Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Just journaling

I'm never short on ideas, just the time to turn them into
reality -- paintings, writing, letters to friends, you name
it. Tonight I have no work to show you because I've spent
the whole day marking and tidying our house to show to
an assessor tomorrow. I could spend another 100 days and
about 20,000 dollars and the place would be presentable, but
we've done what we could on short notice.

So I was thinking about journaling. I read an artist on another
blog talking about The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron, a pivotal
book on journaling. But so is Natalie Goldberg's Wild Mind, and
that's what really got me into daily writing.

When I teach writing I ask my students to write in a journal
every day and the practice transforms their lives, and their
writing. Last year for a few months I tried to write in my
journal and draw something to accompany the words every day.
But it was too much, so I quit. The drawings weren't spectacular,
and I really like to whine away in my journal writing without
thinking about making it look pretty.

So I now I divide these activities most of the time. But I enjoyed
the use of art and words in the movie He's Just Not That Into You.
One large painting -- just said, "Should, Should, Should" in various
sizes of type. That made me laugh. I'm good at shoulding all over myself.
And of course the woman thought she should get married.

Here's a sad little sample from my Dec. 28/07 journal. It does
what I tell my students to do --" just ramble on it doesn't have
to be great prose." It isn't!



A genuine page from
the thrilling life of yours truly
sick even -- pathetic -- but
luckily not the norm.

Have a writing-it-all-down day.

10 comments:

Melinda said...

I love your journal, Barbara. It shows what a kind hearted, sensitive and sincere person you are. You never need to disparage that, yes?

I've never heard of Natalie Goldberg's "Wild Mind", but I'm going to check it out! Certainly automatic writing is a valuable self-therapy. I believe in it as you do.

There is a poem I would like to suggest for you, but it has some strong language, so, you might not be interested. Yet, it was good medicine for me one day and I thought you might enjoy it. Let me know and I'll send you the link.

Best of luck tomorrow!!!!! You're going to be fine. You know that, don't you?! Remember that these assessors are motivated to keep the deal going, not try to undo them.

Anonymous said...

I aint buyin pathetic. I've seen pathetic! :) I've not seen it here.
EW

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Melinda,

I will get in touch with you about the poem. Strong language? Moi?
Thanks. The whole assessor thing was one of those tense to the max and then no big woop experiences. I was just tired when I wrote the blog.

You're super sweet -- even in strong language. That did make me laugh.
Thanks.

xoxoxoBarbara

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Eldon,

I think I can admit that sometimes my journals are horrible. I have a few entries that can move the room, but in the main they are weather and complaints. And that's okay, because "I'm good enough, and I'm smart enough, and doggone it people like me!" Al Franken as Stewart Smalley.


Take care,

Barbara

Melinda said...

Oh, Barbara! You are so funny. I love Stewart Smalley...wish he could be our Senator.

You have such strong drawing skills. I like that you remind us all of those conflicting moments in school.

Looking forward to hearing your good news tomorrow.

Anonymous said...

yes indeed! :)

Laurel Daniel said...

Are you moving? I think I missed something about this assessor who was visiting! GOOD LUCK!!!!

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Laurel,

No we're not moving. We were just trying to get a higher mortgage to pay for our son's university education.

You are sweet.

XOXOBarbara

Liza Hirst said...

Hope everything went well with the assessor! We have been trying to sell our house for a while now and every time a viewer comes, we do the whole thing of getting the house to look at it's best, but until now that hasn't helped. Wish we had put it on the market a few years ago - now we seem stuck.

Barbara Muir said...

Hi Liza,

I'm so sorry you feel stuck in that beautiful house. Where do you want to move to? We are not moving, just upping the mortgage to pay for boy two's university -- which is $80,000.
That incidentally is what our house was worth when we bought it more than 20 years ago.
I'm hoping to see your house before you sell it.

xoxoxoxBarbara

Portrait Artist

My photo
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
I paint and draw on commission and for shows. To commission a portrait, or purchase one of my paintings please contact me at: barbara.muir@sympatico.ca
A major highlight in my career? Drawing Oprah Winfrey live via Skype for her show "Where in the Skype are you? Galleries: Studio Vogue Gallery, Toronto, Canada. The Amsterdam Whitney Gallery, New York City. Gallery at the Porch Door, Kingston, Canada. Your positive comments on this blog mean the world to me. I'd love to hear from you!