forged anew you've got to get right in there, right in that fire. :)
It's difficult to understand, (I have done the Artist's Way when it came out) that writing the pages is sort of like journaling. Getting whatever is in your head to clear can help you be more creative.
ReplyDeleteAnd, FWIW, an artist's date can be as simple as going to Target to fondle the pens, books, and moleskine.