current projects (what are you busy doing?)

JaneAwake · Joined: 04 Sep 2011 Posts: 58

I know I'm still new around here and I'm not sure if there's already a thread (somewhere out there) where to write about projects...
I consideres the random thoughts thread but .. well I thought I'd introduce this one.

At the moment I'm trying to write something. A story.. and i really like it - I mean writing is nice and i like my story..
On another thread I read about this novel-writing month and i thought it was just great. It's an awful lot to write 50 000 word in one month.. I've been working on my text for about three months ( well actually not, there was this really long break during the summer - summer just isn't a very good writing time..) but still it's only about 15 000 words - I suck !
...um yes.. Maybe someone who participated could give me a little advice - how to stick to it? And if somebody who's currently writing something ( novel, short story, poem -anything..) wants to share his/her succes/failures/experiences/bad conscience/ ...
Is it just me or did that just sound just BAD? Well anyway.

**happyfish** · Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 10:25 am Post subject:

I think this is a great topic! It may have been me who mentioned National Novel Writing Month (otherwise known as NaNoWriMo - http://www.nanowrimo.org). I participated last year for the first time and I'm currently compiling ideas for this year.
You're absolutely correct - 50,000 words is a lot to write in one month. That's kind of the beauty of NaNoWriMo: it forces you to silence your inner editor and just write. The idea isn't to write the world's most eloquent novel...just to write. December is for editing, November is for pounding it out. The whole thing is a lot of fun, I would definitely reccomend it to anyone interested in writing.

Anyhow, our current projects are the same: working on novels! Yay!

Aside from that, I'm currently working through a self-directed course called The Artist's Way. It's a book written by Julia Cameron, and it is designed to un-block your creativity and get your juices flowing. One of the cornerstones of the course is a tool Cameron calls "morning pages." I get up every morning, and the first thing I do is sit on my porch and write 3 pages, long-hand, of whatever comes to mind. The idea is to get all of the subconcious ramblings on paper and make them tangible. It's been really beneficial for me...I always have a lot of junk floating around in my head, and I can feel the difference the morning pages have made.

And one last thing...I am teaching myself how to read tarot cards. I hesitate to tell people this, because I think most people have this pre-conceived notion in their head regarding tarot. I don't believe in "psychics" or anything of the sort. I do, however, think the cards are fascinating. The images represent different archetypes of human experiences. I also believe the human brain is hard-wired to look for meaning - so of course we are going to relate to the stories the cards tell. I find it fascinating, and quite fun - it's also been a useful tool for writing. I have used the cards to find inspiration for characters and plot points.
_________________
happiness is not a fish that you can catch.

JaneAwake · Joined: 04 Sep 2011 Posts: 58

That's so great.
I can absolutely agree on the morning thing. That strategy sounds very good but I probably will only be able to use it on weekends.. my mornings are pretty stressfull.
I have the best ideas at night when i can't sleep. I have a little notebook and a Pen on my bedside locker. Sometimes in the morning I'm surprised at what I wrote during the night because I usually don't remember exactly. That's fun too. And if I wouldn't do it I certainly could get no sleep at all desperately trying not to forget anything..

my other project was/is learning icelandic (I've been a little sloppy during the summer..) It is just beautiful and it's so much fun - in general I love learning languages. But it's a bit difficult to learn it all by myself (well..with help from my pc and one of those learning programs..).. Somehow summer is not the best time for most projects and especially icelandic..

Those tarot cards you were talking about - I don't think everyone instantly would picture you in a tent on a carnival holding a crystal ball - I have to admit now that I wrote that I do.. anyway.. I know there's this whole science behind it. And it really does sound fascinating the way you described it. Plus I'm all for any kind of inspiration.

**Heather** · Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 1:12 pm Post subject:

thephoneisafineinvention · Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 3:40 pm Post subject:

I'm baking a lot recently... I guess I could post any particularly decadent stuff I manage on here if it's of any interest... although maybe i should just post on the what's for lunch thread?

I'm also learning French (picking it up again) from next Monday.

neverending · Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 6:20 pm Post subject:

TheOtherOne420 · Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 6:39 pm Post subject:

JaneAwake · Joined: 04 Sep 2011 Posts: 58

I second that. A recipe swapping thread would be nice.

**Heather** · Posted: Thu Sep 08, 2011 6:44 pm Post subject:

I couldn't participate in a recipe swap--I'm not much of a cook--but for those of you baking and cooking and knitting and painting and doing other creative things that make for good visuals, I vote for PHOTOS! Bake a lovely batch of cupcakes? Knit a new scarf? Paint a nifty landscape? Don't forget to snap a pic for your RKnet friends!

cityclass · Cool Kid Joined: 31 May 2008 Posts: 887 Location: montreal

Great topic! Since I'm not fifteen and starting my own online magazine I usually feel like I'm not doing anything.

On the small scale, I just finished a new tape mural type thing for my room... decals are way overpriced and you can do anything with electrical tape! The wires were from my room last year.

Really simple... gonna add some windows into the buildings when I get bored (and it's actually straight, just a crooked photo).

I've been toying with the idea of starting a cognitive mapping project to compare how people view cities, but I'm not entirely sure how to go about it. I plan on talking with one of my mapping professors; he did something like it using interviews and translated them to maps which I just think is so neat. Mapping is so versatile.

JaneAwake · Joined: 04 Sep 2011 Posts: 58

Lately I have been sewing a little. I'm not very good, but it's fun. A friend of mine gave me this black cord fabric with little brown roses all over it. I made a skirt. I know it's not really spectacular, but it's the first clothes-piece (??) I've ever made. And I'm going to wear it.

**Heather** · Posted: Fri Sep 09, 2011 12:27 pm Post subject:

NikiGunn · Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2011 12:11 am Post subject:

My latest project is painting my brother and sister-in-law's nursery. I offered to paint a mural and Jodi accepted without asking if I had any artistic ability. I mentioned this to Heather who said Jodi must know I wouldn't have offered if I didn't, because she certainly wouldn't.

Jodi wants a Goodnight Moon theme, since this was her favorite book as a child. I spent way more on paint and supplies than I planned. Good glow in the dark paint is expensive but awesome.

The first, and easiest, part is completed. I scanned the book and printed seven pictures from it for framed art. I would have bought a copy or two online cheaply and cut them up but that thought horrified Jodi. I did some cropping to make the pics fit the frames she had but never put up, and turn one black and white because she hates the bold colors of the book. I even found the correct font (Bernhard Gothic SG) because I didn't like the small size of the text or how messy it appeared in comparison to the pictures.

Here are seven pages from the book as framed art:

Please ignore the cobwebs in my living room.

Tomorrow, I start painting the nursery, but I probably won't get to the glow in the dark ceiling mural, just the first and possibly second coat on the walls.
_________________
Plus, he rocked a tracksuit like nobody's business.

JaneAwake · Joined: 04 Sep 2011 Posts: 58

Before school started (last monday..) I finished two dresses and a picture frame with little pressed flowers (is that the right word??) in it. It looks pretty good.
Now my one and only project is surviving my last year. And it does not look so good, seeing as only the first week is over.. I don't know how many more to go.

thegirlinthesong · Posted: Sun Sep 18, 2011 8:31 am Post subject:

Well, I'm not exactly busy doing this (though other people are), but I just got back from a visit to my old college where they're putting up a one-act play that I wrote as a part of its biennial student-written play festival. I had a play in the last one two years ago, which was the first one I had ever written, and I think that this one is infinitely better. I sat in on a few rehearsals to give them notes and decided while I was there to pay for my own plane ticket so I could go back to see the show (the school paid for my first trip).

I'm actually considering adapting it into a full-length play, or even a novella. Just for fun.
_________________
Change has a way of just walking up and punching me in the face.

... Toast

.

**happyfish** · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 9:37 pm Post subject:

I've given myself another project - trying to (re)teach myself piano. I took lessons for a few months when I a kid and dabbled a bit into high school. I can still read sheet music, kind of...okay, so I can't REALLY read sheet music. I have to scrutinize every note first and write them in with a pencil as a reference, and even then it is painstaking to get through a few bars. But still, I'm trying, and that makes me feel good.
_________________
happiness is not a fish that you can catch.

mojo shivers · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2011 9:57 pm Post subject:

TheOtherOne420 · Posted: Tue Sep 27, 2011 6:35 pm Post subject:

bello_returns · Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 7:49 pm Post subject:

Well I'm no Elton John but I also got a keyboard synthesizer in high school and I taught myself basic piano skills. The basics are pretty simple especially when you start recognizing where the notes on each octaves are and then you'll begin to feel where they are without looking much like typing. I learned how to play Fur Elise and other common piano songs but not from sight reading. Sight reading on piano is pretty tough. I don't think that's in the cards for me. I can sight read a little for singing though.
_________________
Beauty fades. Dumb is forever.

**happyfish** · Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2011 10:49 pm Post subject:

I'm glad to see others agreeing that sight reading sheet music is difficult and maybe even unnecessary.
At the risk of marking myself as both uncultured and nerdy, the two songs I am currently learning on piano are "Born This Way" by Lady Gaga and "Eyes on Me" from Final Fantasy 8.
_________________
happiness is not a fish that you can catch.

JaneAwake · Joined: 04 Sep 2011 Posts: 58

As I already said (wrote?) I'm writing a novel and on the internet I found this quote that I just HAD to use. I found it on a scientific website in an article about these strange butterflies. There was no author named, so i just wrote an e-mail to the society that hosts the site and they actually replied.. They've contacted the originator of the quote, and he told me, that he'd be happy to authorize (?) it and if i wanted he could also help me with the science stuff that I'm writing about. It's actually a novel about a family but I use the behaviour of this butterfly as a metaphor to describe the familiy's situation...

cityclass · Cool Kid Joined: 31 May 2008 Posts: 887 Location: montreal

what's the quote? that's really neat.

JaneAwake · Joined: 04 Sep 2011 Posts: 58

"Obwohl hübsch aussehend und filigran wirkend, zeichnet die Ameisenbläulinge eine für Schmetterlinge recht brutale Lebensweise aus, die oft den Tod von Ameisen nach sich zieht."

That's something like
"Even though pretty and delicately looking, the Alcon Blue is characterized by a quite brutal living, which often entails the death of ants."

I think it sounds better in german, probably my translation is not the best..

honeyfromthetombs · Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 11:24 pm Post subject:

Bump!

I'm about to publish my second collection of poetry, 'Progeny', through amazon... I'm in the process of painting/scanning the cover now. I'm going to give in a month or so before launching a short "book tour" around FL for readings and whatnot. So excited Smile

I'm also doing a couple random gallery shows here and there for my paintings... I almost have enough pieces together for a solo show but meeeeh. We'll see.

Giant pics!!!!!

'Exuent, Stage Left'

Throughthetrees

Idlewood

Seed

_________________
The quill from a buzzard, the blood writes the word, I want to know: Am I the sky or a bird?

sawarmack.tumblr.com

Built To Post · Posted: Sat Feb 23, 2013 9:37 am Post subject:

Wow...those are awesome, Sam. I hate being untalented.
_________________
"When God gave us mirrors....he had no idea...."
My Morning Jacket - Librarian.