Living in the eternal present
Do you think Albert Einstein unintentionally warned us about how much quarantine sucks, even though he was talking about living in the moment? “Life is a preparation for the future, and the best preparation for the future is to live as if there were none.”
It sure feels like we’re living in a Never-ending Now. I go to the studio, but it’s all I can do to complete just one task. It wasn’t until this morning that I remembered something due to happen in the future: I’m expecting a new collector to send me the final installment payment for the “Blue-Rare” collage.
I sent the first invoice at the end of December 2019, and I’m immensely grateful for the payments. But right now something else is more important to me: this collage ties me to a past, present and future. Time is moving forward. Glacially, but still moving. So maybe there will be a day when the COVID-19 quarantine ends… maybe?
We interrupt this quarantine for a brief message
Week five of quarantine: no shortage of ideas for new artworks, but I’m running low on concentration. So I’ve assigned myself some cut-and-paste art therapy.
Working in my friend’s art journal helps glue the scattered bits of my mind back together. But it’s a temporary break. For every article reminding me to cut myself some slack, there’s another to undermine that advice — often under the cover of Being Helpful.
What are you doing to reboot your brain, refresh your outlook, or just be kinder to yourself? Let me know on Facebook or Instagram.
How to stay sane -- not just busy -- during COVID-19 quarantine
Week four of COVID-19 quarantine: not sure if I’m staying sane, or just busy. Is there a difference?
I’ve completed two Facebook Live webcasts this week for SOL(idarity) TV, a group where we share video content of our lives and creative pursuits to take the edge off sheltering-in-place. Then I’ve posted the recorded video to my YouTube channel. Studio time + tech skills refinement = my idea of a work day right now.
It’s been fun, but is that all there is? My dear friend Alicia Harvey challenged me with a simple question: How are you finding peace? Not ‘how are you occupying yourself’ but ‘how are you treating yourself during this historic and traumatic time?’
My number one go-to activity: losing myself in a book. I’ve also purchased artwork online when I can. And during “spring break,” I’m not hounding my kids to finish school work.
How have you been keeping it together? Let me know, on Facebook or Instagram.