Movin'!!

I've moved to My Space.com as well as... eBay.com.

I know... eBay?? Well, I just posted a poem there and got 4 responses automatically. Plus, I'm an avid shopper (at least I have been the past two weeks, unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your perspective). I'm happy with eBay--my eBay blog. I know that sounds weird. :S

My new URLs are:

http://www.myspace.com/queeragui  

http://blogs.ebay.com/queeragui 

Happy trails!

:)

Weekly Check-In (Week One)

You will do check-ins every week. If you are running your creative week Sunday to Sunday, do your check-ins each Saturday. Remember that this recovery is yours. What you think is important, and it will become increasingly interesting to you as you progress. You may want to do check-ins in your morning-pages notebook. It's best to answer by hand and allow about twenty minutes to respond. The purpose of the check-ins is to give you a journal of your creative journey. It is my hope that you will later share the tools with others and in doing so find you own notes invaluable: "Yes, I was mad in week four. I loved week five. . . ."

1. How many days this week did you do your morning pages? Seven out of seven, we always hope. How was the experience for you?

I did mine five out of seven days. How was the experience for me? It was the same as usual; I've been doing them for over two years now, almost on a daily basis. It's very helpful. It's even more helpful when I do 'em right away, first thing in the morning. Last night, my roommate was occupying the space I usually do my morning pages in (on my desk); I have to claim another little corner of the apartment we share. Hopefully, this won't be overrun with her clutter. Oh, here she is! Hi, Karon!

2. Did you do your artist date this week? Yes, of course, we always hope. And yet artist dates can be remarkably difficult to allow yourself. What did you do? How did you feel?

I went to Big Lots and shopped till I couldn't shop no more! love Big Lots. I bought myself little things: a Monster Garage digi-gauge thingy (with a skull on it and my favorite color in the world--olive green), a skull necklace, a black candle holder with skulls on it, a 10 Movie Pack Horror DVD... I'm set for Halloween! How do I feel? Like I spent too much money, and like my roommate's family is gonna freak out on all the skeleton stuff; they're fundamentalist Catholics... I better take some stuff back.

3. Were there any other issues this week that you consider significant for your recovery? Describe them.

I miss spending time with my niece, Alexis. She's two years old; she's cute, tomboyish, smart, and... I could go on forever. Someday I'll post a pic of her. I want to teach her how to draw and how to play the keyboard one day; I want her to be creative soul, like I was many moons ago. I usually babysit her every Tuesday. The past few weeks I haven't. I've been sick; I'm barely recovering now. I have to take care of myself in order to spend quality time with her...

Currently Reading Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity By Julia Cameron see related

New Blog Service?

I'm thinking of changing my blog service, where the general public could post comments. Maybe Typad.com; it's very user-friendly. Xanga isn't in that regard, unfortunately. Once I've developed/designed another blog (QueerAgui instead of QueerlyCreative) and transfered all posts, links, etc., I'll post the new link here... I like Xanga, but I don't like the fact that non-xanganers can't post comments--that sucks.

@}--

Weekly Tasks (Cameron 37- 40)

1. Every morning, set your clock one-half hour early; get up and write three pages of longhand, stream-of-consciousness morning writing. Do not... allow anyone else to read them. Ideally, stick these pages in a large manila envelope, or hide them somewhere. Welcome to the morning pages. They will change you...

2. Take yourself on an artist date. You will do this every week for the duration of the course. A sample artist date: take five dollars and go to your local five-and-dime. Buy silly things like gold stick-'em stars, tiny dinosaurs, some postcards, sparkly sequins, glue, kid's scissors, crayons.You might give yourself a gold star on your envelope each day you write [or post pseudo-certificates on your blog]. Just for fun.

3. Time Travel: List three old enemies of your creative self-worth. Please be as specific as possible in doing this exercise. Your historic monsters are the building blocks of your core negative beliefs. (Yes, rotten sister Ann Rita from fifth grade does count, and the rotten thing she said to you does matter. Put her in.) This is your monster hall of fame. More monsters will come to you as you work through your recovery. It is always necessary to acknowledge creative injuries and grieve them. Otherwise, they will become creative scar tissue and block your growth.

A few relatives... Loro, a friend at University Near Mom. Blanca and Cecilia (Jehovah's Witnesses), Tracey, a bitch from hell. That's a good place to start.

6. Time Travel: List three old champions of your creative self-worth. This is your hall of champions, those who wish you and your creativity well. Be specific. Every encouraging word counts. Even if you disbelieve a compliment, record it. It may well be true [or a possibility].

Dr. Lopez (University Near Mom), "Tu eres una mujer muy talentosa." (Translation: You are a woman with many talents.)
Esther, my sister, "Go back to school... Get your Ph. D... You're so gifted; everyone knows it."
Celia, my other sister, "Why don't you work at Hobby Lobby? You could start a scrapbook... Make money drawing caricatures at a festival!"

8. Imaginary Lives: If you had five other lives to lead, what whould you do in each of them? I would be a pilot, a cowhand, a physicist, a psychic, a monk. You might be a scuba diver, a cop, a writer of children's books, a football player, a belly dancer, a painter, a performance artist, a history teacher, a healer, a coach, a scientist, a doctor, a Peace Corps worker, a psychologist, a fisherman, a minister, an auto mechanic, a carpenter, a sculptor, a lawyer, a painter, a computer hacker, a soap-opera star, a country singer, a rock-and-roll drummer. Whatever occurs to you, jot it down. Do not overthink this exercise.

I would be a musician, an artist, a black belt (aikido), a movie star, a computer guru...

10. Take your artist for a walk, the two of you. A brisk twenty-minute walk can dramatically alter consciousness.

I could only walk slowly; I believe I developed fibromyalgia in my early 30s after I injured myself several times in succession. (I was a dumb jock.) I have to stretch even before I take a walk, clean around the apartment, whatever. It is painful. I used to be athletic; I loved sports. I used to play soccer, volleyball, bike ride for miles on end, I was learning how to play tennis... Now this! I have to stretch just to take a walk! So be it. I'll take my artist for a walk later, after I do my stretches.

[Update: I walked around Big Lots a lot today! I love Big Lots.]

Willingness, honesty and openmindedness are the essentials of recover. But these are indispensible.

"Spiritual Experience"
Alcoholics Anonymous

Currently Reading Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity By Julia Cameron see related

(Worded) Sketch of Adrian

Currently Reading Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity By Julia Cameron see related