Day 23 Of Delusional Optimist's Guide To Achieving The I'mPossible

Day 23

I have yet to work a full week at my new 9-5 but today is my first “Saturday” in years. While there is a lot to learn, my new job is very low stress and the kind of job you can release after clocking out for the day; an ideal situation for someone working toward a larger goal. It does feel good to speak with humans on a regular basis again but I can't help but wonder if I’ve given up or have gifted myself a more reasonable timeline. The last two days I worked 12 hours and sadly only completed four 90 minute work blocks; factoring in eight hours of sleep each night and transit time, I wasted at least 12 hours doing nothing. It is embarrassing to not complete my goals and write about it but I still just watched movies when I got back to my spot after work last night. Maybe I needed to relax but when I have so far to go to become a financially stable adult, relaxing feels irresponsible.

Shortly before the purple piece at the top was accidentally resined to the table. 

For the last five years since I quit Whole Foods, I have never been sure if I’d be able to pay my bills every month. As of two days ago, I now know I’ll be able to make those payments if I just keep going to work every day and remain frugal. That said, at this rate I won’t be able to afford dental work for at least a year (way too long when fillings came out months ago) and I still wouldn’t be able to pay for a real place to live (Bezosian Rent Warfare). Starting this new job clouded over my plans for the next few months and I must fine tune my trajectory if I hope to accomplish anything. In the past, I would have gone on a spacecruise to the ocean to mull over my next moves but I’d have to spend money I don’t have to make it happen. Thus lies the curse of the upside down car loan; can’t afford to get rid of the car and can’t afford to drive it.

Since I’m not working today, I hope to accomplish the goals I did not complete the last few days and to make some new art. I must strive to remember every day how good it feels to cross an item off my To Do list, even if it’s something so ridiculous as film scenes of your cardboard box movie at the foot of Bezos’ Balls (check!). Trying to decide if I should get up early to write my blog before work or will myself to do it every day when I get back…

TODAY’S GOALS

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     10 Minute Stretch

3.     Go For A Walk

4.     Two Posts On Website… Shared (post on all blogs on Medium also) – 2-3 blocks

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.     Collage work block

7.      Spotify work block

8.     Finalize list of outdoor shots for TROD video and gather/create props

SONG OF THE DAY

U2 – “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” 1987  I would never call myself a U2 fan but some of their older music still pulls me in. In addition to creating a beautiful song, filming this video on the streets of Vegas made thousands of people smile. I hope to be able to make the kind of art that can affect people the way this song/video affects me and I’ll never get there if I don’t create art on a daily basis. Knowing that the world needs creators more than they need cogs in a fixed machine keeps me on my path when I feel like giving up.

Day 22 Of Delusional Optimist's Guide To Achieving The I'mPossible

Day 22

Even though I only worked a half day, yesterday was my intro to the empty feeling one has after working 9-5. Needless to say, my original goals were pushed aside. I had previously forgotten I had added yoga to my to do list but I still have only just stretched. I didn’t drink enough water, or work on T-ROD movie, or work on a Spotify list, or post twice on Instagram. Lame. My first work block of the day is gonna be a little wonky for a bit. My goal will be to post my daily blog before I go to work so that when I get back to the studio, all I’ll have to do is work on my craft.

Today is already my Friday so after work today, I’ll be experiencing my first “weekend” in years that I’ll work all the way through. At this time, I’m realizing that I need to fine tune what my new plan is. Still gonna dream of a cash windfall (and take steps toward) so I can photograph the art Indian Giver is blessing Paris with as we speak and utilize the French I’ve been learning on the Duolingo app but in the meantime, I’m going to keep slowly building my foundation. Knowing that all my bills will be paid with one job (if I remain in this “living” situation) feels mostly good but I can almost visualize the photos I’d get to take in London/Paris/Copenhagen/Rotterdam and my heart hurts for everyone who would’ve seen them. Technically, I still have two years to accomplish my five year goal of getting paid to go to Europe.

Looking forward to developing a routine but it may not be time for that just yet. My favorite thing I DID do yesterday was to sign up to potentially make money with Medium and post a few of my best pieces on Reddit. It was super easy to make the change so we’ll see what happens with that.

TODAY’S GOALS

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     30 Minute Yoga YouTube Video

3.     Go For A Walk

4.     Two Posts On Website… Shared (post on all blogs on Medium also) – 2-3 blocks

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.    Finalize plan of footage to capture in Seattle, gather props, pack bag

7.    90 Minute Collage Block

SONG OF THE DAY

Ama Lou “Wire” 2018  The video Ama Lou released for this song is a three pack with "Wire" as the last song. 

Day 21 Of Delusional Optimist's Guide To Achieving The I'mPossible

Day 21

Yesterday while cleaning the Cheeto rain out of @TheRingOfDOOM’s cardboard box apartment, I learned about another cheese poof metaphor. Even when the Cheetos have been cleaned up, they’ve left a permanent grease stain on the box itself, I’ll go ahead and directly relate that to the grease stain Trump/Bezos is leaving on our country and then move on to something else.

Resin El Wire Creation

I poured the resin on the three small pieces I’m currently almost finished with and also poured the first layer of my weird resin, el wire, creations. Recently, I made my first free-standing (battery pack attached) @TheRingOfDOOM lights because I felt so inclined. Once I get some batteries, I’ll be able to leave them places at night for lit up photo ops and it will make me smile. I didn’t start any new collages because I spent two full work blocks making tiny bowls, cups, chopsticks, spoon, knife, and big serving bowls out of polymer clay and baking them in my toaster oven.

Once I finished with the polymer clay, I realized that I have moved into a phase in which I must be an early bird again and that a sixth work block would have me staying up too late. Today is different than the rest will be but without going into detail just yet, I will say that I do now have a 9-5. It’s not Monday-Friday but I’m excited to only work eight hours in a day and to see what it’s like to be done working at 5pm. Since I will be working today, I’ll have to reevaluate the number of goals I set for myself because most of the day will be spent making money. Excited to be able to breathe again (due to having a steady flow of money coming in but also the smoke from the fires has Seattle wheezing).

TODAY’S GOALS

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     30 Minute Yoga YouTube Video

3.     Go For A Walk

4.     Two Posts On Website… Shared (post on all blogs on Medium also) – 2-3 blocks

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.      Spotify work block/ Collage

7..     Finalize list of outdoor shots for TROD video and gather props

SONG OF THE DAY

ABRA – “DIAMONDS AND GOLD” 2014  Every few months I have a new favorite Abra song, happy to have arrived at “DIAMONDS AND GOLD.”

DID YOU KNOW

Did you know that the first music video list I published was a collection of Music Videos With Famous Actors and Actresses back in January 2013? The boring name turns out to make it much easier to find my posts on Google for the win. This is one of the best music videos ever made.

Day 20 Of Delusional Optimist’s Guide To Achieving The I’mPossible

Day 20

The only goal I did not reach yesterday was to put any items for sale on ebay. My weak excuse is that most of the items I have at this time have failed to sell on ebay multiple times and that my attempts to flip stuff online ended up as a plastic tub of shit no one wants… like an R. Kelly cassette, or an Alaska commemorative spoon, or an eight headed mink stole. It should come to no surprise to me that I choose things (music, thrift store items) that do not make a profit but are awesome (Underground Hip Hop). Example, not a fan of Bieber or Grande but I love Taylar Elizza Beth and 10.4 Rog. Instead of eBaying, I spent time at the Laundromat and under Bezos’ Balls with @TheRingOfDOOM’s cardboard box apartment.

The sunset collage I almost didn't finish because I don't love the colors turned into one of my favorite pieces. I plan on turning it into a Spotifly playlist image so I can see it often.

As I reach the end of all my big collage projects without any more large frames in my possession, I’m reminded that I still have around 50 small and imperfect thrifted frames leftover from #100DaysOfTheRingOfDOOMcollages. I much prefer making large pieces but as I say to myself all the time, I must use what I have. There’s lots of things I prefer to do, like eating at delicious restaurants and spacecruising to the ocean whenever, but if we always did what we prefer to do, we’d just be laying on the couch watching Netflix in a diabetic coma from too much ice cream and chocolate. I still would prefer to take photos of Street Art (and everything) in Paris than building a solid foundation out of hourly wages but if I don’t take actions towards large sums of money, they will not arrive.

Over the next few months, I hope to become as addicted to finishing stuff as I am to coffee. Sometimes when I find myself leisurely gluing tiny pieces of water, I think about the sense of urgency that kicks in when I’m working for others and I start gluing faster. I currently have 201 drafted blog posts on my old blogger site, a fully drafted Hip Hop Crossword/Activity Book, way too many hours of @TheRingOfDOOM footage, 80 belt buckle blanks, 50+ tiny frames, 20 blank reusable bags, 800 button blanks, 147 uncompleted To Do lists, thousands of photos to sort into books/zines, and more than one storyboarded iphone movie (among other projects). When I finish all this stuff, I get to see what I’ll do next but the procrastinator in me wonders if all these projects should be finished. For someone who got many A’s on papers written the night before they were due, it is way too easy to put things off when there is no deadline. The time frame created by my plane ticket to Europe (I still have it) on September 17 may have been permanently replaced with an 18 month timeline (at least) so the sense of urgency/panic has turned into a marathon instead of a sprint. I keep thinking about where I should be as a forty year old but then I remember that I must not give a fuck about shoulds; I must fine tune my goals so I can work my way through them.

TODAY’S GOALS

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     30 Minute Yoga YouTube Video

3.     Go For A Walk

4.     Two Posts On Website… Shared (post on all blogs on Medium also) – 2-3 blocks

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.     Pour resin on current projects.

7.     Make at least one small framed collage and start next coaster set.

8.    Clean Cheeto rain out of cardboard box movie set and gather props needed for rest of the             scenes.

9.    Make tiny bowl of ramen out of polymer clay, resin, and actual ramen.

10.   Spotify work block

11.    90 Minute block sorting photos by city/artist for books/zines

SONG OF THE DAY

Seinabo Sey – “Younger” 2014 Until Death Becomes Her turns into our reality, none of us are getting any younger so we may as well just DOOM it.

DID YOU KNOW

Did you know I have a YouTube playlist with almost 100 animated videos on it? I’ve had Animated Videos Part VII drafted since mid 2017 so it’s no longer fresh but like I’ve said before, one of the best things about music is that the first time you hear it, it is new to you. I will be finalizing a new post of more current animated videos soon. Here’s one of my favorites from the playlist that is best consumed on SmartTV or whatever device you have close to you.

Day 19 Of Delusional Optimist's Guide To Achieving The I'mPossible

Day 19

Yesterday’s long walk rejuvenated my excitement for my camera roll and also made me feel extra 40 (ouch). It’s been weeks since I went on one of my ridiculously long walks so I tried to keep it mellow but still ended up walking 6.5 miles. When traveling overseas or exploring a new city, I typically walk an average of 9 miles a day but confining myself to my art cubicle has made me out of shape. When I was at the bottom of Capitol Hill looking up, I suddenly remembered how hungry I was and felt the irresistible draw of the food I’d already purchased in my mini fridge. The photos I got amaze me and I have more than a few places in Seattle I plan on photographing in the very near future.

Almost completed 3D Aquarium collage. iPhone doesn’t know which layer to focus on. 

I may have finished my large 3D water collage. I’d love to keep adding layers forever but it is getting heavier and more expensive to create with every pour. Very excited to flex my newly acquired knowledge about how to keep the edges pretty but I have a ton of work to do to fine tune the pieces I’ve already completed. Grinding down epoxy resin with a metal file turns out to be one of those things best done outside so I’ll likely be sanding edges at a park near you soon.

There were five work blocks completed yesterday because I don’t count walking and taking photos due to loving it too much. I spent at least an hour rolling around on my foam cylinder willing my back to realign itself which likely will help me more than anything else I did yesterday. I was blessed to remember that I have an envelope of photos of flamingos so I’m a little more excited about my sunset collage. For the most part, I’m not into the dusty pastels of sunset photos but when flamingos are added, my genetically caused bobblehead of approval sets in. Since Sundays mean nothing to me, I have every intention of kicking more ass today than for the last five days.

Still under construction sunset collage...

TODAY’S GOALS

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     Stretch at least 10 minutes

3.     Go For A Walk

4.     Two Posts On Website… Shared (post on all blogs on Medium also) – 2-3 blocks

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.     Add another layer to small resin projects and work on sunset piece

7.     Use my new Target Gift Card to purchase last of supplies for filming storyboarded video.

8.     Put at least five items for sale on ebay.

9.     Spotify work block

SONG OF THE DAY

Quantic – “Time Is The Enemy” 2001  I discovered this song way too late but it has recently made it’s way into my currently overplaying rotation.

DID YOU KNOW

Did you know I made a @TheRingOfDOOM coaster set? The infinite possibilities of epoxy resin has me looking at everything in a new way. I have a few more coaster sets ready for art but I’ll always love my first (this does not apply to every situation) the most.

First @TheRingOfDOOM Coaster Set

Day 18 Of Delusional Optimist's Guide To Achieving The I'mPossible

Day 18

Looking back over the previous days goals and seeing what I did or didn’t do is always a little uncomfortable when you have a strange aversion to finishing stuff. It’s a little too easy to finish the first five goals and feel like I’ve done something when that stuff is supposed to merely promote the rest of my endeavors. The truth is that it is extremely difficult to see the vision I had when blissfully rewriting fables for my yet-to-launch new fictional character at McCarran Park in Brooklyn a little over a month ago. Inevitably, what people want for themselves will evolve as they learn, grow, and get over their own bullshit but this fog is caused by my lack of money, all the reasons why I don’t have any money, and my unwillingness to face my social anxieties head on.

One of the biggest lessons I learned about myself over the last few years is that as much as I love touring with musicians, the ups and downs of tour life are extremely difficult to deal with. The camaraderie and love vibes of tour are so beautiful and amazing but then I get back to Seattle and remember that I have been working too much to be present in the lives of the people I hoped to be in the position to help. Then comes the realization that even though I’ve been studying how to best develop, promote, and support artists over the last five years, many of the artists I love the most do not want my help because I haven’t been part of their lives over the last few years. Going out on tour with such high quality individuals changed me more than I could have predicted and it immersed me into a world I want to be part of for the rest of my life but I need to learn how to make it sustainable.

I won’t be going into the details of what is happening with my job search for a bit but I did say NO yesterday to an opportunity to jump into a Tour Manager position that would have started today and lasted until mid-September. As much as I know I would have loved every minute of it, Underground Hip Hop tours don’t correlate with making actual money. There are exceptions (mostly where merch cuts and Square tips are involved) but it is time for me to figure out how to make a living so I can continue to work with artists who are focused on building a legacy instead of a bank account. Me being too broke to go to the dentist or have a permanent residence helps no one and this tour would have merely put off the inevitable. Typically, toward the end of the tours, panic about what will happen after the tour rules my thoughts and I’m not as nice of a human as I was at the beginning of the tour. Starting this debt relief program is definitely a step in the right direction but there are many more steps I need to take to be a healthy, financially stable human being. As I stumble to write this paragraph, I wonder if this decision will be added to my list of regrets. We shall see…

Detail of hand cut 3D paper collage waiting for its 7th layer of resin.

I could write about my internal debates all day long but it would get me nowhere. That said, now seems the best time to tell you that I only completed four work blocks yesterday because I went to my sister’s place to re-watch Encino Man for the 111th time and spent too much time checking in to see how many people are looking at what I’m creating. I must try to care less but all three of my Instagram accounts have gone up an average of 50 followers since I started writing about my journey 17 days ago. The two work blocks not spent on my website consisted of gluing yet another layer of water onto my collages. They’re finally getting close to being finished and I am simultaneously excited/nervous to see what I’ll choose to finish next.

Since Seattle is no longer smoked in, it’s not way too hot outside, and because I need it, shortly after I send this blog out into the world, I’m heading out on a ridiculously long photo walk. So many photos I haven’t taken yet…

TODAY’S GOALS

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     Stretch at least 10 minutes

3.     Go For A Long Walk and take tons of amazing photos

4.     Two Posts On Website… Shared (post on all blogs on Medium also) – 2-3 blocks

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.     Apply last layer of water to large collage and pour resin.

7.     Make final preparations for cardboard box movie so I can film it TOMORROW

SONG OF THE DAY

Charlotte Day Wilson – “Work” 2016 Cuz it's gonna take a bit of work...

DID YOU KNOW

I didn’t know this so I’m pretty sure you didn’t either but writing stories about beings becoming friends who love snacks is not new to me. While looking through my collage paper collection, I found this story I probably wrote in elementary story about a rabbit that makes friends with his neighbors. My favorite part is that Hoot The Owl brought custard and Ted The Bear brought popcorn; I was so not into custard.

Day 17 Of Delusional Optimist's Guide To Achieving The I'mPossible

Day 17

These days my focus is all over the place because the money issue keeps delivering itself into my mental mailbox. At any time, I could become available to work the catering jobs again but my morality/ethical issues with alcohol are holding me back. Alcohol ruins peoples lives and I have never felt good about bartending even though it has helped me to pay my bills (sort of). I have zero desire to be a good Bartender but people keep offering me jobs doing it even though I still refuse to learn the exact differences between an Old Fashioned and a Manhattan. Despite my lack of knowledge about cocktails, I’ve still become a pretty good bartender. The gig economy of the music industry has forced me into doing so many things at once to stay afloat that I haven’t had the chance to master anything. If you’ve worked with me in the past or was paying attention to my five year journey through the music industry, you already know how much I (and the rest of the world) would benefit if I were able to focus on getting good at one thing that could actually help people. I know that it is up to me to decide what I want to master but money MUST come from somewhere.

 @TheRingOfDOOM in Brooklyn w/ Squad Last Month

I found out today that I have another job interview on Tuesday. This is a job in which I would actually be able to utilize my music industry knowledge, my decades of customer service, and learn from people who’ve successfully worked their way through the startup world. Looking forward to meeting the team and seeing if they’re smart enough to see my infinite potential and aren’t intimidated by it.

The only goal I did not complete yesterday (only got four work blocks again because I spent too much time actively loving the new music I’ve found) was looking through my bin of items I failed to sell on Ebay and re-listing it all. What’s with this aversion to tasks that actually could make me money? I already know the answer (I just want to make art, eye roll) but this video that YouTube wanted me to watch explained it to me further.

I am 100% aware that my anxiety over reaching out to those who could help me the most has halted my progress towards getting to Europe completely. Knowing that I’ll keep getting better at making art every day makes it too easy to put off reaching out until tomorrow… every day. I have already learned that the best things happen when I leap out of my comfort zone but here I sit, alone in my tiny studio, writing about how I’m scared to ask for help instead of figuring out exactly what to ask for. I think too often about a Melinda Gates quote I’ve seen on a wall that claims we all have the same dreams. It would be nice if it were true but if you’re homeless you dream of things like a solid meal, a long term place to live, and regular use of a toilet. Only when all of one’s basic needs are being met can they dream of changing the world with art or being a travel photographer. If I can dream this big as a squatter with a mouthful of cavities and a heap of credit card debt, I can’t wait to see what I come up with when I have a significant balance in my savings account. I know I already have all the pieces of the puzzle, now I just need to put them together.

Above video created last summer while solo road tripping for over a month with a brand new credit card.

My favorite thing I did yesterday was spend just over an hour reorganizing and cleaning my studio. It’s like a whole new room. Deleting the Facebook app from my phone also felt pretty damn good (DEATH TO THE SCROLL!). Every time I write these I wonder if I’m releasing too much of myself into the world but then I remember that the people who inspire me the most have not only shared their truths publicly but also embraced them in awe-inspiring ways. Only by being 100% myself will I find those who will also embrace my weirdness. One of my favorite people I haven’t met reminded me yesterday that since I’m still unclear about what I hope to accomplish in this world, the rest of the world has nothing to invest in. Thanks to this wise man, I’ll be turning the homepage of my website into a declaration of what I would do if all of the sudden I had the funding to hit the ground running. Cue Arcade Fire’s “Keep The Car Running.” Stay tuned…

TODAY’S GOALS

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     Stretch at least 10 minutes

3.     Go For A Walk

4.     Two Posts On Website… Shared (post on all blogs on Medium also) – 2-3 blocks

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.     Add layers to resin projects.

7.     Work on photoshop images for upcoming playlists.

8.     Spotify Block – Loving the slow build of using Reddit to promote playlists.

9.     Spend time getting to know my new metal file and 2000 grit sandpaper while polishing up the over-resined edges of my recent artwork.

SONG OF THE DAY

Elements Of Music feat. Anderson .Paak + Blu – “Get Along” 2015

DID YOU KNOW

Did you know that I put together a Street Art music video last year? I made it with photos from my Europe trip (and a few US shots) and a song by Paces Lift & Ben Bounce called “Sol Walk.” I’m still amazed at how well the photos match the song but in the year plus since I made the video, I learned about disabling Ken Burns effect (brushes shoulder like a dumbass). The constant zooming throughout the video actually adds to the uncomfortable feeling you’re supposed to have when thinking about the state of our world today (DELUSIONAL OPTIMISM). The only stupid reason I haven’t made more of these is that I’d really love to be able to pay artists to use their music. It would be nice if I could pay the Street Artists too but I’m too busy arting to make enough money to do that.

Day 16 Of Delusional Optimist's Guide To Achieving The I'mPossible

Day 16

Yesterday I failed to drink enough water and I didn’t touch my collages at all. I did gaze into the water on my big collage but that doesn’t count. I did send in my series proposal to Adult Swim via the Contact Us link on their site. Then, as expected when stumbling through new things, I discovered they have a whole process for submissions. There’s some lingo on there I’ll need to research before reaching out again. Trying to stay on their radar via social media because Jason DeMarco has made the kind of mark on the work I appreciate the most. Most of yesterday was spent researching artist grants, music, and thinking about what my plan should be. As much as I don’t want my life to be the pursuit of money, I need to start making some. So hard to know when thinking turns into overthinking, especially when your whole future will be determined by your decision.

Loved releasing a new playlist into the world yesterday with an image I created myself. It’s so awesome to see my own art all up in Spotify even if I put it there myself. Plus, the playlist is awesome. I make these playlists for myself but I’ve gotten some great feedback from others as well. Discovering new music still makes me as happy as it always did. It got tricky there for awhile when I became acquainted with some of my favorite musicians both in and outside of the Seattle music scene. I’ve posted a lot of music I didn’t like in the past (I’ll never tell which ones) because I felt obligated to but now that I’m an outsider again, I only post the music I actually enjoy listening to. I believe that I can help my favorite local musicians the most by placing the best of their music alongside great music from all over the world. If the underground music communities were connected on a global level, it would lay the groundwork for world tours and fans from every corner of the planet. There are already many talented people who write about the Seattle music scene specifically and for the most part, I have different tastes than all of them. There is more than enough room for all of us on the internet. As the title of my website declares, the stuff I post is what I think is cool right now; I don’t really care if you don’t like it.

I did complete two job interviews today, both seemed to go well but one of the jobs seemed like a better fit AND it has health insurance/401k. We shall see what they decide. That’s the hard part about job searching for me, waiting for someone I barely know to decide if they want me to work for them. If they could see the future, they’d already know I’ll be the best employee they’ve ever had. It’s looking very much like I’ll be building a strong foundation for myself over the next 18 months and staying on this continent. It’s not I’mPossible to use credit cards to fund another photo vacation, I can do better… it will just take more time to do it right.

TODAY’S GOALS

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     Stretch at least 10 minutes

3.     Go For A Walk

4.     Two Posts On Website… Shared (post on all blogs on Medium also) – 2-3 blocks

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.    Pour resin and work on collages

7.     Look through bin of items that I’ve failed to sell on ebay in the past and try again.

8.    Spotify/Music work block

9.     At least 20 minutes of cleaning the studio

SONG OF THE DAY

Aretha Franklin & George Michael – “I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me)” 1986  Aretha gifted us with so much music in her life and it will always be part of who we are. Thankfully, we can press play at any time to feel the connection to the artists we have lost even if we've never met them. This song will always make me smile even if a tear comes along with it.

DID YOU KNOW

Did you know I have a YouTube playlist called Street Art Universe with almost 200 videos that I half-watch while gluing tiny pieces of paper? I’ve learned so much about the journeys of artists by watching these videos and the playlist grows every time I head down the rabbithole.

One of my recent favorites:

Day 15 Of Delusional Optimist's Guide To Achieving The I'mPossible

Day 15

After 14 days of writing about and working towards making my biggest dreams a reality, I have completed 79 ninety minute work blocks. That works out to 118.5 hours and almost eight and a half hours every day. Sure would be nice if I got paid for those hours but that is sadly not the world I have created for myself yet. Yesterday served as the get real portion of the blog (and my year); in addition to enrolling in a debt relief program, I also applied for 10-12 jobs. I now have two phone interviews lined up for today and one in person interview tomorrow. One of these jobs perfectly aligns with my long term goals and the rest would help me to fund my journey to achieving my goals. It will be interesting to see how that works out… stay tuned.

 @TheRingOfDOOM Collage For Sale In My Shop

The reality of attempting a trip to Europe without credit cards has slapped me upside the head. Now that I’ve set myself on a course to be out of debt in 18 months, I’m feeling more inspired to spend the next year and a half building a strong foundation of self-sufficiency instead of photographing Europe from a metaphorical broken ladder hoping it works out. I have one remaining credit card issued by a credit union that I plan on using to buy food and finish planting the seeds I’ve already sprouted. For example, I’ve already purchased 20 black organic cotton reusable bags ready for printing whatever design I eventually settle on. I also plan on getting some stickers made for @TheRingOfDOOM because my Mom said she wanted to put one on her car. I’ve been wanting to print out some of my Street Art zines and leave them around the city for others to find but I should probably pay my bills first. Even though I haven’t brought any money in for over a month now (yikes), it feels good to know that I’m not multiplying my debt today for the first time in 3-4 years.

In yesterday’s four completed work blocks (I didn’t count applying for jobs or my long conversation with the debt specialist), I finalized two posts for my website, added more items to my webstore, and spent 90 minutes working on my resin art. I failed on both drinking enough water and Instagram posts; today is another day. I’ll be sending my August playlist out into the universe today, pouring resin, and also hopefully finalizing a Best Of Museum Crashing post for @TheRingOfDOOM to be released shortly. I’ll also send my Adult Swim series proposal on its way without the pilot because I have to at least try. I already have a twelve episode series I can send them, this pilot could be so much better if I could pay my talented Seattle friends to do their magic on it. My plan was to bring my cardboard box full of props to the foot of Bezos’ balls for filming but I’m scared of 147 things that probably won’t happen.  

TODAY’S GOALS

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     Stretch at least 10 minutes

3.     Go For A Walk

4.     Two Posts On Website… Shared (post on all blogs on Medium also) – 2-3 blocks

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.     Send series proposal to Adult Swim as is with links to work I’ve already completed.

7.     Pour resin on current projects and work on sunset piece.

8.     Have two successful phone job interviews in one day.

SONG OF THE DAY

The The – “This Is The Day” 1983   Every single time I hear this song, I get all explodey inside knowing that it could become true if I finally just go for it... but I'm still mostly just writing about finding the courage to just go for it. I was blessed to work at Tower Records in the years following the release of Empire Records, most of us felt this was pretty damn close to our reality. There are so many days of my music career that seemed like Rex Manning Day.

DID YOU KNOW

Did you know that the first large collage I made back in 2012 is 30”x38” is made from thousands of tiny pieces of paper on a piece of a broken IKEA shelf? This was where I first came up with the idea to use handcut photos of water to make large bodies of water etc. The sand is made of photos of sand, the tree trunks are made of wood photos, and the mountains are made of photos of snowy mountains. I do not like the end result of the piece and have treated it like shit over the last few years but I love that I experimented with so many unique collage styles while making it. While making this I was working full time at Whole Foods and was posting daily on the music blog that would soon change my life in the best way.

Day 14 Of Delusional Optimist's Guide To Achieving The I'mPossible

Day 14

I did complete eight 90 minute work blocks yesterday! That is 12 hours of working towards my biggest life goals in one day. I spent at least six of those hours finalizing the music video post I released into the world earlier today. Photoshopping the promo image complete with a handdrawn logo and figuring out what I want to say about each video are what took most of the time. Now I’ve got a psd file with a completed logo to use whenever. I didn’t add any more items to my webstore or work on any props for the series because I’m not actually a superhero… yet. The resin collage projects are looking great but I’ll need to focus on small art for awhile so I can keep my resin costs down.

What I did do since I last wrote is something that I believe actually saved me $15000 in interest on credit cards. If everyone I spoke to on the Americor team for the last two hours was on the level and they haven’t just stolen my identity, I’ve just signed up for a debt relief program that will help me to actually get ahead of this debt. When all goes as planned, I will have paid off my credit card debts in 18 months. (I will let you know how that works out, it would have taken 15 years at the rate I was going). In case my Instagram gave anyone the wrong idea, I have been subsidizing my income with credit cards for the last four years and have not actually been able to make enough money to live in Seattle OR travel anywhere. In the last year, I have both lived in my car and have officially been a squatter for over 8 months. My goal of getting paid to travel was a thinly veiled attempt to not need a place to live and hopefully make enough money to chip away at the debt while seeing the world. I have been paid to travel for four months over the last 18 months but that did nothing for my debt. I honestly figured it would be easier to pay for a two month trip to Europe than to make enough money to settle into a life I’m not sure I want in Seattle… which still may work out to be true. My dreams to achieve the I’mPossible are so lofty because if I even get close to achieving them, I will likely have already earned myself the things I actually need to live a healthy life… like a stable living situation and health/dental. While 100% relevant in Seattle at this time, this blog would not be even the smallest bit interesting if my goal was to save myself from homelessness and go to the dentist. The lessons I have learned this process are uncountable, uncomfortable, and priceless.

One of the conditions of my debt relief are that I no longer use the credit cards on which I have acquired this much debt. This makes my trip to Europe officially even more I’mPossible as of today. Since I’ve been using credit cards to pay for food over the last few years, the feeling of having my safety net removed is uncomfortable to say the least. There are still ways to make the trip happen but I’ll need to start earning actual money like three yesterdays ago and/or being much more aggressive with reaching out to those who can actually help me with my cause. Do not be surprised if I retreat to the woods for a few years, the Alaskan job opportunities with employee housing are calling to me again… anything is possible at this point. I remain optimistic that I'm somewhere along my own rocky path to achieving the I'mPossible.

TODAY’S GOALS

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     Stretch at least 10 minutes

3.     Go For A Walk To Contemplate If Strategies Have Changed

4.     Two Posts On Website… Shared (post on all blogs on Medium also) – 2-3 blocks

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.     At least one 90 Minute Work Block Of Actually Putting Items Up For Sale On The Internet

7.     More work on resin collages.

SONG OF THE DAY

R+R=NOW – “Reflect Reprise”2018   I was blessed to find this song while researching Taylor McFerrin of Brainfeeder. It was instantly added to the August playlist coming your way tomorrow.

DID YOU KNOW

Did you know that I’m selling @TheRingOfDOOM patches on my webstore? I’ll likely be moving away from using DOOM’s likeness in the near future so these patches made locally in Seattle by Knotty Fox are LIMITED EDITION so they’ll be worth $$$ when all goes well.

Day 13 Of Delusional Optimist's Guide To Achieving The I'mPossible

Day 13

While I did get a lot done yesterday in six 90 minute work blocks, I was all over the place with the goals. Failed on the water goal but I did have tea and juice (lame). No actual walk or ten minute block of stretching; I prefer two minutes at a time in between work blocks but my body would likely prefer more. Completed all the website and Instagram posts and shared on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Medium, Pinterest, and Vero (not sure if Vero is working out for anyone). I spent more time than I thought I would working on an upcoming music post; once I start down the rabbithole of internet digging for music, I seem to find better stuff the longer I look. Still trying to figure out how to package 40+ music videos for easy consumption but they’re all too good not to share. It may or may not be The New Hotness Vol. 13 as a continuation from my old website; time will tell. I did not pour resin yesterday because I spent two 90 minute work blocks gluing water on the big collage instead. While it would be nice if it was already done, if I pour the resin earlier in the day, I get more done on the next set of collages (sunset) while it is drying. I’m in full procrastination mode on filming the series pilot. I prefer to work on video projects when I don’t have the option to make resin art. Since I have a little over a month until I leave, collage time is precious… <--- Excuses. No official Spotify work block but I was able to add some songs to the new playlist that I discovered via YouTube. My food situation is currently on point though (brushes shoulder).

@TheRingOfDOOM shortly after surgery; scarred but recovering nicely in his cardboard box apartment.

So far this month I’ve completed 67 ninety minute work blocks. That is 100 and a half hours of work towards my biggest life goals in twelve days. That works out to be only 8.375 hours per day. It may seem like a lot or a little, depending on who you are, but I know how much time was wasted in between work blocks so I plan on doing even better this week. Still not officially hustling. I made a few potential daily timelines to see how short my breaks would have to be to fit in more work blocks. I’m shooting for 8 work blocks (a new personal record) today so I will try skipping the walk and actually doing a short yoga video instead. My food restock yesterday has made it so there really isn’t anywhere I need to go today... unless of course I get crazy and leave to make the video.

As of today, I’ve only sold two pieces of my own art. Both were zines and one was sold to my sister and the other to a friend. I’ve got a long way to go if I hope to have a sustainable art career but I know I’m on the right path… just gotta keep creating and sharing. Finishing stuff and putting it out into the world feels more awesome than procrastinating; must cement this into my brain.

Today’s Goals

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     Stretch at least 10 minutes

3.     Two Posts On Website… Shared (post on all blogs on Medium also) – 2-3 blocks

4.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

5.    Pour resin on all projects and work on sunset piece -1-2 blocks

6.     Add more items to website store – 1 block

7.     One work block organizing studio to make room to stretch

8.     One 90 minute clay work block to make props/new character etc.

SONG OF THE DAY

Snoh Aalegra – “Sometimes” 2017  She released a video for the track a couple weeks back but the song originally appeared on her album FEELS last year.

DID YOU KNOW

Did you know that this show with Astro King Phoenix, ZZ Top’s Drummer’s Drum Machines Manager’s Band, and Dex Dynamite Saga (Dex Amora, J’Von, & Zuke Saga) is one of the achievements I am most proud? It was one of the first shows I booked for The Crocodile Back Bar in 2014. The large version of Mad Max’s poster was stolen out of the light box, it was that dope. While small shows are fun and a great way for artists to work on their live performances, I don’t want to book shows until I can offer the musicians large amounts of money.

Day 12 Of Delusional Optimist’s Guide To Achiving The I’mPossible

Day 12

I did pretty damn good on my goals yesterday but did not complete them all. The one goal I did not even attempt was to go for a walk; I got more done as a result. I had a few false starts on 90 minute work blocks in which I got distracted researching the people who are liking my work on Instagram and other social media sites. Once I realized that I actually had some followers on Spotify that weren’t related to me, I felt the urge to spend more time making playlists. These days there is such a thing as getting paid to be a pro-style playlister.

One of the videos my inspirators posted lately reminded me that it is more than okay to go all in on the things I’m already good at. Still wanna finish this damn video but I should not neglect the things that come easily to me. I’ve been making playlists since dubbing songs from the radio onto cassettes in the 80’s and making collages feels more like putting together a puzzle these days. Thanks to my decades of playlisting, my Mom can recognize Phife Dawg's voice when she hears it; priceless. Whether you know it or not, my good taste in music is likely why you even know who I am. Sending the music blog I started in 2009 to the right person eventually led to working alongside the most famous musicians in the world and curating events in which artists are able to perform in front of an audience for the first time. Even though filtering through new music can be painful, it is always worth it when gems are discovered. Finding a new favorite song is one of the best feelings in the world.

I did get five products for sale on my now fully functioning website shop yesterday. It makes the most sense to cut out the middleman early if it works out (I just don’t feel like an Etsy person). Squarespace does charge a 3% transaction fee but I don’t see a way around that just yet. The process inspired me to unearth the zines I’ve completed and print some out. They’re just awesome enough not to be too embarrassing and I’m more than okay with showing my progress. I’ve completed three 100 Day Projects over the last couple years which would also make great zines/books if I actually put them together.

#100DaysOfBridgesWithTheRingOfDOOM

#100DaysOfStickersWith206Liz

#100DaysOfTheRingOfDOOMcollages

Today I’m going to make resupplying myself with healthy food my number one priority. I tend to go the cheapest route possible but that usually ends up being pasta. Creativity will get me everywhere when it comes to that one.

Since tomorrow is another Monday, I’m gonna get back into using my alarm clock. I’ve been allowing myself to sleep as much as I want but I can sleep on the plane to Europe on September 17. My natural bedtime is around 4:30 AM so eight hours of sleep has me waking up after noon. Feels weird to set an alarm when I’m my own boss and I have nowhere specific to go but self-discipline will get me everywhere… plus I love weird stuff. Not sure yet what my wakeup time will be but there’s no reason I shouldn’t be able to work on my projects for at least 12 hours a day if I use my time wisely. I definitely spend too much time checking all my social media sites in between work blocks because I love researching what posts people like the most.

Today’s Goals

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     Go For A Walk

3.     Stretch at least 10 minutes

4.     One Post On Website… Shared (post on all blogs on Medium also)

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.     Resupply Food

7.      Finish water layer and pour resin

8.     Get everything ready to film pilot tomorrow

9.     Another 90 Minute Spotify work block

SONG OF THE DAY

Charlotte Day Wilson – “Nothing New” 2018  Her song “Work” from 2016 is the cut too. This will definitely be on my upcoming August playlist but it has also been added to my Give Slow Jams A Chance playlist; linked below.

Charlotte Day Wilson - "Work" 2016

DID YOU KNOW

Did you know I have a thing for time lapse videos? One of my favorites is this video captured while driving across the super long Astoria-Megler Bridge in Astoria, Oregon.

Day 11 Of Delusional Optimist's Guide To Achieving The I'mPossible

Day 11

Detail of 12 layered @TheRingOfDOOM 3D water collage.

Completed almost all of yesterday’s goals; I failed to drink enough water and didn’t formally stretch even though it’s easy. I’m loving the resin projects I have under construction but I can’t wait to see what I make next. While I do love the end result of multi-layered water, gluing tiny pieces of paper on the same board does get a little tedious. Since I’m using what I’ve got and trying to not buy more art supplies, the art I make over the next week will likely go through a few phases. For example, I absolutely love making art with space striped skies but I’m almost out of space stripes so I had to move onto moonscape skies. I love the way the moon sky art is turning out but I only have a few photos of the moon left. Currently in possession of just enough sunset photos to make one piece so whatever I make next will likely be something completely new. I will probably always come back to the water and will continue to search through the many boxes of old magazines I have to make it happen. It’s definitely time to reach out to a local art professional to ask if my art is as good as I think it is; I’ll love it no matter what they say but reality must rear its head eventually.

I’m not loving these colors but every piece is hand cut from a magazine photo from a sunset. Had to see what it looked like... detail of a piece still under construction.

During my research about selling art, I came across a video that said the biggest mistake artist’s make is not having a shop/store on their website. Seems like a no brainer but I realized I do not have my art for sale anywhere. While I do have an Etsy page for my water belt buckles, patches, and zines, none of my non-wearable art is for sale anywhere. I’ve wanted to have an art show for quite awhile but reaching out is hard these days (even though it’s really just tapping fingers on a screen or having a conversation). I’m also still making the art I’d want to have in a show… excuses.

Today Sub Pop is having a 30th Anniversary concert at Alki but I will not be in attendance. I love what they have built and overflow with respect for the artists performing (Shabazz Palaces is #1 in my book) but I much prefer to work at these kind of events. I know my time would be better spent working towards my lofty goals and taking care of myself.

I did reach out to two Seattle entrepreneurs about working for them yesterday and I would sincerely love to see that happen. I let them know about my Europe plans so they’d know in advance that I plan on leaving for two months. Even though I must work towards an art career right now, I also must eat and pay my bills; it’s a thing. There are more than enough hours in the day to work for another and to work for myself. Few things are better than working with a great team toward a common goal, here’s hoping that works out.

MY LINKEDIN PAGE

Throwing this out there… if I received a job offer that would allow me to live alone in Seattle, keep my car, have health/dental, pay off my debts, finally buy some new clothes, and still be able to afford food, I’d seriously consider putting off the Europe trip until a later time. It’s kind of crazy that those things are extravagant in Seattle for a UW graduate. Even when I worked every day for others, I still didn’t make enough money to live and prosper in Seattle because I have chosen to work in the low-paying music industry. I am fully aware of the mistakes I made that kept me from being profitable and would do (almost) all of it over again the same way cuz I learned so much. I would 100% go on tour again (with the right artists) at a moment’s notice because that is the end goal of all this selling art business anyway.

Today’s Goals

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     Go For A Walk

3.     Stretch at least 10 minutes

4.     One Post On Website… Shared (post on all blogs on Medium also)

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.     Work on resin projects

7.     Set up the store on my website with at least five pieces.

SONG OF THE DAY

Stimulator Jones – “Soon Never Comes” 2018

This song is also on the Stones Throw playlist I created to pair with the S.T. word search you haven’t seen yet. My love for all things Stones Throw runs so deep that I’d drop everything to move to LA at a moment’s notice to work on their team. I once drove all the way to LA from Seattle to attend a Release Party for their documentary, Our Vinyl Weighs A Ton because they’re that awesome.

DID YOU KNOW

Did you know I made a macro music video for Damon Albarn’s “Everyday Robots” with footage of an ant hole I captured on my iPhoneSE? It is my second most popular upload to date because of a Reddit win. My most viewed is the footage I got of @TheRingOfDOOM up front at a Joey Badass/Schoolboy Q show.

Day 10 Of Delusional Optimist's Guide To Achieving The I'mPossible

Day 10

Yesterday’s goals were not met because I opted to live life instead. I was able to reconnect with some family I hadn’t seen in too many years, see my 18 month old nephew walk across a room smiling (very new skill), and connect with some friends on Capitol Hill. It was a good day, pretty sure I didn’t drink enough water, my walk was only back and forth from my car, I did not stretch,  and I did write the blog post but have yet to share it on Medium. I did fit in two 90 minute work blocks when I got back to the studio which were spent gluing water. Still want to glue some more water onto the big collage before adding the next layer of resin. Every time I wonder if I should just call it done, I glance over at the 12+ layered water collage I finished a few weeks ago and keep gluing. Can’t wait to see how my art evolves.

Leaving a trail of handcut water confetti everywhere I go...

My first 90 minute work block is usually spent making my first Instagram posts and starting the blog. The second block is typically posting the blog, adding the links, posting it on Medium, and sharing the post on all my social media sites. I usually have time in the second work block to tackle some of the many drafted Music, Travel, and Photography posts. If I actually completed everything I’ve started, I’ll get everywhere I want to go and beyond. I’ve been procrastinating the filming of the pilot because there is so much potential with the story, I don’t want it to suck. I must make it anyway because I’ll never get better if I don’t actually make videos. My plan is to bring the entire cardboard box apartment with all the props inside out into the city to shoot the video because that’s the kind of stuff I do. 

No further responses from the auction houses but maybe they’re reading this now trying to research the individual who dare reach out to them directly. If so… hey guys, I’d really love to help the world be a better place with my art and you have it in your power to make it happen very quickly. Since I know you specialize in secondary art sales, I’ve sold the piece to my friend and bought it back again so it’s ready for auction. I’ll happily split the profits of my biggest 3D water collage with the ACLU when it sells for more than a million at your auction. With my half, I intend to help artists get out of struggle mode by investing in their creativity and paying them what they deserve to create art that will inspire others to work towards their dreams as well. Since I’m lucky enough to wake up in the morning and choose to do anything, I may as well try to help the most people possible in the shortest amount of time.

Today’s Goals

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     Go For A Walk

3.     Stretch at least 10 minutes

4.     One Post On Website… Shared (post on all blogs on Medium also)

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.     Finish water layer on collages and pour resin/ start new sunset piece

7.     Go to Vermillion for The Jam

SONG OF THE DAY

Suff Daddy – “Pattern Select”  After finally watching this video for the first time, I just added it to my list of Music Videos with Mercedes so today is going very well.

It’s also on my severely overplayed but always enjoyed Inner Spacecruise playlist.

DID YOU KNOW

Did you know I started @TheRingOfDOOM project as a stop motion video project? Technical difficulties and the figurine falling into the sand turned it into a photo project. I still have this original soft clay figurine (although it remains smooshed from sitting on it too many times) and also a large canvas photo of this photo from when my ring still had the rhinestone.

One of the first @TheRingOfDOOM dioramas.

Day 9 Of Delusional Optimist's Guide To Achieving The I'mPossible

I completed all of yesterday’s goals in six work blocks but I still need to acquire/finalize a few of the props for the pilot. Can’t wait to finish it so I can move on to the next thing; which will be either finalizing my fully drafted Hip Hop Crossword/Word Search book or laying out a photo book to get internet printed… in addition to making more art of course.

Art under construction in my studio today.

So far I’ve gotten 20+ auto replies and 1 actual response from the Christies/Sothebys teams. A woman from Christies kindly let me know that they only deal in secondary art sales so they’re unable to work with me. Two things about that, that 100% sounds like they are rich people trading money who see that artists do NOT get paid for their art AND what if I sold it to a bunch of people on the street and bought it back a bunch of times? Would that work? My research has shown that an artist named Damien Hirst sold his art directly to buyers at a Sotheby’s auction so maybe they’ll go for it. I remain hopeful that someone will take the bait; at least I’m trying. It makes all the sense in the world to start at the top when possible. Even though I’m currently in financial straits, I love the idea of selling the art for the ACLU or a Seattle-based charity (but Pearl Jam is crushing that game right now) to raise awareness for the cause instead of getting paid. Even if I didn’t get a penny for selling the big piece, I’d hopefully be able to pay for some dental work with the smaller pieces. Anything is possible because I choose to believe it. We shall see what develops there.

Heading out into the world today to see some family and to check out Specs Wizard’s Art Show so I may not get as many work blocks in as I would like. My extreme night owl nature has me waking up late in the day but also working til 4am on my art. I’m on a different schedule than the rest of the world and I’m okay with that; working jobs in which you finish around 2:30-3:00 AM will do that to you.

Today’s Goals

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     Go For A Walk

3.     Stretch at least 10 minutes

4.     One Post On Website… Shared (post on all blogs on Medium also)

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.     Finish water layers on all projects and pour resin.

SONG OF THE DAY

Sade – “Flower Of The Universe (No I.D. Remix)” 2018

DID YOU KNOW

Did you know that I spent four summers living in Alaska? I worked as a Barista/Busser at a Princess Cruise lines resort that drew people in with the view of Denali. My fourth summer, I lived in Talkeetna and worked as a pubtender at the bar the climbers would come to first thing after summiting Denali. I got to meet so many great people who had very different ideas on how to live life. I was never the same in the best way. 

Me behind the two room tent I lived in for a few weeks with a friend by the river in Talkeetna.

I realized I lied when I said I’d never left my mark. This was written under the bridge at Mile 133.1 of the Parks Highway in Alaska circa 1999 with a tipless can of spray paint. I’d love to go back and see if it is still there.

Day 8 Of Delusional Optimist's Guide To Achieving The I'mPossible

Day 8

3D Resin Art Under Construction. Adding more layers of water to make it look like the waterfall on the left is closest and the one in the center is furthest. 10"x10" on thrifted wood.

Almost drank enough water yesterday and only printed out my photoshop villain (haven’t cut him out and put him on a stick yet); more props to make. Six 90 minute work blocks were completed. I got all caught up gluing water onto collages because I truly believe that I am a Fine Artist who happens to photograph her art on the street that just hasn't made any money yet. I added another layer to all of my resin projects so they’d be ready for a new layer today. I’ve been studying Street Artists for a few years now and finally realized that I’ve already found a legal way to be one myself. I must be able to travel internationally if I want to shine light on art all over the planet so breaking the law isn’t something I do. Technically, my art has already appeared in some of the most interesting museums and galleries in the world so anything is possible…

@TheRingOfDOOM and Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night at MOMA, NYC

@TheRingOfDOOM and Shepard Fairey art at Beyond The Streets in LA.

@TheRingOfDOOM and an Andy Warhol piece at MOMA, NYC

@TheRingOfDOOM and a Banksy in London.

I’ve been thinking a lot about what my big goals should be. Thinking too small is what holds most of us back. Since I’ve put myself in a position to try for any goal I wish and I’ve been hashtagging #dreambiggest, my idea lists are getting whoa. What if I put all my efforts into selling a piece of my art for more than a million dollars? This happens every day, why not me? If I think Etsy, I’ll get Etsy; if I think selling art at Christie’s Auction House where the most expensive painting in the world was sold, all I need is one sale to save not only myself from poverty and get some dental work but to also be able to invest in artists I believe in (my goal in this life). When YouTube researching “How To Sell Your Art For Millions,” the general idea is to think very big, do not limit yourself regionally, build up a good reputation, create demand, and to get your art in front of people who can actually purchase it. I’ll still work on small pieces and create art for those of us who aren’t millionaires yet but starting today, I will start sending my art to the people who are making the biggest stuff happen. There are links to the auction houses on their websites so why not try? I’ve got a few people in Seattle I plan on reaching out to as well but I won’t name them just yet.

Someone asked me how much I want to sell the piece I took a photo of at Gasworks yesterday and I told them $10,000. It seemed like a lot until I remembered that it is a truly unique piece that took over a month to make that is already worth millions. I have yet to hear a response. Since I’ve invested in photographing Street Art around the globe, I’ve been able to put myself on the radar of some of the most successful artists and curators in the world. I’m now able to post photographs of my art next to the water in Seattle alongside gallery, museum, and Street Art from all over the world. When I was taking photos of @TheRingOfDOOM at Beyond The Streets, a security guard let me know that I was already on their radar by way of saying… “when you go to Venice, tag us in those photos too. We love that stuff.” The only way they would have known I was going to Venice after Beyond The Streets was if they were already following my journey on Instagram; I’m on the right path. May as well try going in a straight line instead of taking the long way around imaginary obstacles. Musicians and artists all over the world will benefit when I actually pull this off; so why the f*** not?

Today’s Goals

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     Go For A Walk

3.     Stretch at least 10 minutes

4.     One Post On Website… Shared (post on all blogs on Medium also)

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.     Finish creating/collecting props for TheRingOfDOOM pilot.

7.     More layers of water on freshly resined projects.

8.     Emails to Christies and Sothebys with photos of art and links to this blog.

SONG OF THE DAY

Royksopp – “Remind Me” 2001  I listened to this song on repeat for at least an hour while working on and dreaming of selling my 3D Aquarium Collage at Christies for millions. My research showed me that Andy Warhol used to play songs on repeat while creating as well so I’m in good company there.

DID YOU KNOW? (I’ve done so many weird things you don’t know about yet)

Did you know that I’ve been sorting music videos into random categories unrelated to genre for years? I have hundreds of music video lists on my old website and on YouTube; they range from Music Videos with Special Effects, Horses, Blue Lighting, Elevators, Bathtub Scenes, and many many more; one of my favorites is Music Videos with Rotating Heads. The links here will take you to the original blogger posts and the YouTube playlists. Here’s a few of my favorites from the Rotating Heads list…

Stay weird y'all. I love you whether or not you're reading this and I hope you take the time to figure out what your big dream is. 

DAY 7 OF Delusional Optimist's Guide To Achieving The I'mPossible

Day 7

Failed on the water goal again… weak. Accomplished all the other goals in four work blocks. I got distracted by mindless scrolling and wasted hours I’ll never get back but today is another day. I decided to make the villain for my pilot on photoshop instead because as you may have noticed, my clay skills are NOT on fleek. I did make a few other props and I’ll be taking it all outside to shoot the video in the next few days.

Today I’m doing stuff in a different order because I just had to take my art on a photo shoot first thing. The water collage under resin looks so awesome in the sun, I’m becoming addicted to taking it on photo shoots. I’m not a Street Artist (because I watch Orange Is The New Black while gluing tiny water pieces) but I couldn’t be more inspired by the artform. I can’t just stay inside making art all day in my comfort zone if I hope to actually find a buyer for my work. I do not want my life to be the pursuit of money but I do need some to maintain my humanity. 

TODAY'S GOALS

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     Go For A Walk

3.     Stretch at least 10 minutes

4.     One Post On Website… Shared (post on all blogs on Medium also)

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account  @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.     Add a layer of water to all resin projects

7.     Get my photoshop villain printed out and put it on a stick, finish accumulating props for the video shoot

SONG OF THE DAY

Primal Scream – “Movin’ On Up” 1991  One of my favorite life experiences so far is making the lead singer of Primal Scream laugh while driving him from the venue to his hotel. I used to borrow the Screamadelica cassette from my Mom as a teenager so that was pretty fucking rad.

Day 6 Of Delusional Optimist's Guide To Achieving The I'mPossible

Day 6

I completed all of yesterday’s goals aside from stretching. It’s too easy for me to get all caught up in starting the next 90 minute work block instead of taking care of myself because I know how much can be done in one day when I really try. I could definitely move a bunch of stuff to make it happen but my studio is so small that there really isn’t a place to lay on the floor in here so it never really feels like I can stretch all the way out. That said, I always feel lucky to wake up in this 10x10’ box (that I’m not supposed to wake up in) because even though I’m more in debt than I’ve ever made in a year, I’m in a better place than most of the people on this planet.

3D Aquarium Collage just before adding another layer of resin. 

As each day passes, I’m loving the progress happening on all of my projects. I finally tapped into the self-discipline required to get up every day and make my own work schedule. Even though I can see exactly how few people are reading these blogs, documenting my process helps motivate me on a daily basis. Still considering trying to get a job or becoming available for the catering gigs again but the system is broken; working these jobs feels like treading water in one place forever. The knowledge that even if I work every day in a “safe” job, I still won’t be able to pay my bills and would remain in debt is less than inspiring. Prove me wrong! There are lots of people in Seattle I’d love to work for but I respect them too much to run off to Europe for two months after they’ve spent time training me. When a single piece of art can be sold for millions of dollars, spending eight hours a day doing anything else at this time feels pointless (delusional optimism at its finest). My blind faith in my own potential is causing me to make some very interesting choices these days.

Yesterday I storyboarded @TheRingOfDOOM pilot for Adult Swim, fleshed out the dialogue, made a list of props I need to make, and a list of places I’ll shoot. I’ve only storyboarded one other video (shown below) and I still think its one of the best things I’ve ever made. Most of my other videos were made with random iPhone footage that I weave into a story during the editing process. Pretty sure I’ll be doing all the dialogue in my own voice because I’m terrible at reaching out and everything moves faster when I do it myself. Definitely nervous about that but I’m nervous about a lot of stupid things. The process of making this video will be hilarious and the end result will have infinite potential to reach everyone I hope to reach. Hoping to finish it this week so I can send it to Adult Swim and DOOM with my series proposal. How many people do you know that have written a series proposal after reading a how-to guide and sent it to a TV network with a completed pilot episode? If I’m not just gonna taco about dreaming biggest, these are the things I must do.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the improbable questions I should be asking and I now realize that I should be asking more than ten (or even 100) people A DAY instead of just one if I really hope to make something happen in the next forty something days. Still haven’t added it to goals for some stupid reason. At this time, my legit plan to get my art in front of people who can help me is to walk right into museums and galleries with my best work and ask them what they think about it. Most of my favorite pieces are still unrefined because I haven’t tackled the mission of figuring out how to make the over-resined edges pretty as shown below. Any guidance on that one is welcome.

Unrefined edges on resin projects needing a solution.

5 Ways I Could Potentially See This Europe Trip OR Getting A Real Place To Live Actually Happening (roughly same amount of money): I'M ATTEMPTING THE TOP 3 FIRST

1.     I sell enough of my own art at a good rate to make it happen with my own money.

2.     I get a series offer and they pay for the trip.

3.     I pitch the idea to publications and they pay me to document my journey

4.     Patreon and offer actual vlogs to people who contribute

5.     Get a loan or another credit card (WORST POSSIBLE OPTION)

Today’s Goals

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     Go For A Walk

3.     Stretch at least 10 minutes

4.     One Post On Website… Shared (post on all four blogs on Medium also)

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.     Resin pour on all projects and start some new pieces while it is drying

7.     Make the villain required for my pilot episode out of clay and other props

SONG OF THE DAY

Bjork – “Human Behavior” Directed by Michel Gondry 1993 

So many ways to be a human…

Day 5 Of Delusional Optimist's Guide To Achieving The I'mPossible

Day 5... 

I completed almost all of yesterday’s goals but I failed to drink all the water (one glass short) or spend any time stretching. I am still surprised that I got so much done yesterday in six work blocks even though I didn’t do the easiest things. While on my walk, I wrote an entire Seattle-based pilot episode for my non-existing Adult Swim show to send along with my series proposal. It’s such a lofty goal but it is Plan A at this time so I at least have to try. If I don’t shoot my shot, I’ll always wonder. The show could potentially help ALL of my favorite artists have sustainable art/music careers so it’s a damn good ask.

Poorly lit set of @TheRingOfDOOM & Eddie's cardboard box apartment in Seattle.

The pilot starts out in @TheRingOfDOOM’s cardboard box house in Seattle with his roommate Eddie The Eight Headed Mink Snake who was the costar in my Sun Ra Tribute video I filmed in the desert (as seen below) last summer while attempting to figure out what I most want out of life. I completely realize that my iPhone videos are pretty terrible but I am learning a ton while also shining light on art, music, and doing the stuff that makes me smile. I’ve given up on the videos so many times over the last year because I know I’m bad at it but I gotta start somewhere and they are hilarious to make. When everything goes as planned, I'll be able to pay my ridiculously talented peers to make the videos pro-style.

Since the only Monday-Friday 9-5ish job I’ve ever held was a summertime camp counselor job in Lake Tahoe about fourteen years ago, all seven of the days of the week are work days. I’ve heard that Sundays are supposed to be for relaxing, showing your allegiance to organized religion, and/or watching sports but I’m gonna glue more water onto my 3D aquarium while half-watching movies from the library and YouTube videos about people who kick ass… again.

Current Library Score; love that you can leave the library with everything you want for free.

I keep reading things like, “the answer is always no if you don’t ask the question,” so I’m feeling inspired to start asking at least one improbable question every day. At the encouragement of @garyvee @timferriss and @chasejarvis podcasts, I’ve already asked some crazy questions. For example, I asked D*Face in an email if I could interview him while he was in town or when I go to London in a few months (no reply of course), I asked MF DOOM’s team if he’d like me to stop using his likeness and if it was okay to sell @TheRingOfDOOM zine I had just made (they asked me to send them the zine via email, no reply cuz it was my first zine and it sucked, still haven't printed), and I reached out to JR of the Faces & Places documentary etc. if he thought I should make a documentary instead of a series via DM on Instagram (no reply). The funny thing is that I remain afraid to ask the people in my own city who I already know to do the same thing. I 100% believe that interviewing local musicians in the woods and posting on YouTube could lead to bigger opportunities than getting paid less than $100 to play a small show in Seattle but I still haven’t reached out. The possibilities are truly endless if I dare to ask ALL the questions. *Note I have not added it to daily goals cuz I’m still scurred.

Could not be more inspired by Bobby Hundreds ⬆⬆⬆

My previous experience as a show booker under the guidance of a Superhero Talent Buyer taught me that you can make truly epic things happen just by tapping your fingers on a keyboard. The questions I have asked others via email in the past have brought thousands of people together. I couldn’t be more proud of the events I curated and the people I brought together via typing questions. It’s kinda funny that we can be afraid to tap our fingers on a keyboard. I’ve mostly worked with musicians in the past so reaching out to visual artists is new to me. Every to do list and/or collection of ideas I’ve made over the last few years has interviewing people written right at the top. I’ve circled back around to the idea of filming interviews with artists in nature on my iPhone every few months for the last five years but have still only interviewed one person. Maybe I’ll do it now because I told the internet about it… we shall see.

Today’s Goals

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     Go For A Walk

3.     Stretch at least 10 minutes

4.     One Post On Website… Shared (post on all four blogs on Medium also)

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.     At least 2 x 90 minute work blocks on big water collage & others

7.     90 minute work block storyboarding Adult Swim pilot I’ll film shortly to send with my proposal

SONG OF THE DAY

Aim – “Cold Water Music” 1999 – I’ve been addicted to this song for weeks now.

Day 4 Of Delusional Optimist's Guide To Achieving The I'mPossible

Day 4

I completed ALL of yesterday’s goals in seven 90 minute work blocks and a field trip. My walk was only to and from my car and at art shows but I left HQ for a bit and I’m making the rules here; sometimes getting outside your box is good enough. Feels weird to photograph @TheRingOfDOOM in Seattle galleries where people may recognize me from my previous incarnations which is exactly why I should be doing it. All of my life experience has led me here and I should be proud of my journey even if I’m a broke 40 year old woman with a clay figurine and a tech deck in my pocket. Still convinced that by studying the Visual Art world and learning how to promote my own art, I’ll be able to help musicians and other artists get out of struggle mode and into a place where their infinite potential is within reach. I’ve been in struggle mode for six years due to my upside down car loan/working in the music industry/trying to live alone in Seattle (Happy Recent 100,000 Mile Birthday Car!) and have only been able to make my life work with the overuse of credit cards which my delusional optimism can justify as investments in myself with truly terrible interest rates. Can’t wait to see what myself and others can do when we’re not in a constant panic about Bezosian Rent Warfare and the state of our country.

@claude206 Art as seen at Photon Factory

@acodd03 as seen at Photon Factory

Since I’ve stopped applying for the very few jobs I actually want out of fear that I’ll lose respect for my heroes when they fail to recognize my genius… again and I no longer can stomach working alongside people who falsely assume they’re permanently trapped in their current reality, I have no choice but to be my own boss. If I work even half as hard toward my own goals as I have for evil corporations, I will get everywhere fast but since I must start somewhere, I started with Etsy. I will be cutting out the middleman and selling art on my own site very, very soon but for now I’m selling belt buckles, patches, and zines on my Etsy page (90 minute work block win).  I haven’t paid a bill late yet but if I don’t start bringing in some fundage in the next couple weeks, that is a strong possibility. I’ve been cooking up some crazy ideas of how to creatively sell the artwork I created for #100DaysOfTheRingOfDOOMCollages and can’t wait to show you how they develop.

Yesterday’s curiosity about how to get to five figure art prices was explored with this video about Kaws and his empire while gluing pieces of water… Complex’s The Blueprint series has so many gems.

In my seventh 90 minute work block yesterday, I poured the resin on another layer of collages which always feels like a win; metaphorical and otherwise. One of the hardest parts about being single for so long is making decisions alone. For most of my life, I let others choose my destiny and I spent decades following others around but when I finally started making decisions for myself, my world got much more interesting. To me, every resin pour means that I’ve made a bunch of creative decisions and ran with it. Taking the time to discover what I must run toward has been truly priceless and I now find myself happily sprinting toward my distant destination in confidence I will find health insurance, financial stability, and like-minded optimists along the way.

Today’s Goals

1.     Drink 64 oz. water

2.     Go For A Walk

3.     Stretch at least 10 minutes

4.     One Post On Website… Shared (post on all four blogs on Medium also)

5.     2-3 Instagram Posts Per Account @206liz @TheRingOfDOOM @MyDefOfCool

6.     90 Minute work block of Adult Swim series proposal

7.     90 Minute work block of @TheRingOfDOOM video set building

Song Of The Day

James Blake – “Put That Away And Talk To Me” 2016