As happens with life when one neglects to document events on a regular basis, so much has happened since I wrote last. Yesterday was my first physical therapy appointment after a meniscus injury that left me unable to walk for two and a half weeks. I’m happy to report that I’m almost walking normally again and that I’ll be returning back to my glamorous pizza delivery job tomorrow. This knee injury blessed me with the opportunity to clock out from my apartment manager job for the first time since October and help me to realize that even though it puts me in a good place financially, remaining on call 24/7 for part time wages is a total racket. There are infinite other ways to make money and I will seek them out while delivering the fuck out of delicious locally sourced pizza. As someone who has already declared that they’ll never again be a cog in another corporate machine again, working for the real estate industry was never going to last long.
This is the paragraph where I reveal my excuses for slacking the last few months… I recently spent six weeks in the first relationship I’ve had since I got divorced seven years ago, procrastinated too much, lacked focus, and temporarily lost total hope of my creative endeavors (multiple times) so I have not completed as many of ninety minute work blocks as I hoped I would by July 10, 2019. I’m currently working through my 170th ninety minute work block of the year and have unearthed renewed motivation to barrel forth with this now likely impossible mission to complete 1111 ninety minute work blocks by the end of December 31. The plus side of falling behind is that every single work block gets me closer to the financial and creative freedom I’m working toward even if I don’t make it to my lofty goal.
Last night during a 90 minute block of internal/external organization, I came up with a plan to help me take action when I’m unsure of which creative endeavor to pursue at that moment. I wholeheartedly believe that all of my artistic pursuits are worthy (on most days anyway) and that if I move forward on them, I will feel like I’m making dramatic progress toward my goals and be even more inspired. I’ve split my work blocks into four different groups that I will (try) to take action on every day for the rest of the year. The categories are Analog Collage, Loud Daytime Art/Organization Projects, Photoshop/Computer Projects, and Writing Projects. If I wake up and already know which of my endeavors I want to work on, then I’ll jump into action but if I’m unsure of which project to move forward with, I can pull one of my ideas randomly out of its envelope and start on it immediately. If I feel like I don’t want to work on that project, it may be time to abandon it completely. Getting my Mary Poppins on and turning my daily routine into a game has already proven its efficiency at inspiring me to stay on task. Almost ALL of my big art ideas are in these envelopes so I’m looking forward to seeing which of my procrastinated projects I unearth next. I started this updated version of my life game just last night and already completed two collages and put in some work on a picture frame I’m collaging to look like it is made of wood.
Since the writing work blocks have been neglected the longest and have the potential take me directly where I want to go, I’ll be doing that block first thing after I chug a bunch of water, eat breakfast, do my physical therapy, get dressed, and take my vitamins. If I feel so inspired, I’m allowing myself the opportunity to do an analog collage block first thing instead because the goal is to start flexing my creative muscles first thing on a daily basis (writing or visual art). A few of the writing projects I’ll be drawing for are completing a blog post, updating my MusicVideoPedia bio, finalizing a music post, rewriting the About page on my website, rewriting another Aesop Fable so it is wholesome and inspiring, writing about one of my Alaska or Tahoeadventures, writing the story of a dream from an MF DALÍ project, artist interview research or action, work on TheRingOfDOOM series plan, complete a travel blog post, storyboard a TheRingOfDOOM episode featuring mini Galaxian game, and updating the home page on my website (and many more… hopefully soon on channel 444). I see no reason that my Netflix account should continue to be getting more action than my website; I’m not getting any younger.
The Loud Daytime Art/Organization projects include stuff like completing a resin pour, recycling/donating something from my storage unit, a ninety minute apartment organization/cleaning block, making a new clay character, new TheRingOfDOOM diorama, prepping more stickers to be mailed to magazines, fellow weirdos, and galleries, decorating my bathroom, painting something, going to put WD4D on my squeaky trunk, and repairing old art so it is show ready. It’s been a few months since I completed a resin pour so I’m looking forward to making more 3D collage weirdness; I’ll never get where Dustin Yellin is if I don’t glue! These louder projects prove most fruitful when attempted during daytime hours so I’ll be tackling these two before I go to my night job on a daily basis. The Analog Collage and Photoshop/Computer work blocks are much quieter so they’re more ideal for post-pizza shift endeavors.
Of the Photoshop/Computer blocks, I’m most excited to create more Spotify playlist images, update my website’s art gallery, complete a new MusicVideoPedia promo image, make new TheRingOfDOOM logo, continue to add videos to MusicVideoPedia, complete more Spotify work blocks, create an image for NON MusicVideoPedia, update my web shop, and to re-edit my Sun Ra video. When building an empire of weirdness, there is no finale to the computer work To Do list… every minute is worth it!
Of the four envelopes, the one most padded with ideas is the Analog Collage collection. The amount of unfinished but worthy collage projects I’ve left unfinished or are resolved to begin is uncomfortable and moving forward with them just may end up being what life is all about. A few of the collages I’m looking forward to completing are 30 minute landscapes, MF DALÍ images, bejeweled animal characters, aquarium collage, rap collage, random image file pull (examples… pink skies, outer space, blue, lips, water, mascara wands, chairs +++), creating a collage from one of many shelves of magazines/books, complete a tiny framed art piece, work on tiny 4 squared TheRingOfDOOM collage for Pike Place mini art show, more work on giant TheRingOfDOOM photocollage, covering round table top with green pieces to be resin sealed, collage made with one whole comic book, collage with Space Needle, and to start gluing images to my thrifted breadbox. Until I take action on my ideas, they’ll just be another item on an unfinished list… now is the time to just DOOM it dammit!
I’m looking forward to seeing how long this recent birthday will drive and focus my effort; it often has a similar inspiration push to that of New Years. As Douglas Adams (A Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy) revealed to us, the answer to the big life question is 42. Since I’ve just turned 41, this means I’m currently in my 42nd year on the planet which I’ve convinced myself must be the year in which I double down on my efforts to spend every single day working toward creating the life I want for myself. My 41 years on this planet so far have shown me that I will not be content to live a life laid out for me by tradition and that I must curate exactly the life I want to live or settle for a lifetime of suffering in the lower middle class.
SONG OF THE DAY
Loyle Carner feat. Kiko Bun + Rebel Kleff - “You Don’t Know” 2019… rappers with accents for the win; always.