(Click on the thumbnail to view larger image)Bear Valley business all day yesterday—no layout, no pictures, no editing—just the four hours of driving chews up a big chunk of the day. (Thank goodness we enjoy the drive and the opportunity to celebrate yet again the beauty of the landscape.) The day before, I got a minimum done on SoFoBoMo. That means today is a major catch-up day. Overall, I am inching my way along—putting photos in the layout and doing it, I’m afraid, in the most haphazard, unconventional manner—just winging it at this point, working with Pagemaker and taking advantage of the layout space around my pages and planning to shuffle things about as I go. I can't tell you how radical that is for me. With a project such as this one, my first language is planning. This is a big part of this exercise for me—letting go of old work habits and experimenting with new possibilities.
So far, I am hanging on to my determination to let go and just do it. I have officially given up regaining confidence in what I have to work with so far. The best part is that I can look at pictures I don’t much like anymore and accept them as where I was at the time, and each day I am moving forward. So far, I would have to say that the SoFoBoMo project has been one of my most favorite ever exercises. My purpose was to deal with exactly these issues.
Periodically, I have come perilously close to falling for the temptation to put the idea away and wait until I am better prepared, have better photos, get the layout just right, and on and on. I signed up to see if I could break some barriers and I am shattering them with glee.
In the meantime, the prodigies, Gordon M and Paul L have posted their beautiful books and they are truly inspiring. I will return to their sites for a boost of energy several times over the next few days, as I huff and puff toward the end—I suppose a little like those marathoners who shuffle across the finish line at the end looking bedraggled with feet dragging and glazed eyes.
Anita, I had to laugh when you said:
ReplyDelete"With a project such as this one, my first language is planning."
I'm on the opposite side of the spectrum. I don't like to plan and prefer, most times to wing it, with the exception of my financial life. There, I am a serious planner. :-)
When we go on vacation, we just have a destination, but no plans for what comes after we arrive. We figure it out when we get there. We have a friend who does lots of planning and organizing. The first couple of times that she and her husband came on vacation with us, we nearly drove her crazy because she didn't know what we were going to do, if anything.
Now, she loves to go with us because it's always relaxing and fun. No plans. I approached SoFoBoMo the same way. I didn't know where I'd end up until this morning, honestly. It was quite a surprise to me, too.
So, surprise yourself and see where you end up. You might just find out that you like jumping in the river and floating along, not knowing where it will lead ... which hopefully will not be over a waterfall! ;-)
I think I just blundered through. I'm often quite meticulous in planning tasks and scheduling things. For this it was reasonably easy.
ReplyDelete1/ Shoot some pictures.
2/ Make a book.
The devil is in the details :)
I also didn't let up long enough to start procrastinating. I think that might be a key for me. Don't stop long enough to realise I can stop any time I like.
Well, no wonder you finished early—you were working in your native tongue! That's points off your total, young man. Now on top of that you are scaring me with waterfalls. Yikes.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I can work happily with no plan at all, one photo at a time; but, a project such as this one normally calls for planning in my little world. Still, the ride is deliciously unpredictable, so far. Now, I can look forward to learning that I should repeat the experience, or that I had been headed for the edge of a precipice all along. Of course, it's especially nice knowing there will be witnesses. Riiiiiight.
Gordon, didn't see you "come in" while I ribbing Paul. Your point about procrastination resonates with me. I feed on momentum. The numerous interruptions dropped in my lap interrupted that thrust creating the space for questioning, and that was perhaps more significant than the time lost. On the other hand, the forced pauses have made me more conscious of the particular process I am using, and that probably will prove useful in the long term.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, you certainly got the details right.
Anita, a plunge over the waterfall can be invigorating, exciting, thrilling ... all of those things!
ReplyDeleteYou're right, I was speaking my language, "Wingese". :-) Nothing but fun, to be sure.
I'm all excited to see your work. I'm sure you're overstating the problems. My money's on it being a very nice production, one with which you'll be very happy.
Paul—oh, a fun harmless waterfall. I was picturing something less entertaining—something in the neighborhood of say, Niagara.
ReplyDeleteWhat? Me get excited and a bit hysterical over problems? Surely, Paul, you have me confused with someone else. Just because wingese is not my native tongue, it doesn't mean I fret a lot.
(Mutter, mutter. Darn, I hate it when someone catches me on that stuff. Mutter, mutter, mutter.)
By the way, I, also, am looking forward to seeing what this will look like in the end.