C. mentioned that I haven’t talked about my personal projects lately (WHAT?!?! You mean that my lengthy sentiments about lip gloss and near bladder explosions don’t count!?!) ;)
It’s a funny comment for me to absorb, since this website is all about me. This is my personal project, one of many, and even though I spend a lot of time in this space I don’t actually think about it much. I have not really considered what kind of impression my words make on you, the reader. Which is odd because I definitely form opinions about the people whose blogs I read on a regular basis. I go to other blogs already expecting the entry to be depressed/political/angry/funny/trivial/full of poopy diapers … depending on what I’ve read there before. The words are an extension of the author, aren’t they? The author must be just like their blog. They are the blog, are they not? Is it all interchangeable?
I am not sure who reads this blog. Some friends. Family. Co-workers. My mother and parents-in-law read this blog and I know this for sure. Warning: I might use bad language! I might indicate that I drank a lot of wine with dinner. I might have goosed my husband on his way out of the shower. It doesn’t make me a drunken pervert. Really!
Have I been sounding mopey lately? Perhaps. Am I mopey all the time? No. I write about what I want, when the mood strikes. This stuff is entirely written off the top of my head. I tend to write a lot when I get on a roll. Call it verbal diarrhea. An Outpouring of the Contents of my Mind. Please forgive my tangents because I will almost always run away with something else in the middle of a conversation. My point is, that I write when I think there is something worthy of writing.
Oh, (did you know) I like to use brackets and ellipses…
It’s hard for me to look at my own scribblings objectively. I don’t see patterns in what I write here. I don’t look back and reread what I wrote in the past. This is all a reflection of what is going on inside my head. The rest I don’t write about, mostly because it’s drivel. Who wants to hear about the huuuuuge pile of laundry that is still waiting to be put away? And what about the fact that I clean the kitchen about three times a day? That I usually employ vinegar to wipe my countertops instead of regular household cleaners? That I’ve been feeling gassy and bloated lately? LORD HELP US ALL!
C. noted that I haven’t taken any interesting classes of late. This is true. In the past I have taken printing/photography classes at the local college. I’ve taken half-day crafty workshops. I was taking yoga too, but I haven’t done it in a classroom setting for some time. Mind you, there are always classes I’m thinking about taking. This never changes. When a catalogue comes in the mail, whether it’s from the Catholic Board of Ed., the college or the regular school board, I always pour over the pages and wonder which I would take. Crafty things are always close to the top of the list. I’ve had inklings for stained glass, silver jewelry, papermaking and book binding. There’s always the photography. I should continue what I started and take more classes so I can get a certificate out of it. Lighting workshops look interesting, and would be helpful if I wanted to pursue this more seriously. I once looked into taking the two-year photography diploma at Algonquin. The initial research revealed my worst fear: I need math.
Anyway, the answer is no, I haven’t taken any classes lately, but I do keep myself busy with a variety of projects, some self-imposed, while other things just seem to find me.
ALL THAT BEING SAID, here are the results of a recent project of mine. (!)
Awhile back I mentioned a little photog project for a local newspaper. Well, it has come to be, that is, it’s on local newsstands RIGHT NOW. Woot!
I went to a charity/second-hand store and did a photo essay. The story I came back with was deemed worthy of the front page (tho’ not written by me). PDF here in case you want a peek. I am very happy with the finished product. I hope it results in an increase of donations for this particular organization, because they are really struggling to make ends meet.
I found this photographic detour very satisfying. I do miss taking classes and (to use a metaphor I hate) expanding my horizons, but sometimes the unstructured works just as well to inspire the mind and feed the soul. Don’t you think?
