do you do anything creative in your spare time?

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like, do you really use those hours (and the hours really build up when you think about the amount of time spent picking your fingernails, reading a badly written newspaper article for the sake of it, staring blankly at a telly, or just staring blankly) to write, paint, draw, invent stuff, design and build things, develop theories that may change anything etc - in other words to answer your calling in life (i'm sure we've all got one...)?

― jayne (jayne), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 08:28 (twenty-three years ago)

firstly, i guess this question assumes you have, or make spare time to either do something, or feel frustrasted at the prospect of getting blocked creatively... hmmm.

i've had a partially painted canvas staring at me for way too long. it's horrible. anyone relate?

― jayne (jayne), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 08:33 (twenty-three years ago)

Um, kind of. I've got 70 triangular pieces of 1cm thick perspex that have been staring at me for far too long, in a yearning-to-be-made-into-a-pillar-for-my-phone kind of a way. I think they'll be there for a while yet. I haven't told them, though.

― lol p xx, Tuesday, 15 October 2002 08:45 (twenty-three years ago)

I paint pictures.

I used to record songs, but I haven't done that so much lately.

― jel -- (jel), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 09:15 (twenty-three years ago)

Well I TRY to write, but I'm going through a ridiculous and embarassing and profoundly frustrating writer's block that makes me feel like one of those people who can't put their feelings into words, a/k/a "non-writers." And I KNOW how I feel; it just eludes me whenever I fire up MS Word and attempt to think up a snappy lede (or anything beyond a snappy lede).

― Jody Beth Rosen, Tuesday, 15 October 2002 09:25 (twenty-three years ago)

I write. More often I berate myself for NOT writing, of course. But I'm getting bored of this tyranny - fuck it, I will write when the mood/muse strikes and the rest of time I will watch TV guilt-free. It's the future.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 09:26 (twenty-three years ago)

I am making a bag out of bits of aubergine corduroy and dusky pink knitted panels. It was meant to be done before Mum's birthday, but then telly got good (especially Wednesday evenings - Life Laundry, What Not To Wear, Hot Lesbian Action...) When I have eventually got around to finishing the bag, I will scour charity shops for good fabric and make much simpler drawstring back packs out of them and attempt to flog them for extra cash.

― Madchen, Tuesday, 15 October 2002 10:21 (twenty-three years ago)

i write.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 10:27 (twenty-three years ago)

I write too. Not as much as I used to, but I am attempting to write more since getting my blog.

― Chriddof (Chriddof), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 10:45 (twenty-three years ago)

I write, I paint, and I sing in a bar band.

― luna.c (luna.c), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 10:59 (twenty-three years ago)

wow you guys are doing better than me - well, except for the aubergine and dusky pink bag for mum - that's more on par with me actually...

OK - so when you guys say you write... jody beth, archel, julio, chriddof and luna - do you have a specific project that you give yourself a deadline for, or maybe meanderings that comprise a bigger project to be read by an audience one day?? like, is it diary style, or creative - are you guys wanting/willing to publish any of it somewhere - on ilx perhaps??? (now there's a dare - to inspire...)

― jayne (jayne), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 11:17 (twenty-three years ago)

I make clothes. Well, I fix clothes or alter existing clothes to make new clothes that I like more and wear

― Sofa King Alternative (Sofa King Alternative), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 11:18 (twenty-three years ago)

i procrastinate on a message board populated by jim-jims and the sexually repressed

― sean g, Tuesday, 15 October 2002 12:05 (twenty-three years ago)

skateboarding. don't laugh, it's a skill. better than tv, i guess. i used to try to write, but i stopped deluding myself now. i'm in a band, i released a 7" single, i remix eminem in all kinds of different ways. i used to have a blog, but i killed it (because i am pure evil).

― g-kit (g-kit), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 12:43 (twenty-three years ago)

so what does everyone write? p'haps i am a bit flaubert but i can't imagine writing recreationally

― bob zemko (bob), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 12:48 (twenty-three years ago)

wow you guys are doing better than me - well, except for the aubergine and dusky pink bag

Hey - don't diss Madchen's bag.

― N. (nickdastoor), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 12:51 (twenty-three years ago)

I write poetry. Nothing 'recreational' about it to my mind, though it's not exactly my main job either. I do send things off to magazines and competitions with intermittent success, and I'm now taking a class as well to keep me motivated. I used to do readings, open mics, slams etc but not so much now with my Day Job getting in the way. I am < plug > reading next Tuesday in Brighton though if anyone wants to come < /plug >...

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 13:00 (twenty-three years ago)

I'm a professional chorister on the side.

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 13:10 (twenty-three years ago)

i do silly little projects with photoshop and read.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 13:46 (twenty-three years ago)

bob - i used to write on my own weblog & the diskant weblog, and write DVD reviews, also for diskant.

― g-kit (g-kit), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 13:52 (twenty-three years ago)

I make playable reproductions of real pinball tables...
http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0NgAAAJQTLg5LGekm6gw*uwRzUQDMuFO*f*NMU3P5n0sgvve54bgR7IEk4F5Sgu7dsx90jF8yCenAchoeZh3p!A/MAss.jpg

And grow things. Well they grow themselves, I just nurture them.

― Simeon (Simeon), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 13:56 (twenty-three years ago)

Writing, among other things.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 14:39 (twenty-three years ago)

I come up with ever more elaborate ways to annoatate the weekly cinema timetable flyer.

― Graham (graham), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 14:49 (twenty-three years ago)

''so what does everyone write? p'haps i am a bit flaubert but i can't imagine writing recreationally''

music reviews.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 15:10 (twenty-three years ago)

I write short stories, abysmal poetry, have been working on a novel for a couple years now, and am writing a travel guide to New Orleans (does the world need another? apparently my editor thinks so). Whee.

― luna (luna.c), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 15:25 (twenty-three years ago)

masturbation. suicidal thoughts.

― jess (dubplatestyle), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 15:30 (twenty-three years ago)

sometimes i write, but it's barely enough to really count as filling up my spare time. i write probably a maximum of a paragraph per week.

i want to go to archel's reading.

i want a madchen bag!

― mandee, Tuesday, 15 October 2002 15:36 (twenty-three years ago)

i write about music, too, but i make that for a living, so that's not my spare time...
i'm in a band, but it's like that unfinished canvas: three years and we have only played live once, and recorded two songs. i could say we are perfectionists, but the sad truth is that whenever we don't feel inspired enough (most of the times) we rather go have dinner together and leave rehearsal for next week. it takes work apart from inspiration...

― joan vich (joan vich), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 17:08 (twenty-three years ago)

I gave up on creativity ages ago. I'm rubbish at it, unfortunately.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 17:43 (twenty-three years ago)

i write, but only for my own sake - to get it out of my head.
i stare blankly a lot im afraid. well, i look blank im sure but i AM thinking profound thoughts hahaha.
i also have a large canvas ( 5' / 3' ) that has now been named 'snowstorm' since it has been propped up in a room for almost 7 years, untouched by a drop of paint.
i read, make stuff for my son, but could in no way state that my spare time is fully utilised in creative ways.

― donna (donna), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 20:16 (twenty-three years ago)

I don't do much that's creative because almost every writing idea I get is channeled into "how can I turn this into a college application essay?" I'm a terrible writer and often give up on my stories, so I find it easier to just write about myself anyhow, but it's still a bit icky.

― Maria (Maria), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 20:26 (twenty-three years ago)

I try to write but I can't, so instead I draw up paperback covers of made-up titles and made-up authors on my ill-tempered MS Publishing and then wonder if the story would be any good. I recently bought 4 big canvases and am having a go at them. Though not in a fite sense. Yet. Seem to go through phases of creativity. Am out of one now :(

― stevie mitch, Tuesday, 15 October 2002 20:53 (twenty-three years ago)

N: not dissing madchen's bag... just commenting that, like me, it didn't get done on time (for mum) - i'd love a bag like madchen's, and am now inspired to go through all my fabric scraps to make one for me.

― jayne (jayne), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 22:25 (twenty-three years ago)

you're assuming I HAVE any spare time

― M Matos (M Matos), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 22:52 (twenty-three years ago)

I make jewelry - mostly beaded things. Painting, computer art. Maybe even some interior design if I'm feeling super-energetic.

― Kim (Kim), Tuesday, 15 October 2002 23:26 (twenty-three years ago)

you're assuming I HAVE any spare time

Just remember, M. -- Kenny Loggins, cult leader.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 16 October 2002 00:14 (twenty-three years ago)

I keep a list by my bed that if i ever become bored i look at.
It contains a few creative activites:
read
Japanese, Russian, Swedish, or French
write
music
paint
animation / video
comics / sketch
guitar, drums, piano - classical compositions
work out, swim, rock wall
study

I also doodle, fold paper, build machines(sculptures), poetry, etc.

― A Nairn (moretap), Wednesday, 16 October 2002 00:38 (twenty-three years ago)

A are you suggesting that just looking at your list suffices for creative activity? I am intrigued

― Josh (Josh), Wednesday, 16 October 2002 02:15 (twenty-three years ago)

I used to try to do stuff but I realised I was crap at everything so I stopped and now I just stare vacantly into computer games so geeky they don't even have graphics (I'm not even any good at those but at least I can hack the save files) and tsk at emails not appearing in the folders I want emails to appear in and never actually reply to any email because that would be dangerously close to creativity.

I keep thinking that I know (er, well, *of*) all these people/bands making great music and they're not getting enough attention so I should start a webzine and then I remember I can't write about music. Sigh. If I kept trying would I become less rubbish? I suppose since I've spent four years thinking about little else except music and got myself into embarrassing situations by offering to write about it and then realising I couldn't far too many times already I should just give up.

(PS preempting possible but maybe unlikely responses along the lines of "so point the stuff at [writer on ILX]": yes, there are people who can write here, obviously, but nobody else here would like them anyway and it's probably more a futile last-ditch attempt to scream "look, world, I might be cool and interesting really, if only vicariously leeched coolness from people I met online once" rather than any actual passion or anything and god I hate psychoanalysing myself because I always turn out to be even more rubbish in an even more disgusting way than I'd already noticed. Tchah.)

― Rebecca (reb), Wednesday, 16 October 2002 03:22 (twenty-three years ago)

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