As I keep saying, I’ve been using a practice, “The Log Book of Doings,” as recognition of daily creative accomplishments and motivation to keep going in the various facets of my work.
These weekly roundups are an experimental extension of the Log Book of Doings. It’s useful to me to tally up the week’s efforts, to see it all in one black-and-white rundown, organized.
The weekly roundup highlights where I placed focus. It keeps me from misplacing in my memory the value of my week’s work (accomplishment). It energizes me to keep on with my neverending list of ideas and explorations (motivation).
I allowed a lot more spaciousness this past week. I did not publish as much on the blog or record, edit and release as many podcast episodes as I had some weeks ago.
I’ve felt a bit tired, mentally and emotionally. Maybe that’s the natural ebb and flow of these creative practices, just like I am accustomed to in trail running, for example. Build, build, build, ease back. Allow rest days along the way. And dive back in, energized and ready to rock.
Maybe I even need to consider a full week without self-pressure and shoulding myself to do things, do more, do something. It’s not restful if we nag ourselves the whole time with shoulds and that doubting internal voice instead of letting the needed rest happen.
Here was this week’s go:
WRITING & PUBLISHING
Twelve journaling sessions, and four of them were double-length or longer.
Wrote and published three blog posts, including this one, with a total of 1,300+ words.
‘San Agustinillo,’ the Not Quite Forgotten Chapbook, 2/16/23
“I still am not there with that work, three years after I set it aside. But I have come to this place of reason within myself: It’s okay.”
“Husks,” A Poem from the Trail, 2/16/23
“As I’ve written before, in “What Sets a Poem in Motion,” poetry often starts flowing in my mind when I’m present and open to it. It doesn’t take much to set it off.”
Artwork by Adam Williams
PODCAST
I edited and released one new solo episode on the Humanitou podcast. I wrote and published an episode description and show notes on the Humanitou website:
Ep 136: The Fight (15:57)
For the We Are Chaffee: Looking Upstream podcast:
- I finished preparing show notes and all things for the airing of my conversation with “walking artist” Jonathon Stalls this coming Tuesday on KHEN 106.9 FM in Salida, Colo., and for podcast release and publication at wearechaffee.org.
- I had a pre-podcast conversation with the guest I will be recording with this Tuesday, Andrea Carlstrom. And I readied my list of questions and prompts for recording that conversation to come.
- I played back my conversation with Lenny and Amy Eckstein, and wrote, recorded and edited the intro and outro segments that will accompany the convo when it airs (starting 3/7/23)
Researching opportunities, such as podcast networks, for the Humanitou podcast.
VISUAL ART WORK
- Made a Valentine’s Day art gift for my wife, Becca
- Created one new abstract artwork in Procreate to accompany this blog post
- Curated two photographs from my archives to accompany two blog posts
- Sold both artworks at the silent auction held by the Salida (Colo.) Chamber of Commerce
- Prepped materials for upcoming art show at the Kinder Padon Gallery in Crested Butte, Colo.
- Published an “abstract scrawl” artwork of mine on Instagram
EXERCISE & MINDFULNESS
- One bouldering session at the climbing gym, with my sons
- Three creek walks alone (total 110 minutes)
- Four meditation sessions, three of them creekside
LEARNING & INSPIRATION
- Watched videos as research for enhancing portrait photography skills
- Listened to the Rob Riggle episode of the Literally podcast with Rob Lowe
- Listened to Timothy Goodman episode of the Good Life Project podcast
- Finished listening to the Wayne Brady episode of WTF with Marc Maron
- Started listening to the Vienna Pharaon episode of Good Life Project
- Continued reading “Falling Upward,” by Richard Rohr
RELATED OTHER
- Attempted a morning of snowboarding, but was sidelined by hours of snowy driving and 4WD malfunctions in my truck. 3½ hours of snowy, somewhat treacherous mountain driving and 0 runs down any mountains on my snowboard.
- Got my truck’s 4WD fixed
