I started this blog on a whim a couple years ago, now. It “stuck” -- after lots of attempts at “journal keeping” and daily writing. For some reason, this worked. Lately I haven’t been keeping it up, for multiple reasons, and while I hope to MAKE ART EVERYDAY in 2017, as always, I’m allowing myself to post less frequently about art. Can’t do it all right now so have to restructure things. At least I am MAKING ART every day again!
The technical issues with Weebly are so annoying that it is probably better, anyway! Ugh. I’ve taken to writing in Google first then copying it to Weebly. When I hit the “publish” or “save” buttons, it disappears. It takes three or four tries to get it to work, if it does. Patience is a virtue.
Am printing out my copy of the new Maker’s Yearbook by Nicola Taylor, even though the cover of last year’s copy wasn’t cracked enough over the past 12 months. 219 pages of reflective, constructive practices. Maybe it will give me new ideas that I need to push forward in This Creative Life. So much to do, so little energy with which to do it. Everyone is in the same boat - I am just so “not-graceful” about it and wish it were different. I am not walking peacefully into the night of old age and crippledom. Sigh.
A new milestone with Hap last night, though -- he sat patiently on his perch as I patted him -- not just a quick scritch to the head, but a full on pat session. I touched his wings, his back, his neck, and he didn’t bite. He touched my fingers very gently with his beak, but didn’t bite. This is big! I think he sees me being affectionate with the other birds and is a bit jealous, so if I try to get him to be more snuggly it can only help. He is an amazing creature and I don’t think I’ve done a great job familiarizing him with touch, which he needs. When the target of said touch is a flying razor blade who has inflicted serious injury to the flesh, one can get timid. Still, he is now showing that he knows how to not bite, so training will progress.
January 1. New habits are introduced and hoped for, while hope is extended to destroy the existing bad ones. It’s just a day, after all. I hate to say I am lowering expectations for my life in 2017, but since 2016 was such a doozy, I think it is a fair statement. When even your best efforts aren’t really good enough, what else is there to do? I started this post with wishes of good things -- not great things. “Good” will just have to do this year, and beyond. Cheers.