
It is resolution time, but I tend to stay away from very formal ones these days as Arthur-itis and His Friends can be unpredictable and it gets too depressing when I can't meet my own goals. It is very hard for me not to "give up" completely and just accept that each day is going to be a no-win struggle against disability, pain, and a lack of productivity. When the head is fine but the body isn't, and it looks fine, it is a challenge. God knows I've written about this here.
I got a epidural back shot last Friday that seems to be helping a bit with the leg issues, so here goes a "With luck..." - a personal resolution list:
1) Be better to my birds. More out of cage time, cleaner cages, more enrichment (things for them to do in their cages.) They truly are my "5 Princes" and bring so much happiness and joy to my life. They have no choice about it, as they live with me, so the least I can do is try my best to keep them as happy. They are smart, sensitive, loving, and so fun to be around. They deserve the best.
2) Make time for art every day, and examine process a bit more. I've been getting really tight with the embellishment lately to the point where producing the ideas is sidetracked by "essential" process. But is it? There are no shortcuts for me, it seems -- I need to develop the pieces inch by saturated inch. No matter how long it takes. I love the look and feel when a piece is complete. But my pace is slow. Maybe it is time to try to branch out to more paper work based on the ideas that I would like to do with fabric, as it is faster. Not as rich, but faster, and would allow me to get ideas out. I see another focused night of work ahead...maybe Thursdays, dedicated to "just paper." Hmmmm...
3) Go back to using a paper planner. I stopped lately and think it does help keep my work, long and short term, on track. Even when I use it to document what I have done rather than what I have to do, it helps keep an accurate reflection of where I am at and where time goes. Man, it goes.
4) Sleep more. I tend to push myself too far and feel guilty if I sleep too much. I fight sleep, always have. Feels like a waste of time. But, regrettably, I can tell that a good, long delicious sleep does help with pain. I will try to not feel guilty and downright wasteful if I sleep an extra hour or two, here and there, unless it is on a work day!
5) Get to work earlier. I live freaking 300 feet from my place of employment and am often the last one in the building in the morning. Terrible! Again, the slow wake up of the bod has something to do with this, but maybe I need to make more effort. Will try.
Five little goals are enough, methinks. I hope everyone is optimistic about 2018 and gets their art on to a self-satisfying degree! Happiness, good health, great friends, and parrots. Peace out!