Spent much of tonight finishing up the set for the high school theatre production at the school where my husband works. We actually met working together at a little community theatre, and now that he works as the technical director for the school theatre program. While my husband is a whiz with anything that requires electricity or is mechanical in any way, he is practically color blind and prefers to leave the artsy fartsy stuff to someone else, which is where I come in. I really love it most of the time, and while this set wasn't my favorite I think it will work okay (the show is actually a Beatles review, so the set was sort of a Pepperland inspired landscape, hence the crazy flowers). Even though every time I work on a show I swear the next time I will be disciplined and get done early, I have yet to accomplish this. So here is me, burning the midnight oil to get things done in time, typing this post with paint speckled hands. It is days like this that I am grateful I left this project open enough that I can just snap a picture of whatever I am doing and call it a day if I have too. But on the other hand, I just finished taking in Misha's awesome story and the images she created to go with it and am feeling like I could do more, and that I might have stories to tell too.
Painting a backdrop seems creative to me. You have the paint speckled hands to prove it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the supportive words. I hope, I hope, I hope you will tell your stories.
<3
I hope so too. I thought I left a comment on your post last night but I was just looking at it again and didn't see my comment. Damn you blogger! Anyway, it was a masterpiece, I am both inspired and a little intimidated by your story (but mostly inspired :).
ReplyDeleteIf I had taken all of those images and set out to weave them into a story, I would have been intimidated too. The way it turned out, however, was that I just did one thing at a time. Made the images, and listened to the words as they came to piece them together.
ReplyDeleteI've only ever written a couple of short stories. Usually making the attempt feels akin to someone trying to suck my brain out of my ear through a straw, but yesterday was different somehow. It flowed of its own accord and I just took notes.
Basically, what I'm trying to say is 'relax' and let your stories tell you. It sounds as if they have been trying to get your attention for awhile now. This reminds me, have you ever seen Elizabeth Gilbert's TED Talk on creativity? If not, I cannot recommend it highly enough. Drop what you're doing and watch it right now! :)
Let me see if the bookmarked link I have still works...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86x-u-tz0MA
:)
I did exactly as you instructed and now I highly suggest that anyone else reading this comment thread stop and do the same. I have a new appreciation for Elizabeth Gilbert. I was sort of ashamed at the end of "Eat Pray Love" that I enjoyed the book so much; I was determined to be unimpressed just because of my intense jealousy of her trip around the world to find herself. But the book was wonderful, and that speech just as wonderful. It makes me feel less crazy that as a kid I used to pretend that there were fairies living in my bedroom wall that would talk to me as I fell asleep, and it makes me wish I had held onto that a little instead of becoming so damned rational. But on the other hand, the other aspect of the speech that made it great was her emphasis on good old fashioned hard work, the importance of just doing what we do best each day and following the genius as it comes (and I love the new found understanding I have for the word "genius").
ReplyDeleteThank you, Misha, for pointing me towards this video and for the much needed reminder to RELAX. I started this project to do just that, and I didn't even realize until now that the old, critical Meg was creeping back in. I have told her in no uncertain terms to go away and please send my genius back instead.
YOU rock.
ReplyDeleteNot only did you immediately go and welcome the video into your heart and mind, but you also nailed my own reaction to the book! I wasn't nearly as self-aware as you and didn't even bother to name my experience as you just did. I simply gave over to the love of it at the end and conveniently dismissed the envious factor. Thanks for pointing it out for me.
Decades ago, I realized that I was taking issue with women who had had life much easier than I. Women whose fathers hadn't died during their childhood. Women whose parents paid for their college education and didn't have to attempt to work their way through, despite having grades good enough to have landed a scholarship, but not one large enough to pave the way conveniently...
I thought that I had worked my way through all of that and had become rather adept at blessing "the haves", but a light bulb went off when I read this. I felt the same way when I read the book. I even remember specifically reeling myself in and consciously forcing myself to be happy for her to have had such an adventure in self-exploration and in the world in such a wide way. Italy, I mean COME ON.
I've made my way to Europe once, but my time in Italy was very short and I vowed to make my way back there for an extended stay. I haven't made it back, YET...
*sigh* Ah, Italy...
And her guru! There's no wow wow-enough!
And the food! *rolls eyes*
Maybe we can sign up for this particular tour somewhere? Let's. :)
I'm so glad that I provided the prompt for relaxation. It's easy to forget, but luckily, just as easy to remember.
And yes, my favorite part was the separate entity of genius. That's where freedom lives.
And I love your fairies. I'm sure that they are still right there.
Try blinking a few times.
;)