That Project – Into March, Now

On By Mick CanningIn Painting, poetry, project, Work in progress, writing

February’s project was to finish the final draft of A Good Place. As you may have gathered from my last update post, this wasn’t going too well. By the end of the month, though, I had virtually achieved my aim. I’d chucked out some stuff that wasn’t working, rehashed what was left, and inserted a couple of ideas. It works, but I feel somewhat flat. As I said in that earlier post, it’s just not a story I feel particularly strongly about. If I hadn’t invested so much time in it by now, I’d just scrap it and be done with.

Actually, it’s possible I will do that eventually. I’ve put it aside and I don’t intend to look at it again for ages. Possibly not until next year. But March, I said, would be a month of painting and drawing. So what have I been doing? I’ve been writing poems.

Yes, writing poems. But before you all start jeering at me, hear me out. Our spare room is full of books and papers and God only knows what else. Bags and boxes of stuff that need sorting. To get it into some sort of order we need to get a new, large, set of shelves. But to make the most of the space we also needed to get rid of an old computer desk and a cupboard. That we’ve done, but that involved emptying said desk and cupboard, so even more stuff is piled on the floor and any other available surface.

So where on earth can you paint or draw?

Precisely! You see the problem! So, for the time being, change of plan. This month I’m fiddling around with some poems instead – you may have seen one effort on here last post – and leaving the painting for now.

Next month, then?

Um…not necessarily. I do have other plans for April. I’ll let you know what they are later.

16 thoughts on “That Project – Into March, Now”

  2. I understand exactly where you’re coming from, Mick. It takes me ages to get a piece of writing how I want it to be. I fiddle around with it endlessly before I’m happy with it. And, if I’m not happy, I do tend to scrap it and I’m then quite critical of myself for doing so. I’ve also got lots of pieces I’ve written that are, in my eyes, ‘not good enough’. I have to say that I’m glad you’re writing poems at the moment as I really enjoy these.

    I can also empathise with you completely about having a spare room like that although I don’t attempt to paint or draw in mine mainly because I can’t – paint or draw, that is! Is the black and white photo in your post one of yours? I do like it. Sometimes, black and white or grey images express more than a colour picture. I can’t tell how similar my spare/junk room is to yours. I have the old computer desk, the old wardrobe plus an old tatty chest of drawers too. That’s to say nothing of all the piles and heaps of ‘stuff’ piled onto surfaces and the floor. I despair of ever getting in sorted out! I guess I might one day … in the future … perhaps.

    P.S. I’m feeling a lot better and more positive today despite the awful war that’s raging. I’m having another day off from the news today – there’s plenty of time to catch up with the grim reality of it tomorrow. I’ve also written a much more lighthearted piece which I’ll post on my blog after I’ve had my lunch. AND I will go and get a box of photos after that and start going through them. Thank you so much for spurring me on and encouraging me yesterday. It’s much appreciated. Ellie X 🙂

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    1. Hi Ellie. Yes, that drawing’s one of mine. I like charcoal for much the same reason I like pastels – nice and messy to paint with!

      Glad you’re feeling more positive. Perhaps that has something to do with making the decision to begin going through a box of photographs – coming to a decision is a good way of feeling good, of course. I’m glad you’re going to start looking at them, and I’m sure you’ll be glad you did. Probably a rather sad job, but I would imagine it will be ultimately satisfying.

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  6. Constant sorting and planning, then replanning and sorting some more. Sounds like life Mick. You’ve got so many interesting hobbies that you will always be busy and you can get around to that sorting out next month (or the month after that).

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    1. Probably too many, Jonno. They get neglected and then I feel compelled to do something I perhaps really don’t want to at the time. Then I don’t manage to find enough time to finish things properly.

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