4. What Am I Doing? (Actions Data)

May 26, 2019

I recently created symbols for the actions in my daily life. I used sketching as a warm up to think about symbol ideas and assigned random colors for each one. Lupi & Posavec call this the "legend" in which recipients can understand what the design elements mean. It starts with a question and mine this week is: What Am I Doing?

For five days this past week I counted what I was doing. I couldn't help but notice some patterns with areas that were excessive and thought about how those areas might be taking time away from other things I could be doing. I wanted to think about my emotions but I held back to stick with my commitment to the process per Gude's (2006) suggestions.

Sunday through Thursday I counted and then measured on Friday. I did as Lupi & Posavec suggested and spent some time with my data after I gathered it. On Saturday I created my visual representation of my life data for the week.

Same as it ever was

I began working on this on my back porch. This is where I focus the most probably because it is as close as I can get to nature during busy times. As I started grabbing markers, my Dad texted me a link to Talking Heads "Once in a Lifetime" song after I sent him my recent blog image of my thick thoughts. There is a cheesy, bouncy feeling in the song that I liked and felt the lyrics and rhythm were what my mind needed after a week full of overflowing thoughts. I appreciated the water reference as it connects with my CreativeFlow program that I am developing for teenagers. (I'll post later with some info about that).

In reflecting on my art, I can definitely see a struggle and tension between the most excessive area being digital communication and one of the minimal areas which is nature. Considering the song I was listening to, it does have a feeling of talking leaf heads communicating or spewing very loudly back to technology.

See my Findings for this week here.

Next week I will be documenting my thoughts/emotions to the actions that I am doing and measuring them. "It is only by adding personal context that you get closer to real meaning" ~Lupi & Posavec

5. Categorizing & Communicating

May 26, 2019

Lupi & Posavec suggested categorizing data into groups to simplify it and find our story. I categorized my groups into three by dividing the largest number counted by 3. The groups are Excessive, Consistent & Minimal. I then broke down the Minimal group into 3 other categories: Need More Consistency, Appropriate & Need Even Less. The third are areas that I want to decrease the amount of time spent. Appropriate data I feel satisfied with the amount of time spent and finally, the areas that I want more consistency in. Those that I want more consistency in, I want to focus on more next week when recording thoughts/emotions of my actions.

Not having creative time or exercising is not good. I am traveling soon so that area will increase along with nature. Gude (2007) did state on areas of Attentive Living that "artists feel refreshed and creatively inspired by immersing themselves in nature" (p.10). I'm looking forward to discoveries in my research when those areas will increase.

I found it helpful to make a visual chart to organize my data. Breaking them down makes it easier to process and understand. I am looking forward to connecting my thoughts & emotions next week and hopeful it will help me gain deeper meanings into my life data and story.

Communicating My Story

Note: Under Consistent, 27 says "pet feeding" but it is actually "pet's outside". Whoops.

6. Setting the tone

May 26, 2019

Blogging is completely new to me and the idea at first was nerve-racking. The research I am doing is to make discoveries in my life and art using images and words. I've been thinking a lot about my research questions on what I can learn about myself and surroundings, how developing an artful lifestyle will provide enrichment in my life and art and the new art making ideas that will unfold from new discoveries.

The more I look at my research questions now, the more connected I feel to them than when I first wrote them. Forming and shaping are in motion.

To set the tone for next week by being more in the moment with thoughts/feelings in my actions, I came across a FaceBook post from author Butterflies and Pebbles. I follow her journey on Instagram as well and I admire her bravery for putting herself out there. The post today instantly resonated with where I am on my research journey.