I have no time so I’m writing a play.
by jenthorn
Did I just say TOO MUCh time?
Yeah, time is a killer. I am here to dispel the myth that creative people are people who have the time to pursue their creative desires, as opposed to people with “real jobs” who therefore have no time follow their whims. The truth is that the most creative people I know are productive BECAUSE they are too busy and that constant stream of mental stimulation, caffeine, stress, creative companionship, lack of sleep and of course lack of time is exactly what makes them so creative. Most of them work several jobs for which they may or may not be paid, many care for families (or in some cases hungry foreign exchange students) and then in the time they don’t have…they are brilliant.
I tell people I do theatre and they say “that must be fun”. I think I know what they mean. They mean “your lucky you have fun all day and don’t have to work…wish I could”. I am here to tell you people that I am currently sleeping in two hour chunks for a grand total of about 4 hours a night, raising a new born, running a theatre company with handful of amazing artists for which I am the Marketing Director, Associate Artistic Director, an actress, a director, the graphic designer and head of casting, I work at a local radio station during their campaign drives, I do freelance marketing for friends and family and I am training for a bike race… so I think it’s time for me to write a play. That seems to be how the amazing women around me have hit their creative strokes of brilliance.
I can’t help it. This idea came to me while I was pregnant but I was on maternity leave and had too much time so now that I am back at work AND being a full time mom, I have begun to write. Tuesday I wrote in a coffee shop while my daughter played, mostly naked, on a blanket (she had pooped through all the clothes I brought her). I know that the play I am writing will be better for her smelly input 🙂
What new inspiration are you pursuing that you have no time for? What long list of “must do’s” are you adding it to? Let me revel in your brave choice to release your voice. Really…DISH IT!
I thought you might enjoy a peek at my creative work station. A faux leather cube in my living room with my laptop on top, surrounded by blankets, spit up covered clothes from this morning, emergency baby wipes…my sweat pants are a great uniform…note my shoes kicked off in the upper left corner of the frame. If I am going to write a play I won’t have the time to put those away anymore. Sorry hubby 🙂
MOXIE blog 
I love this post. I have this vision of you absorbed in your writing, casually bouncing Penny in one arm and absentmindedly wiping spit up off the screen every now and again. Love-it.
It so happens I have a gazillian “to-do’s.” I used to write them down, but it got a little out of hand, so now I have a gigantic mental to-do scroll floating around in my brain somewhere.
Here are some of the things I’m working on or want to start working on, in no particular order:
Learning how to:
Make bread without a bread machine.
Throw pottery.
Make chocolate (like from the bean to the truffle).
Play blues guitar.
Play drums.
Shoot a bow and arrow.
I want to study horticulture.
I’m developing a restaurant menu.
Writing a new play.
Getting better at the piano.
Working on a new painting series.
Studying herbology.
I want to hike El Camino de Santiago de Compostela.
Uh oh! Now it’s down in writing for all the world to see! Better get crackin’!
xo
You never cease to impress me, Jen. And Amy, what a list!
I’ve been thinking about exactly this issue over the last couple of weeks as I found myself repeatedly complaining that I was overwhelmed by my work. This is, just as you say, a clue that I’ve had too much time on my hands! I hate prep week, because you bear the weight of the upcoming show, but don’t actually have the release of working on it. Too much time to create circles of thought and not enough time spent in action! This is a perfect opportunity for me to make a pledge to have a really kick ass autumn.
This fall I will
direct,
write,
and parent.
And I will keep myself motivated and engaged with these, my “real” jobs, by committing to the following:
take Milo to Spain and maybe Morocco
make my dream of junkcity.etsy.com a reality
continue studying and writing about the social context of gender and gendered emotion, even though my most loved ones might be tired of hearing about it
volunteer at least one day for Planned Parenthood or NARAL
finish Obama’s books, both of them, and then volunteer at least one day for his campaign
remember to donate my $25 a month in a way that makes me feel active and empowered
lay at least the first stroke of paint on that prepped canvas that has been in the garage for more than a year
give Rhubarb a touch up and send it out on the contest circuit
leave at least one ‘hope note’ for hopeREVO
work on becoming a really good production manager and artistic associate for MOXIE
I think I’ll print this and put it on the fridge.
Woo! That’s what I call fun. Thanks, Jen!
I have no time, so I am planning to:
Learn to cook
Take naps during the day
Read the things I am actually suppose to read
Research Kansas
Read to the kids
Sight-see in San Diego without visitors
Learn how to actually download music
Knit socks
Exercise
Paint
Finish the home office before the end of MOXIE’s 4th season
grow a plant
Ah, leave it to you bunch of goddesses to remind me to smile, breathe and take myself less seriously. Damn I’m lucky to know you! This was the perfect topper to an inspiring weekend of good conversation and creativity tucked between items on my to-do list.
This year, I am planning to
keep a diary chronicling my adventures running Chez Copley (aka Bohemia off Kansas)
challenge my cooking comfort zone
learn to do a proper handstand
actually use the jacuzzi bathtub in my bathroom
go out on at least one date a month
hang out with my godchildren
I love it when a challenge appears just when you need it.
I’ve always been a list maker, a planner, but always in the small, day to day sense. I don’t think I have ever made a “things to do” this year list. This blog reminds me of an art project I did with my mom earlier in the week. She decided that I needed to send some positive requests into the universe, so we made collages. We went through magazines and found pictures of things that we wanted in our lives. Although in the end, comparing the two collages was probably the most eye opening and interesting aspect of the project. My mom had more material, actual objects on her collage, the house she wants to remodel, the school she wants to build, and the places she wants to go. In contrast my collage had no tangible objects and was filled with emotions, inspirations, and affirmations. It then makes me think about the wants in my life and the best way in which I can keep my life moving, and most importantly growing.
Reading this blog today inspired and challenged me to makes these requests. Maybe in making a list of actual things to do, I will eventually bring the things in my collage to life. So here goes:
continue practicing yoga, update my website, photograph for pleasure, read when it isn’t bed time, visit San Francisco and Philadelphia, dance, organize my computer files (which may not sound like fun, but is something that makes me happy), visit with Grandy and hear her story. That’s all I can come up with now, but it’s definitely something to continue contemplating.
Thanks Jen and Moxie Girls for the inspiration!
Play Bookmarks…
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