THINGS I HAVE NOT FINISHED.....
Egad! It seems like every year, there are more items on this list! Although my "Words From Water: Poems" is complete, I still have not selected a cover for the book, and I still very much want to have a trusted poet pal "preview" the poems before it goes to print. In addition to that task not being a "done deal", I also had planned to perform "Show and Tell" in at least a few different locations before the end of this year.
And, I planned to become an ACTIVE member of several writers' organizations, as well as the wonderful Women In Film. It feels like when I have the time, I don't have extra money to spend to travel all over, attend workshops, buy books on technique and/or attend lectures, etc. And when I have the money, I don't have the time--I'm either overworked, overtired, or--as is the case for the past several months--very ill.
Sorry to complain...I rarely do, but I feel so, uh, frustrated. And while no one is more grateful than I am, given I have fabulous friends nearby to shore me up, and have a loving family(not-so-nearby-but-very-caring), sometimes I gotta "vent." And I'm grateful I have the Blogosphere in which to do this...
Okay, so what DO I feel good about?
Getting a tremendous amount of "new" writing finished:
a short-short-story
a flash-fiction piece
a few political Haiku
More "Orgasms"(as in poems from my second book, which will be called "The Orgasm Poems")
New spiritual pieces exploring the nature of fear and worship
Poems which highlight my connection to the "culture of Catholicism"
Other tasks completed:
My closet is much neater(a major feat, kids!)
My purses are organized--no loose items stuffed in them.(again, highly unusual!)
I am practicing yoga nearly every day, meditating more than usual, and actually feeling calmer. Really.
I have a theory:
Artists(writers, painters, actors, dancers, etc.) often begin one project, and then, halfway into that, or maybe just before they reach the conclusion of that project, they begin a new one. With me, I may be working on 5 different projects simultaneously, but only 3 will get completed. What causes this? I don't think it's procrastination, because that means "putting off" stuff, but this is simply shifting focus suddenly to something else. I'm not even certain it's a "problem", since I truly do not know any other way to work. If the project is for someone else(say, at a "job-job"(my term for a non-performance, non-writing job)) it will be finished quickly and efficiently. It's only when the work is highly creative--and totally my own--that I seem to squander time, or at best, re-allocate time to different projects...
Any thoughts out there, from other writers, actors? You visual artists encounter the same thing? I have a very gifted cuz, Jayne, who is a visual artist(painter, fashion designer, costume designer, book-maker) and she once told me when I complained about this "...Well, if you jump to another idea, then that's the one you're supposed to be working on."
Which just sounds too doggone convenient to me.
Again, any thoughts on artistic process/inability to complete everything??
Peace, kids.