Living Outside the Imagination

I LOVE Daisy Yellow Blog.  Tammy is AMAZING!  I have yet to go to her blog and not be inspired in some way.  Yesterday she had a post called Creating Outside the Imagination that was very interesting.  She referenced an article by Phil Shepherd of the British Origami Society.  (I am so impressed that she found this.  Really, this woman  could do research and development for a major company.)  All of this prompted me to ask the question, "How do we step outside our imagination, outside ourselves, and get to those things that we just couldn't possibly imagaine?  Moreover, how do we do this on a daily basis?  How can we change this into a lifestyle and live this way?"

I think that I've experienced something similar to what Shepherd is talking about when I knit or zentangle.  The patterned motions somehow allow my subconscious mind to make contact with my waking world.  I'll suddenly get an idea for an art project, or a possible solution to a problem that's plaguing me. I think many people share that experience.  What I haven't experienced is the creation of something completely new.  Does this crossover require engaging the hands in activity so that the ego-mind is busy or can this be achieved through the stillness of mediation?

My curiousity has been piqued, and my desire to find a better way to create and live have ignited my quest.  I'm going to search for answers to these questions.

Day 1 of the Yoga Journal 21 Day Challenge

Okay, I know I was supposed to start that challenge on Monday, but I started it today.  In the past, I would have told myself to wait until next Monday then start.  The only problem is... I don't always start on that next Monday.  Then the next thing you know, I've lost doing a daily practice before I've begun.  There's no reason Day 1 can't be Friday.

I just finished the vinyasa for Day 1.  OMG, if that's supposed to be the beginner... WOW!  Take a look at it...



I surprised myself.  I feel pretty good now.  Energized, but relaxed.

Restarting Insanity

I just finished doing the Insanity Fit Test.  I figure I've got a two-week jump on the New Year's Resolutions.  I'd really like to take this through.  Insanity is 60 Days.  If I can be responsible for 60 days, I think I'm in like Flynn.  Another incentive for sticking to the plan...  I'm trying to come up with a show that I can star in and produce for MCM (Montgomery Community Media).  I'm thinking about something to document my journey towards a healthier lifestyle.

Would You Cast This Man As Shazam?

I love comics books probably more than the average person; so comic book movies hold a special place in my heart.  This also makes me EXTREMELY opinionated.  So when I see this "Good If I Was Making It In The Basement With All My Friends, Bad If This Truly Screentest" Montage; I asked myself if this guy could be Shazam.  Take a look...




So what did you think?  My first instinct is to say, "No."  I see Captain Marvel being bigger.  Dwayne Johnson.  Maybe Scott Mueller could play Billy Batson...  Then again, maybe not.  Billy is supposed to be a kid.  I guess everyone's has a right to dream. 

"Chocolate Rain" Original Song by Tay Zonday

Clearly, I have not been on the internet enough in the last few months. "Chocolate Rain" seems qurky and silly at first. No, I'm serious. It really does seem like a big joke. I first discovered it on Jace Hall's show. However when you listen to the lyrics... Try it. Listen to these lyrics and tell me what you think?

I'm A Zombie, He's A Zombie, She's A Zombie

I've just watched the first episode of The Walking Dead.  It is most excellent.  It's not your typical hack-n-slash.  In fact, it was a kinda sci-fi alien invaders kinda feel to it.  What I'm liking the best so far is all the character work.  I just figured out who the not-so-jaded Black guy who helps the hero out is.  He's the not-so-jaded Black guy who helps out the hero in Jericho, another holy #$%&! our world as we know it is coming to an end how do we survive show. (Good fact to know for a trivia game!  Actually, I should probably look him up and get his name.  Then I could stop refering to hin as the Black guy, and I would have REAL knowledge for a trivia game.

I think that the best thing about this show is that I COULD WIN A WALK-ON ROLE AS A ZOMBIE.  How cool is that

Out in the Ether!

Sorry, I have been MIA.  I thought that when I finished classes, I would automatically just drift back into the blog.  Of course, I being the person that I am, have filled my time up with sooooo many things.  I'm trying to get organized again.  I'm taking my PRAXIS II-Special Education test on November 13th.  I'm surprised that the test isn't on computer.  I'm definitely doing NANOWRIMO this year.  That's a given.  (On a side note, my boyfriend just told me that I look sexy in my hat!!)  I've got to start using my camera more.  I need pictures for my mixed media creations and for my digital short film work.  I'm working on some comic book stuff and some short story stuff.  Then there's Concept Art, Computer Graphic, and Figurative Art Challenges, Romance Divas, Forward Motion Writers, my sketchbook, my zines, knitting crocheting and designing clothes, blah-blah-blah-blah, etc.  And I'm planning to move out of my parents house within the next twelve months.  I always have a lot of stuff.  I'm just glad I have a place to organize and be accountable, show off what I'm doing, and ramble if I want to.  Today, I'm hanging out with the Bo; and I'm doing my background/research/outline work for my novel from NANOWRIMO.  I've conned E2 into doing this with me.  This year I think I'll join some of the groups working on this.  I think I may even put a message on my school's email board and see if anyone wants to join me in my venture. I love starting over.

Drawing and Cooking

I just found out about a really cool site call They Draw and Cook.  What a cool way to combine two things I love!

MARCH Creative Experiment Challenge!

I just discovered the COOLEST website--Daisy Yellow Blog! I've been trying to get my **art/creative/craft/yoga/music** mojo jumpstarted for a long time. I think I'm finally finding some sources to inspire and aid in my quest.

It also helps that my masters program is finally coming to a successful end. Yeah, I've got a LOT to do in just a little time. Conventional wisdom says that I should just stick to my school work. (I hardly have enough time to do it as it is!) But I discovered that there's a quality of life that's lost when I don't take some time out for myself.

I've also decided that it's okay if fall off a few band wagons. It's important to experiment and try things out. I think I'm going to start out with three things on her list. There are about three weeks left in March, so I should average out about 1 thing a week. So I think I'm going to...

• Create art focused on a square (the concept of a square, something square, the shape)


• Write a page of thoughts on 2 days


• Draw a rough map of a place in your life - a favorite vacation spot, your house, school, the grocery store (ideas @ Hand Drawn Map Association and links + maps the kids drew at Making Maps and More Maps)

I think these are doable, and I'm excited about ALL of them. Who knew that there was a Hand Drawn Map Association? How cool is that?!

Black Science Fiction Society

Thanks to an anonymous commentor, if just found out about this cool website!

Fall-In-Love-With-A-Poet Mini Challenge, Poem #1

I've joined the community READ WRITE POEM. It's still fairly early in the new year, and I'm making every attempt to put my money where my mouth is. I'm actively attempting to write and draw daily. The assignment was to create a cento, using poems from your favorite poet. It was hard choosing a favorite poet. I love Shel Silverstein.

I've also recently discovered Margaret Atwood as a poet.

Although she says that she is not a speculative fiction writer, I think that a lot of her works appeal to this sensibility in me.

Here is my first poem-

I am not the favorite child,
A horse or even a tent
Now I would know too much.
I am the space you desecrate.
The memory is no friend.

This poem uses

Habitation
Bored
Backdrop Addresses Cowboy
A Visit
A Sad Child

Kalighat Painting

These paintings are fascinating.  I can see using them as prompts for writing and for drawing.

Spike & Mike at Babelgum

I'm coming to the realization that graduate really has consumed my life. I seem to find out about the cool stuff--a day late and a dollar short. I just discovered Babelgum. It has all sorts of cool offbeat videos. They have a whole channel devoted to SPIKE & MIKE'S SICK FILM FESTIVAL. I'm just too excited!

About the Diet - The Eat-Clean Diet

About the Diet - The Eat-Clean Diet I'm trying to expand my Pesco-Vegetarian diet. I had started this diet a few months before I was diagnosed with MS. In all that hullabaloo, it dropped to the wayside. I think that I'm going to try it again.

I JUST FINISHED NANOWRIMO!

I just finished Nanowrimo. I'm so happy! I know I should probably put this manuscript aside for a month or two, but I'm just now finished with it yet. The story isn't done. I think I'm going to keep working on it, and also work on some short stories. I'm going to try and do some of the challenges at Forward Motion, and send some of my stories out. I'm just so happy that I finished!

Freaky Flash Fiction

Weird Tales has these vignettes at their website. They're very amusing. I've made a note to start working on these once NANOWRIMO is over. Take a look.

The Prisoner!

I'm tellin' ya, sometimes being in graduate school really sucks. You're so focused on schoolwork that you don't hear about the cool stuff coming out on TV. I just found out by accident that AMC is remaking (actually the screenwriter said RE-IMAGINING) The Prisoner.

I love the original Prisoner.


This new Prisoner looks good too. They even kept Rover!


I've seen a little clip of it and it looks good.


It also has Sir Ian McKellen. I've loved him since Richard III. I can't wait to see this.

They even have an online graphic novel. You know that I'm all over that!

Traffic - Dear Mr. Fantasy

This was playing at end of the FRINGE episode "Night of Desirable Objects". Doesn't sound spooky now, but in the episode it had an eerie feeling. Hmmm, freaky. I could also see this playing in an episode of SUPERNATURAL. Looks like I have another song to add to my writing soundtrack and to learn on guitar.

On a completely different note, the guy playing the bongos looks really cool. I totally want that hat!

NaNoWriMo 2009!

NaNoWriMo 2009 is about to begin. I'm trying to get prepped for that now. There's a workshop at RomanceDivas that's about plotting to write the proposal. I'm trying to think of a new story through that to use for NaNo. This would probably be easier if I was doing my daily short stories.

Busy Drawing Away

I didn't forget my resolution to draw something everyday. I also wanted to start participating in Spartan Camp at ConceptArt.org. So here are a few of my drawings and doodles. I'm trying to make sure that I use up my notebooks COMPLETELY before I move on to a new one, so some of the picutres overlap a little.