Friday 9 January 2015

BPS. OK - Blank Page Syndrome

Blank Page Syndrome. It's a thing you know. Of course, I don't expect the medical fraternity would recognise it, but I do. I know lots of you do. We talk about 'mojo' and 'inspiration' as a commodity, for we seem to acquire it and lose it.  Odd isn't it, when you think that really, creativity is something within us.  
Is it actually just being in the mood? 
At the beginning of the year (so much more eloquent than saying last week), my Facebook news feed featured quite a few 'motivational' quotes for the year ahead.  One cropped up several times -  "2015 is a journal filled with blank pages, it's up to you to write the story" - or words that meant that, at least. (Naturally, I can't find it now).
This prompted a friend to comment that she'd be really surprised if everyone who'd 'liked' or re-posted this image were to actually spend some/any time in 2015 writing in a Journal. So she and I had a little debate over the meaning.
She was really surprised that I thought it was a metaphor.  I was really surprised that she'd taken it literally. There was no argument, but I've thought about my reasons now, and for me, it was metaphorical - daydreamy stuff, telling me to get out into 2015 and make myself some stories to tell.

  • I had looked at the picture, smiled at the thought of all the great days that will make up my 2015 memories, relished my happy life and scrolled on.
And on that basis, this is why I didn't even think about taking it literally....
  • At this age, I know myself well enough to know that I rarely finish these sort of projects. It requires a discipline I simply do not have.
  • I'm a scrapbooker so will be recording the year in the 12 x 12 format.
  • I've tried Journal keeping and find myself writing in a very self conscious, contrived way, because you're meant to write something profound aren't you? Well OK, I know you aren't meant to, but that's how it feels to me.  
  • however happy I am with my life, it's not of daily interest to many. Any, really. Except me, and so a journal would be stultifying. 
  • The 'art' part of Journaling is fab. But not what I do. 

Here we are at the 9th of January 2015 and I haven't started any papercrafting this year.  I have no plans, no challenges, no kick-starter to go on.  I don't feel unmotivated, but I do have other things that I want to do first, and I am a one job at a time gal, for sure! The irony is that whilst I'm busy elsewhere and stealing five minutes now and then to tidy and de-clutter in my workspace, I'm having ideas and looking forward to playing with my stash and making some fresh, non seasonally dictated cards and a bit of scrap booking.  
And don't you just now that as soon as I make the time to do it, the empty desk, the tidied shelves, the tamed scraps box and the head full of ideas will stop speaking to me, the ideas will disappear in a whoosh and I shall be facing the eternal blank page.  I almost relish it though, it means I'll be ready.
Do you love my quilted book cover? Are you a bit jealous that I have a fab sister who designs and makes such lovely stuff?  Am I being overly smug?!

19 comments:

Donna Nuce said...

Love the quilted cover! I must get my quilt loving sister to make one like that (LOL)! It is hard to write in a journal for me but I love to write stories on my scrapbook pages. So that's where the stories get told!

Helen said...

I do love your quilted cover!! I can't write personal stuff on my journal pages, so some would say I don't "do" journalling - I only really enjoy messing about with paint and stuff in books.. but it does for me! Hope you find (make) the time to create soon, and you still know what you want to make... I am so with you on that one!!

misteejay said...

What a beautiful notebook cover - lucky you. My sister doesn't craft in any shape or form.
Hope the ideas stick around long enough for you to actually make some of them.
Happy crafting.
Toni xx

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

Your blog post truly SPOKE TO ME. I joined a group last year (and will continue this year) because I didn't realize it included the word JOURNAL. Like you, but even more so than you, I don't journal. If I write anything, it's a sentiment or the actual name of the page I'm working on. It's one of the reasons I never got the scrapbooking bug. You have to journal on the page with the who, where, what, etc. Although I appreciate a good scrapbooking page, I simply have no desire to take up the "hobby." OK, I know you're laughing at that one.

Thanks for this post. I have to agree that journaling has a place, and it seems lots and lots of people are into art journaling at the moment. But that blank page would be where I am, too, both metaphorically and literally.

Have a super weekend, dear friend.

Belinda Basson said...

I am having Blank Desk Syndrome...along with your BPS... I have cleared up, filed, tidied, organized and packed away. Now I can't find a damn thing and my mojo must be in one of the boxes, cos it is no where to be seen. I think the problem is that I have time on my hands...I work best under pressure and seeing as I am on holiday, I can do what I like, when I like on what I like...therefore, I am doing nothing!

Sue said...

Think you should write down your ideas as you have them.

I have to do some projects for swaps, so will have to kick my mojo up the butt:)

Hope you have a lovely weekend. Sue

shazsilverwolf said...

Hi Julia, with you completely. I'd see it metaphorically too, and no way would I be able to keep up with journalling daily, even weekly would slip past me pretty fast. Its that ' have to do this' situation, rather than 'want to do it', I think. The enjoyment is lost as soon as it becomes a 'must'. Love that notebook cover, that really is a work of art. Hugs, Shaz xxx

505whimsygirl said...

Hello Julia,

Oh, I know how you feel. I even took the journaling class with Dyan R. Haven't touched it since..... I have a trip coming up in April/May and plan to do some journaling while on the trip. We will see!

Your sister is full of talent, and yes, I'm jealous.

Hugs,
Kay

Krisha said...

Well GF, you are not, by any means, alone in the BPS! I've contemplated journaling too, but my life is not very exciting, or eventful unless the GKs are here. Then I use my blog....HA! I usually end up using an empty journal for taking notes for challenges and ideas (when I have one.

What is sad is, I keep buying journals when I catch them at a really good price, or get into a zone of making them. I just love books of any kind.......even blank ones....LOL

Even as a scrapbooker, I didn't journal much more than the date, and the names of the people and maybe a place. I feel I did good just to get pictures in the scrapbook!....grin

Monica said...

Try visual journaling. No need for words just sstart and spray ink the page....look no longer blank. i am doing a free on line class called The Documented Life project with Art5Studio and they start this month with weekly prompts on how to cover a blank page. Stay tuned...there are 5,000 participants so far. the power of free.

By the way I have to go through proving I am not a robot to comment.
Monica

Lisca said...

Wow, that was very profound and personal! Did you say you were not doing a journal because it involves writing something profound and personal? Well, you've just done it. That could have been your first journal page....
I fully understand where you're coming from. Thank you for sharing and just being your honest self.
I have just joined ODLP but I do not intend (and I cannot)doing it every week. I've joined to get some practice of MM and to watch their instructional videos. In fact there is a Christian website (Thy Kingdom Come) that does a similar thing but with a Bible study and a Biblical prompt. I think I'll combine the two.
I'm going to Holland on Monday night for two weeks to help my mother, so I won't be doing anything.

Cardarian said...

Well I don't have a sister so no chance of a quilted journal. I have done nothing crafty in 2015 yet and although I do have a few art journals I occasionally play with I am by heart a cardmaker so I don't really "fill blank pages" I am with you Julia - it is a metaphor for me!

April said...

I am VERY jealous that you have a sister that is that talented at quilting. :-) The journal is beautiful. I think I would just leave it closed sitting out on my desk for inspiration. lol
April

sandra de said...

Oh yes...... I so identify. Blank page, blank canvas, blank mind. Cannot put more than a date and comment to a page Gorgeous a/j and lucky you to have such a creative sis.

Princess Judy Palmer said...

When you mentioned it I took the journal/blank page thing metaphorically. But when you said what your friend's comment was I laughed at that and thought she's right, no one will do it (just like those who post 'happiness comes from within' posts are miserable sad sacks who blame others for their misery).

I love your quilted book cover for your book of blank pages. Have fun filling them. Or not.

Coventry Ann said...

Metaphorical or literal? It's just whatever speaks to you :) I'm a scrapbooker, not an art journaller but I do like to write/journal om layouts. They just don't seem done without it. Do we put ourselves under too much pressure at times? We should just do whatever we enjoy!

Zsuzsa Karoly-Smith said...

Of course it's a metaphor! It didn't occur to me that it could be anything else! I'm surprised that you friend thought different. I've found that joining some classes and challenges really helped my creative mojo and motivation! Of course, I'm a relative newbie, so perhaps all that suppressed creative energy over the years is just overflowing. I might feel differently in a few months' time. Hope not though! I'm having so much fun creating!

Megan said...

Your dear blog is a bit of a journal is it not. But thaT one is really pretty!

I've faithfully journaled for 3 years and its changed my life! Not really but I do really like it.

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