Sunday, June 15, 2014

Making Lists


I believe this image (from here) of Andy and Sam in Rookie Blue is from season two, but I like the way Andy looks like she is not quite sure if Sam is right -- in the scene, or for her at all. In last week's episode, now season five, her friend Traci asked if Andy and Sam were back together, and Andy replied that she was making lists. Lists of pros and cons, trying to make the list justify what her heart wants, which is Sam.

In a completely different context, I realized that I have been using lists in a similar way, to try to impose some left-brain order on the right-brain chaos that is my creative life. Just one day before this show I wrote a detailed "project plan" that would get all the quilts that are promised to others finished by the end of the year. In my corporate life developing new products and services I never missed a single deadline, and I was known for keeping my eye on the ball. Sometimes it's hard to understand why I cannot seem to meet a creative deadline to save my life. But recently I've been remembering that it was like this in school too. Problem sets -- on time. Essays -- consistently late, but usually worth the wait.

So, I give up.

Goodbye project plan, goodbye UFO lists (again). The heart wants what the heart wants. You'll be seeing lots of new projects over the next few weeks. Let's see what happens when I let my intuition drive for a while. :)

10 comments:

  1. Bravo Monica. I think that we all struggle to find the best way to deal with self imposed deadlines. I am a serious list maker; have been for a very long time, and find that's the way I make progress. However, it does stifle experimentation and playtime. I can't seem to free myself from the old Protestant work ethic and self imposed guilt. Oy vey! Good for you for breaking free!

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    1. LOL, a good Protestant "oy vey!"

      Thank you for the support. Eventually I had to realize that the lists were just not working. Time to try something else!

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  2. I look forward to seeing your new projects! Our quilting is suppose to be a fun and an enjoyable pastime, not a 'job' to be accomplished. With that said I have set a goal for myself this year to make quilts for my 4 grown children for Christmas this year!

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  3. Lists? What are those? I make what I like, when I like. Interspersed with my "fun, just for me" projects are those projects that are made for others and have a completion deadline. Right now I have two baby quilts, a Quilt of Valor, and a college dorm quilt to make. They will get done more or less when they are needed. I turned down my guild's request to head up the 2017 raffle quilt. Sounds like there is plenty of time, but the top needs to be ready to be displayed alongside the 2015 raffle quilt in March 2015.

    I think you are sensible to eschew imposed deadlines. We had plenty of those when we worked for others!

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  4. I have to check local listings and see if Rookie Blue is on again here. I like the series, too.

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  5. I love my lists, but sometimes I just close my eyes and try to imagine what I really want to work on. That's usually when I do something crazy impulsive and start one of my best quilts ever. At least that's what I tell myself! lol

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  6. I have so many lists, projects for 2014, maybe projects for 2014,other projects, and then all the things I have downloaded from craftsy and other blogs, not to mention what I would like to try from the hundreds of books I have, no wonder confusion sets in and have not a clue what I am supposed to be doing!

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  7. I don't make lists for my sewing and embroidery projects for the simple reason that it is a hobby. I made lists when I worked so I could make my deadlines, and I make them for shopping and household chores, because I consider that work, albeit not paid work. Sometimes I imagine self imposed deadlines for hobbies can be useful, but I haven't come across one lately. I think my last one was to finish items for my daughter's wedding, and that's been ten years now. So let's see what your intuition brings! and happy stitching!

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  8. I'm with Cynthia with this. I'm a list maker from way back - but only for ' work' or managing my life. I have never made a list for my stitching projects. They have a kind of organic flow or inbuilt pull that works for me.

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    1. Thanks, Jillian, that's quite helpful to know, since you are such a good finisher of projects! I like that word "organic." I may start using it as a bit of a slogan. :D

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