A Day in the Life

My favorite fortune cookie fortune of all time reads, Today is a good day to focus on one thing from beginning to finish. This was obviously meant for an account or an engineer, and not an artist.

I can’t unload the dishwasher without getting distracted. I’ll feed the pets, throw a load of clothes in the washer and read emails on my phone. All the while the dishwasher door hangs open and the counter is cluttered with clean cups ready to be put away.

When I read that fortune I laughed and thought, no one works that way. It’s impossible to focus on one thing. My hands and mind are continuously busy building something and problem solving numerous things all the time. Tasks are started and completed, just not in a linear sequence.

At my age you’d think I’d have things figured out. I don’t. I’m still learning new stuff every day.

I really believed everyone bounced around from job to job, nibbling away at the many chores that needed to be completed in a day. I thought I was just like everyone else. There was no reason to believe differently. When you grow up with a certain way of doing things, it just is. You don’t question your process.

It was the vanilla scented fortune cookie that made me question everything. It shed light on the possibility that there was another way. I did, what I always do, when I find myself pondering such mind-blowing concepts. I asked my husband if I was weird.

He’s an engineer, an A to Z thinker and tinkerer. He laughed, and then confirmed that yes, I do things very differently from him. He finds my scatter-brained approach both amusing and frustrating. He told me it drives him crazy to watch me buzz around the kitchen. I start three things at one time, make a huge mess of the counter and then finish everything all at once. While he has steadfast dedication to completing every single task he starts before moving on to another.

This got me thinking. Maybe my daily activities are similar to yours. Maybe, as fellow creatives you’d find common threads that resonate with you. And you’d realize you’re not alone in your freestyle approach. Or maybe, my weird and wonderful methods are totally strange to you. You might even find my lack of structure humorous. That’s okay too. Either way, our commonalities and our differences bring us closer together.

My, not so routine day.

No alarm. I wake up when my eyes open to the beautiful sight of oak trees and the musical sound of songbirds in my backyard.

I get dressed and head to the kitchen to fiddle. I make coffee, feed the dogs and cats, unload the dishwasher and maybe straighten the family room.

 

Then my two pups and I go for a long walk. They, “do their business,” while I breath in fresh air, admire the morning light filtering through the trees and allow my mind to wander.

Back at home, I get dressed for the day. Then I go to my office and power up my computer. I check my email and social media accounts for the latest news and innovate glass creations.

After that my day unfolds organically. I meander around touching on several different projects simultaneously. The logical side of my brain may plan to start with one specific task. But once I get started that notion is over ruled. My dominant, creative side takes over and it selects a task at random. Sometimes it’s the item that will take several steps and requires a lot time. Other times it’s the chore I’ve been procrastinating. Or it may be the thing I can complete quickly and then cross off my list right away.

As long as forward progress is being made I don’t set rigid rules for myself. So much of my work is creative. Having the freedom to do it when the energy is right, makes the task much more enjoyable. This positive influence directly extends the scope of my originality and enhances the quality of the final product.

 

If in my office, I might write a short story, stop to pack and ship videos, all while producing and posting a YouTube video. I might write a blog post, design artwork for a new commission, and take pictures of our goofy cat. I might sort pictures I’ve taken for a magazine article while researching how to change video speed.

Out in my glass studio, I often layout and build several unrelated projects at the same time. I simultaneously cut glass for a fused glass backsplash, cut iridized glass for mosaic mermaid and test fire pieces for a prototype project.

 

 

This whirlwind of activity may seem familiar or it may give you a headache.

If you are of a like mind, you can relate to the inspiring freedom related to not following rules. You can also relate to the incredible joy of spontaneous creation.

If you are a linear thinker, that’s wonderful too. We appreciate your dependability and admire your strength of direction.

Whatever your gift, know you’re among friends. Be creative or be logical, but most of all be productive, then we all have good fortune.

All the best,

Lisa