Brainstorm

I've always wondered what a "brainstorm" looked like. Do neurons fire like lightening? If so, what is the thunder? Or is it more of a tsunami, crashing the shores of my brain with information? That sounds more like a cram session to me. Maybe I will draw a brainstorm. Notice the pretty color? That means I have an idea. How snazzy is that?

I'm currently listening to "Forced (Radio Edit)" by Cagedbaby, which is a person favorite of mine. I'm not sure what it is about this song, but every time I hear it, ideas poor in. Example: I now want to do a piece involving a large, anatomically correct heart, but have it exploding. I'm unsure how I will do this, or where the idea came from, but this song...it gets me every time. I also just got the idea to do a piece involving a horribly mutated king on his thrown, sort of a commentary on inbreeding in the upper class.

I know not all my ideas are genius. But at least I have ideas.

I once received dead roses on Valentine's Day. I know this is an odd statement, since all cut flowers are, by definition, dead, and truly random to throw in during my idea blog, but just stay with me. The roses were withered and brown as a result of the cold weather we'd been having. The gent who sent them to me and I were actually fighting at the time, and I believed the act to have been intentional. I'd like to do a piece capturing the moment where I opened the box of dead roses, and just about killed him. Obviously, it would be abstract. If I wanted a photograph of that moment, I would have taken one.

I don't use my art for catharsis enough. I should. I'm a very angry person, likely because I don't release my frustrations without making someone cry. Not always my proudest moments. I'm working on meditating more often, being more active, and keeping people who make me angry out of my life. But I have some things to work on. I think the rose piece in particular would be a good place to start my cathartic art.

As I create, I will post photos of completed works. This would likely go into Sunday blogs, just to keep things organized.

Oh, and I want to do a piece involving cottonwood seeds. We have tons where I live, and my puppy, Nero, loves to pounce on them. He's sleeping awkwardly next to me, smooshed in a doorway between cabinets that is much too small for a big boy like him. He's always curled up in place that just look uncomfortable. My silly little man.

Anyway

Plans made. Documented. Color coded. Off to be lazy elsewhere.

Your Achiever-in-the-Making

Martha May

Defining the Rules of Photo Journaling

While I have a free moment today (as I'm not feeling well and am avoiding cleaning), I decided I may as well figure out my plans for my photo journal. I realized that, while a photo journal is nice, it could be better! I was inspired by a contest called "Morbid Little Stories" where fans of the "Who Killed Amanda Palmer" book were asked to create their own short story based on a photo from the book. I had a lot of fun with the contest and will turn my photo journal into a similar contest against myself.

My plan is to take a photo, and then write something based off the photo. I find I have a hard time writing unless I have been writing regularly. Admittedly, the start will be rough. I doubt I'll produce much of value, but with time, I'm sure I'll improve.

Here is my schedule of events:

• Monday--Plant photo and poem. I promise not to cop out too often and do a haiku.
• Tuesday--Animal photo and poem.
• Wednesday--Nero (my dog) photo and story from the day. This will probably be my favorite day.
• Thursday--Self portrait and related short story. I'll try to keep short stories under 500 words for easy reading.
• Friday--Ordinary objects photo and related short story.
• Saturday--Open. Depending on what I end up doing on Saturdays, I want to have some options.
• Sunday--Like the story goes, on the 7th day, I rest. Granted, the Jews rest on Saturday, which is technically the 7th day on a calendar. I think Catholics just rest on Sundays to get over the previous night's boozefest and to watch sports. I do plant to blog on Sundays, but that's more my big idea day.

As far as uploading all of this, I know throwing it all up once a week is a lot to read at one time. If I cannot upload daily, I will make sure to every other day, so things don't pile up.

Photo journaling will begin Monday. Be on the look out, and get excited.

Your Achiever-in-the-Making

Martha May

The Beginning

Personally, I think blogging is a bit egotistical. What makes someone so profoundly special that they require a diary online, as that is the main purpose of blogging for common folk? In my mind, the internet is a vast place, likely a result of all the average joe bloggers. I will do my very best not to waste space, or the time of those who may happen to stumble upon this.

My main purpose in life is to create. For someone who is just 18, I've heard it's a bit soon to decide what your life's purpose is, but mine has been pretty obvious. It doesn't matter what I'm doing, as it always can be put into the category of creating. I create art, messes, noise, controversy. Create is a very generous verb in that sense. Unfortunately, all I've been creating lately is a butt print in the couch.

I just moved back home with my younger sister, and find myself a bit unmotivated. Most of my belongings are in CA with my parents, and won't arrive for another month. I do not possess a license, or job, at the moment. My days have revolved around my puppy, Nero, and the Real Housewives of New Jersey. Things need to change. The job hunt is on. Driving lessons are scheduled. But there's more to life, and my needs, than just that.

This blog is the beginning (don't you love it when they use the title in the script?!). I need to get my rump in gear. I made a day zero account not too long ago in hopes that I would be motivated to finish that baby off in a year rather than three. Unfortunately, I plateaued. I lost interest, as I often do. My mind is normally planning and scheming, so once I begin one thing, I think of something else I should also begin. Like road construction, the more things you begin, the less things you get done. Now, I turn to this blog to assist me in achieving not only my day zero goals, but life goals, and feeling that if I sit around in my pajamas all day, the internet will send me many "tsk tsk"s when I am forced to admit it in my blog.

I don't plan to be someone who uses their blog as a diary. I will not be posting "Matilda is such a bitch" and "Can you believe Anne is pregnant?" and "I have such a crush on Rosie O'Donnell". Not only are all those things untrue, but they are also not worth reading. This blog will be used to complete the following tasks:

• Task 54 on my day zero list: Start a photography journal. I have always wanted to have a photography journal, and now this blog will function as one. The photography journal will involve a photo for everyday, to be uploaded either everyday or all together once a week. Each day, I will have a photo category to complete. Such will be determined in the official start of my photography journal.
• Force me to keep on top of my life. How embarrassing would it be to have to tell the internet, i.e. the world, that you are not contributing? That you are wasting away the little time you have to make a difference? To make happiness? I would be deeply ashamed. Therefore, I cannot let myself be the sloth I've been lately.
• Allow me a place to document ideas and plans for projects to do later. Later is the key word in that sentence. I will be putting ideas for projects in a color other than the typical font color for easy viewage. I want to have some organization in my life, especially with my projects. If this can keep me from having 20 projects at once, I will feel some success. And internet? I hate people who are unoriginal. It's nice that you might like my idea, but if you're going to use it, use it as a starting block. Grow a little.
• Control my socialization needs. I'm a talker. Big time. This is one of the reasons I want to be a radio dj, but not the annoying dumb kind. I find I bother my close friends with my need to interact with others. Although this is a bit one sided, perhaps it will give the lovely people who put up with me a break from my chatter. You're welcome in advance. Pay me back in food.

That may be a bit adventurous for day one. I honestly can't say. It's nearing midnight here, and I may be getting overly ambitious in the late hours, as I normally do. For some reason, bed time is synonymous with brain storming to me. Sleep gets put on the back burner, which is probably not the best plan.

Now that I have forced myself to get things rolling, I will enjoy another chapter of "The Graveyard Book" as read by Mister Neil Gaiman, so puppy and I can drift off to sleep. The sooner we sleep, the sooner we can wake up and start our new meditation routine. I think my puppy enjoys it more than me, which is a bit odd...

Your Achiever-in-the-Making

Martha May