Got this today from Robert Genn's newsletter, The Painter's Keys. Subscribe today: http://painterskeys.com/ Doesn't matter what you do, this is an always inspiring and interesting newsletter with contributions and commentary from all over the world.
I've been thinking about this recently, how most people seem to be living their lives increasingly vicariously. It used to be through other people's lives, maybe in a book or a magazine or something we saw on television, but close the book or magazine and it's gone. They were often jumpstarts to our own adventures, careers or interests. I remember when televisions used to go off the air at midnight and not come back on until 6 a.m., and we could only get a few channels, maybe an extra one if the weather was right, certainly, there wasn't that much on that was that interesting to everyone all the time.
Now it's non-stop roaming, hypnotically flip-flipping, click-clacking away our lives virtually, online, not in reality, not in the here and now. It's like there's now no need to make a change if you don't like the way things are going. I know I do it myself! A couple of days ago in particular, the six hours I spent online went by before I realised it, gone forever. I didn't work, I didn't make jewellery or draw or paint or sew; worst of all I ignored my beautiful dog. I also ignored myself in a fundamental way because I don't remember what was so important that I could devote six hours to it. I had nothing -- zero, zip, nada -- to show for that 6 hours. That's the part that gets me. The goneness of time.
I really resent computers and the Internet now for the way that time lines and deadlines have been compressed, with the resultant stress and inhumane expectations that have been created. Are we really that much more efficient now? And I've always hated television and telephones. Cell phones with their texting/mini-computer/gaming capabilities? Don't get me started. People have always asked me (with suspicion, of course, like I'm some kind of liar, even though the results are there in front of them -- like they've completely lost belief and/or trust in their own senses and I'm trying to trick them) how I do all the things I do, take the courses, work the jobs, join the groups, produce the volume of artwork and now jewellery. Well, let's see. First, I don't spent 40+ hours a week in front of the television. This is now the accepted average that children spend in front of the TV and computer. What on earth are they watching? What are adults watching? That's watching, not doing.
But let's go with 40 hours. 40 x 52 = 2,080 hours per year of free time. Say we sleep 8 hours a day, so that leaves a 16-hour day in which to do things. 2,080 / 16 = 130 days. That gives me 130 "extra" full days per year that I have per year to do stuff that the "average" person does not because they're watching television/on the computer. I can take a second or even a third part time job. I can volunteer. I can take college/university/special interest courses. Learn a language. Do my art, make jewellery, sew. Et voila.
Or I can sit here and write this blog. I'm not a Luddite. The ability to stay home and make my living, avoiding endless hours of commuting every day if nothing else, is only possible via the computer and Internet. Everyone tells me/us that social networking is the way to success, that we have to "be" everywhere. I see all these different means as colossal timesuckers, nothing but "other"-sanctioned procrastination that means I'm not making jewellery, I'm not doing a damned thing other than posting pictures to add to the billions of pictures that are already online and adding yet more words to the already gabillions of words that are out there. Tell me again, how does this work for me/us?
For now, I'll stick with the blog, deviantArt and my much-neglected website. Oh, and not to forget the endless novella-length emails to my pals! And the Saturday market. Novel concept these days, innit? Face to face with real people. Not to mention reeeeally good food there.
I went to the wholesaler on Wednesday. I had so much fun, as usual. My newest treasure to play with: something new to me called Solar Quartz.
What is Solar Quartz? According to http://www.fortunatenumberjewelry.com/: Solar quartz is a natural colorless, white or gray agatized quartz cut from stalactites. The centers of these stones are translucent with dendridic mossy inclusions. Probably the most versatile multipurpose healing stone, quartz amplifies energy and healing, draws and sends energy, and stimulates natural crystals in the body’s tissues and fluids to resonate at new healing frequency.
Solar Quartz is very, very pretty. These have been dyed, obviously, but I picked the most tastefully "enhanced" strings I could.
 |
| Solar Quartz I: centre bead is about 1" high, smallest beads are about 1/2". The colour is fairly accurate |
 |
| Solar Quartz I: closeup of two beads. The colour is fairly accurate. |
 |
| Solar Quartz II: centre bead is about 1 inch high, smallest beads are about 1/2 inch high. Colour is fairly accurate |
 |
| Solar Quartz II, closeup. Colour is fairly accurate |
If anyone wants to buy either string (and note that these are presently on temporary strings; they're not finished jewellery) please email me at bemacdougall@gmail.com for more details. Each string is $20 plus postage.
Now to get out of here and do some work, dammit!
No comments:
Post a Comment