Two weeks into the year and I'm already wondering where all the time has gone. The other day I had something caught in my eye, which ended up in some gauze and an eye patch after a visit to the doctor. It got better soon enough, but it's amazing how strange the world seems when you're visual experience of it gets halved.
Then again the world wasn't really a feature on my day of reduced vision, as I spent it watching movies with my good eye instead of doing anything productive. In fact, there hasn't been a whole lot of productivity going on at all, which I'm kind of rolling with at the moment.
In fact the only thing I've really been focused on has been getting through enough of a few key games, so I can properly write up my GOTY 2017 post over in the gaming section. Other than that I've pretty much been keeping it calm and reducing the day to day down to a series of simple events. I've been eating well and looking after myself properly for the first time in a while, so I'm not too bothered by any notions of what else I should probably be up to.
Yesterday I found out that the amateur theatre show I did art for a couple of months ago has been nominated for an award. The real kicker is that it's for a technical award directly relating to the art that I did. Of course, it's not enough for me to just think "oh, that's nice" and move on, instead it's driven me through a thought process of what it actually means. I think I'll avoid that rabbit hole for now though - at the end of the day it's just nice to think that someone else thought my work was cool.
I guess there are artists out there who seek the approval of others. I mean, there are certainly a lot of people in the world who need this kind of feedback to feel good about themselves, but I often wonder why. Is it a learned pattern of behaviour that needs to be continuously reinforced? Maybe I don't feel the same way because I've always been taught that self-satisfaction is enough. I was always reminded that so long as I was honestly happy with my lot in life, not a whole lot else mattered.
So of course it's nice to receive the compliment of someone else saying they dig your work, but it doesn't define the work. In many ways I've found that it can often undefine a work, as the feedback might not match the intent. A few times I've found myself having to explain my intentions to folk who reached a conclusion about me, as a result of my work.
Another line in the long list of reasons why assumptions are futile and pervasive. Whenever we have the chance to minimise the influence of assumptions we should act on it and eradicate all ambiguity from the situation. Filling in the blanks for someone else has never worked out well in the history of existence. Short of that, it's definitely never worked out well in my limited experience.
Thus, I say unto you, dear reader, that the things we do and the actions we take, are nothing short of a miracle. After all, it's these externalities that convey our lived experience to the world and reduce the need for assumption. Without truth and vulnerability, there would be no kindness, compassion, or empathy. Fear not the judgement of others when your truth is exposed. When the unknown disappears, what's left can never be abolished.
The year is getting back up to speed and time is racing. Look forward to all that is to come, and forget the limitations of the past. We're the architects of tomorrow and our pencils are sharp.
Now that everything's back to normal and a welcomed break has been had… it's time to create.