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| I am enjoying the heck out of the new “Loki” series currently running on Disney+ — The writers are focusing on his character as a Lord of Misrule, a “mischievous scamp,” more than a generic blood-thirsty-would-be-tyrant-of-the-universe. At one point, the bureaucrat Mobius who has captured Loki, asks him what he wants, what he’d do if released, what a Big Picture Win looks like. Loki wants to rule all of Midgard (Earth) to which Mobius replies, Ok then you’d be happy? Loki’s vision undergoes a bit of scope creep as he imagines larger and larger conquests before he has self-realization. (Spoilers omitted) From his actions at least in the first two episodes, Loki really just likes to thumb his nose at authority and mess up the clear boundaries of any power structure. And since it’s my birthday month, I’m reminded to review my own Big Picture Win, my own Plan for World Domination, so to speak. It’s hard to get what you’ve always wanted if you’re not entirely clear about exactly what you’ve always wanted. Come to find out, my Big Picture Win doesn’t really resemble World Domination very much at all. I’m told that, astrologically, I am a Gemini with a Gemini Rising, and I’m further told that it means I like to talk with people. (A trait I evidently share with Loki) My “Gemininity” is a fun metaphor that I more or less embrace, except on those dark depressive times when I want to hide under my pillows — I am an intermittent extrovert at best. Success in my art and maybe generally in my life resembles the opportunity for good conversations. Granted, I have a pretty darned nice “job” that at a specific certain point I claimed as a “career.” I get a living wage, health care, even a modest pension (!), reasonable and rewarding working conditions. I used to beat myself up using that Steve Jobs commencement quotation about finding a career you love… until I woke up and read it backwards: I chose to LOVE the job I had and I turned it into a career. I work at an alternative high school and I’ve grown to care passionately about the loveable troubled misfit students we serve. The steady paycheck is a privilege and the meaningful work is just a blessing added on top. And I have had a vocation, a calling, to tell stories since I was a child. My bread-work gig funds my vocation. Success at this vocation means getting to keep making meaningful work AND verbally processing that work with others. I do not want to minimize the “infinite game” aspect of success. Are you familiar with the idea of “finite” and “infinite” games? Finite games have a specific end and frequently a particular winner. One usually plays a finite game in order to “win.” An infinite game has no pre-defined end, no final victory conditions. Like a game of catch with a loving parent, an infinite game gives satisfaction on and on. Like that game of catch, I want to keep making and interacting creatively with this Cosmos for as long as possible. What this looks like on a daily basis is some time spent in the Workshop, some time in the Studio, some time spent reflecting. The proportions change from day to day, and this pattern is my ideal infinite game. And “because” I’m a Gemini (LOL) success also means better conversations. I want to know people I can call when I am having a specific problem, or who I can share the word with when I hear about a call for art or who I can bounce a particularly “creative” idea off without judgment and with the possibility of a productive game of catch breaking out. I want a Tribe, a chatty, noisy, sometimes brooding and introspective group of folks who “get” what I’m doing. They need not be makers, they could be “fans.” I do NOT need their money due to my breadwork gig… and I realize that in this culture we symbolize ALL value in terms of money, even when we think we’re not. What does this look like? — I had a piece in a small gallery show a couple years ago. My work had sold even before I arrived on opening night, which is a definite win… and the HIGHLIGHT of the night was getting to chat with the other artists. Sometimes small talk, sometimes about process, sometimes about the bigger horizons of engaging the tragic and glorious culture of Detroit and what’s “art” for anyway… – I wrote a book of “marriage poems” with my partner that was published a few years back by a cool small press. A passion project. At a writer’s convention, on the basis of this book, we were invited to a room party for other authors published on this press. IT WAS A BLAST. There were literal rockstars in the room (who were also poets) and novelists and anthologists and the conversation was easy and nourishing and fun. (OK so it was also a little bit like getting asked to sit at the “cool kids’ table” in the high school lunchroom, I won’t lie LOL) I do NOT want to have conversations ONLY about how to MAKE the art; I want to talk about what it means. I wan to make those kinds of big picture conversations easy. Once upon a time, I was a nerdy kid who would wait after rock shows to talk with the band… and all I could think to talk about were stupid things like what kind of strings they used. I think I really wanted to connect and ask “How did you believe in yourself enough to step onstage? If you could write a song about ANYTHING what would it be? Have you ever had a song that just got away from you or that went wrong and what did you do?..” One of my FAVORITE movies is “Children of Men” and aside from the visual storytelling and bleakly inspirational theme, on the DVD the VERY FIRST bonus feature is a documentary where important thinkers discuss the TOPIC of the movie as if what the movie is ABOUT might actually be important. Sure there are behind-the-scenes featurettes too but I just loved the sense that the meaning of the work is more than the technique and tricks of making the work. So that’s my Big Picture and I’m glad you’ve signed up to accompany me along the way. My creative work succeeds best when I can connect with the people that IT connects with. |
| WHAT’S YOUR BIG PICTURE WIN? Does it actually involve World Domination?Think about it. Write it down maybe. Making it clearer will make it more possible. It’s OK if the first few drafts come out as what you want to avoid. Just try to turn it around to what you want. Positive statements are best! Imagine pulling up to the drive-in window at the Qwikee Burger and saying “I don’t want fried chicken and I don’t want a brand new hat. And I don’t want a hole in my roof and I don’t want unexpected heartache…” It’ll be a LOT easier to get what you’ve always wanted if you’ve got a positive vision of it. Visions change lives. |
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| Blue Mama Sticker |
| The special BIRTHDAY celebrations continue in this edition of the newsletter and that means GIFTS! I was delighted and encouraged by all the folks who replied and requested the free artworks I listed in last two week’s Mercredi Express editions. Most are claimed HOWEVER this week I’m giving out merch with my “Blue Mama” tiny goddess painting. She’s kind of my muse and I wrote about her in this previous newsletter. (https://www.jamesfrederickleach.com/2021/03/24/losing-my-head/) I have her likeness printed on magnets (I’ve got one on my fridge) and on stickers (I’ve got one on my phone case.) Want one? Send me a private email telling me if you’d prefer a magnet or a sticker AND your mailing address. I had wanted to run this give-away through my on-line store but I couldn’t figure out a way to “sell” things for free. (Obligatory Link Here) And in the spirit of birthday giving, feel free to GIVE this newsletter away to someone you think might dig it. And if you have received such a forwarded message, consider joining us with this subscription link: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/jX0Ddba It’s my once-a-week reflection on what it’s like being creative during the past week, designed to help you spot more resources and opportunities you may have overlooked. You in? |