Today, though, I have a slew of things on the docket including unnecessary trips to IKEA and a run to school.
All I really want to get are cute little pencil cups. Let's see how well I do at practicing restraint.
So, a quick post as I have to get moving. I read this article about the benefits of handwriting yesterday and found it very interesting. It is about mostly writing, using written language notes. I totally agree and get their points! I see though a great connection to drawing, too. As we write less and less as a culture, isn't it even more important to teach kids to draw -- to use their hands to make physical marks of all kinds in this world. To exercise their brains. To have them improve their hand-eye coordination, if not just their hand coordination? You betcha. I bet drawing, even doodling, has similar brain implications and is beneficial to the growing brain. And the adult brain, too!
Boy I love teaching. I am still excited about starting a new year in September, even after completing twenty years. I wish I could go back to my first ten or so and have a do over as I've learned so much in the latter half. Parts of my brain and heart say "Oh no! Only ten years left!" as I know they will fly by --aging speeds up time like nothing else. How can I use the precious time I have with these amazing young minds to help them grow in the right direction? I see my students like little sprouts that lean to get the sun. I can't make them grow, I can't determine what kind of plant they are, of how big they will get, but I can help steer them towards the sun with art class. So much fun and potential for good things to happen.
Julia Cameron recommends writing in the morning, by hand, at least three pages (I think...might be off on this, sorry Julia) and calls it the Morning Pages. To clear the mind and get the day started. That is sort of what I do with this blog, and that is why I have approximately three readers on a good day! That is fine with me as this is really just a "witness" page to my creative process and life, a grounding of thoughts, and a place to share interesting art resources that stick out among the millions of things that come at me on a given day.
Funny that I used to keep a handwritten journal that I faithfully wrote in every night. I have never gone back to read what I wrote back then. I wish I had journals from early trips to Turkey, and Egypt, but I don't. Those would be fun to read. The journals I have are from the time when I was newly alone after a sudden dissolution of marriage and the death of my Dad, to whom I was very close. Lots of sudden change and RA to boot. I was so unhappy at the time I was writing my "nightly pages" that I just don't want to go back there. I can't throw them out, I don't want to read them. Not sure what to do with them all. Some artists tear them up and collage them, but then I wouldn't be able to get them back...maybe photo them first, in case I feel the need to delve into that part of my life again? I'm glad I wrote a lot back then, though, as in retrospect it did help me get through a very difficult time. I'm glad I am writing now, too. We all have things to say, and whether we use a keyboard or a pen, I think it is important to say them.
What will you make (or write!) today?