The Winter of My Discontent

This has been a rather glum winter for me. After my frenzied preparation for the arts and craft fairs of November and December, I found myself with no specific goal in sight. With nothing really demanding my attention, I settled into idleness and broken attempts at introspection, resulting in a general malaise that has left me dodging phone calls, lunch dates, family gatherings and even the occasional email, not to mention my radio show and the creation of anything for my crafty business. I don't suppose this is particularly unusual behavior for those of us in the colder climates during the winter months, but now I'm not sure how to get back to a more, shall we say, productive life. During this time I've overloaded myself with book after book of various craft techniques, projects, and ideas, not to mention hours and hours of the "hip" crafty shows on HGTV. Unfortunately, rather than inspiring me, all of this information has pretty much stymied my creative efforts. Instead of just diving into new endeavors as I have in the past, I now find myself frozen because I don't have the "perfect" tools I saw on TV or the "appropriate" materials mentioned in a book. I think there's a specific phrase for this phenomenon, but I can't think of it. Anyway, I'm hoping that the [slightly] longer days and higher temperatures will do their magic.

However, if you consider watching TV productive, then things haven't been so dire. In this time period Steve and I watched (amongst other things) the entire two seasons of Veronica Mars on DVD, and every single minute of the new Battlestar Galactica on DVD and on broadcast TV. I'm going to say it: Battlestar Galactica is the overall best television show I've ever seen (and let me tell you, mister, I've watched a lot of TV). One caveat: you have to start at the beginning if you want to watch. If you try to catch an episode of the current season, you will be missing way too much for it to make much sense. There are the occasional standalone episodes, but you need the context of the whole series to get the full effect. I swear it's worth it. Do what I did -- join Netflix (you get two weeks free!) and get all the BSGs in your queue. Don't forget to start with the miniseries. We managed to blow through the miniseries, season 1, season 2 and season 2.5 in a little more than two weeks. We were dreaming Battlestar Galactica, yeah, but that was okay.

Now I have a craft fair, run by my friend Allison, coming up (Chilicraft, at Brittany Woods Middle School - UCity district - March 24) and I'm considering a booth at Earth Day, and I haven't knuckled down to get new stuff made yet. Perhaps a deadline will get me going. And, sigh, someday soon I have to get some kind of a job.