Vol II: #6 The Cliche But Real, Dog Days of Summer
Historically, this time of year, late July through August, is my least favorite part of the year. The weather is hot and dusty, and friends are off on vacation. Additionally, this part of summer lacks a holiday or noteworthy event. I feel like I’m sitting in a warm airplane, sweat on my back, circling the runway. And, it’ll be another six weeks before we land. It’s a perfect test of the mental and emotional health I have developed since last summer. What will I do to pass the time? It’s a gift, after all. What if I meet my wife in the next few months? I’ll look back at this time as the last true alone time of my life. I want it to count for something.
I see a trap in my thinking and have the wisdom to sidestep it. What I do not want to do is set some hardcore goals as a means to judge the coming weeks. I do have a few targets in my mind, but they mostly involve showing up to the tasks, not the quality of the work. (Quality comes after we decide to do a thing. I’m still in the “I need to do this every day” phase in some areas.)
My blog remains a constant encouragement and source of inspiration. I’m thrilled I completed my first goal, as well as to the changes I made to my writing schedule for year two. I can see the progress when I read back through older posts. I know I need to take the same approach to my artistic endeavors. Today isn’t about being a master artist, but I can take one step closer. Same for tomorrow.
I write about this process to remind myself of what I need to do. It’s still a mental battle to put my pencil to the sketch paper. Once I do, I’m ready to proceed. But, on some days, it’s hard to get there. I am happy to see where I am as a writer, and I whisper to myself, “where will you be in a year if you draw every day for a year?” My lips form a smile and betray the answer of my heart, “I’ll be 10x the artist I am today, on my way to where I want to be.”
What’s left of the Dog Days of Summer is my opportunity to establish my artistic practice. I don’t have the distraction of a heavy social calendar or career demands. Art is important to me, to my life. When I start dating that woman it’s something I want her to know and experience. To date, I have not done a proper job communicating or showing as much. Now is my chance to set the tone for the rest of my life.
