Monday, September 19, 2011

Indispensable, Desirable, Lovely Frills


My next step is to categorize things from "My Ideal Day" under one of three headings: Indispensable, Desirable or Frills. So, here goes...

INDISPENSABLE

  • art
  • writing
  • good coffee and chocolate
  • quiet mornings and evenings
  • kids, dogs, cats
  • meditation
  • physical activity
  • creative, dynamic colleagues
  • ethically, environmentally, socially relevant work
  • housekeeper/organizer/assistant
  • clean, comfortable, organized home
  • studio space
  • continuing education
  • ethical food
  • located near water

DESIRABLE
  • latest and greatest computer and camera equipment
  • more spacious home
  • separate studio space
  • photography/writing road trips
  • TWO family vacations
  • gallery space
  • generous monetary compensation
FRILLS
  • art student
  • art shows
  • ocean front home
  • coffee shop
  • horses

Exercise 9: My Ideal Day

My Ideal Day....



I wake early and quietly in my big luxurious bed. My lover is either up and gone, or still sleeping (he does not snore or hog the bed sheets). The cats ignore me and the dog gets up and stretches and comes over to have his ears scratched. He and I head outside where we can hear the waves and early morning birds. If the light is particularly good I take my camera and take photographs for about an hour, otherwise I head off to my daybreak movement and mediation class. I return home and check on the horses, being in their presence quiets and awes me.


When I come back into the house the kids are up and getting themselves fed and out the door to school. Even with 4-5 people moving about the morning is fairly quiet. I sit down to my own big breakfast, during which I might check my email, letters or read a little. Our housekeeper/personal assistant has made their usual excellent cappuccino and while we drink our coffee (with a small piece of very dark chocolate) we go over the day ahead and review our weekly and long term tasks and goals. After setting my priorities for the day I head to work about 8-830am. I work in a large space with a very dynamic creative artist group, where we collaborate, teach, learn and produce with each other. We are well paid and do intense, demanding, but ultimately inspiring work. Our work is ethically, socially and environmentally responsible. The organic coffee house and cafe next door displays local artwork and usually supplies us with delicious and healthy lunches. Sometime we lunch together as a group and brainstorm a project, other times lunch is eaten while we work. Work usually ends around 2 or 3pm, at which point I head home for an afternoon horse ride or walk on the beach with the dog.  Afternoons are spent in my personal studio where I am completely free creatively. I have had several successful art shows and made enough money that I can create what I want and explore where I want. My studio is spacious, light filled and organized, but with enough creative clutter that it doesn't seem sterile. A few days a week I have an art student or two work with me. I've also been know to take an art class or go on a photography adventure during my studio time depending what interests me at the time. My studio has the latest and greatest computer and camera equipment. I work in numerous mediums including digital. I have a spot in a local gallery (and the coffee house) that displays my work and I have an online shop I sell from as well.

The kids come and go depending on their schedules. About 4 evenings a week I do a Martial Arts class with some or all of them. We're also involved in the local theatre. Dinner is sometimes casual with everyone feeding themselves as they go in and out with various activities, and sometimes its a big family dinner. We take turns cooking and cleaning, and usually once a week our housekeeper (who we could not do without) makes something wonderful, they, of course, join us at meals. Anybody is welcome to stay for dinner and often we have a few friends over to eat with us. The food in our home is local, organic and if it's meat, humanly raised and slaughtered.

Evenings at home are generally quiet, with people reading, writing, walking the dog along the beach, or settling the horses in for the night. Sometimes, usually weekends, we may watch a video together on our enormous comfy couch. Several times a month we volunteer at a local shelter or organic farm.  I travel a couple of times during the year for my photography and writing. We have two family vacations each year that we all attend and look forward to. We have been known to bring the odd extra person along with us.

My bedside table is pilled with books and I generally read for an hour or so before going to sleep in that great big luxurious bed, if we have the windows open, we can listen to the waves as we go to sleep.





Saturday, September 03, 2011

Wishcraft - My Ideal Environment

In What Imaginary Environment would you and your best self emerge?

Right, in a house by the ocean with Viggo...? Now I am suppose to imagine my perfect home, this is rather torturous, or at the very least a tease, but here goes.



I have a home near the ocean where I can hear the waves and sit on my back deck drinking coffee and watch them breaking on the beach. I have a housekeeper,  and personal assistant (and personal trainer) to handle the everyday household tasks that overwhelm me (read: all of them, save making coffee). My home has very big windows with relaxed and comfortable furniture. It is not the place you take your shoes off before entering.

I would have a boss/team that required my very best and critiqued my work honestly and effectively. There would be high expectations of me. My day would start and end quietly. I have a dog, a cat or two and horses. My home has a library, an office and a STUDIO!  (how cool is THAT?) I have a kick ass computer and wonderful photographic equipment. I collaborate with motivated and fabulously creative people. We work individually and together, producing excellence that we are well paid for, and very proud of. I am both a student and teacher.

I am involved in local theatre, co-own (with an incredibly business and accounting savvy individual) a coffee shop/bookstore that displayed local art and occasionally local talent. I take one month a year and travel through the world with my camera, art and journaling supplies. I have a lover who has a fulfilling life in a profession he adores. When we are together it's fabulous, but we both need time for ourselves. My kids come and go and feel nurtured and supported. They are achieving their heart's desires. When we are together we have wonderful family dinners that sometimes include extra friends and neighbours. Everyone is treated like family in my home.

My community is multicultural, loving and supportive. I contribute to it in meaningful ways. Together we work toward a common good not just for our part of the world, but for our planet.



In this environment I am challenged to be my very best. I am accountable to those I work and live with and have the logistical support to keep me focused. My living and work space is organized and clean, leaving me time to be my creative best. Creating huge canvases is a great thrill for me. I have the time and space to explore completely each creative inspiration and I trust in the process.