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Waiting to be smitten

I’ve been thinking, off and on, about my next project. Not that I know what it is yet, so that’s what I’ve mostly been thinking about.

I’ll take my last 365 days photo on December 31st. Lisa, so often the voice of reason for me when I’m feeling unreasonable, has kindly suggested I take a break before I start another big project. That seems fair. These things can take a fair amount of time, and time is after all something of a shared resource when you are married. But mostly I think she’s trying to save me from myself, and save me from making us both miserable by immediately embarking on what turns out to be the wrong project.

Because I wouldn’t just abandon it. Oh no, I can be way too rigid for that. Once I commit, I commit — whether it is a good idea or not — and plod pitilessly toward the finish line I’ve drawn for myself in the sand.

I’m getting nearer the finish line (less pitilessly with 365 than with NaBloPoMo, I fear) so maybe as a way to distract myself, of taking the pressure off not screwing up now and finishing the project, I start thinking about next. There are many other 365 groups on flickr: Project 365, The 365 Toy Project, One Object 365 Days Project, even 365 More. Not that I have to do a daily project, though I’ll admit that has some appeal, because the dailiness is a challenge and I think doing something every single goddamn day is, no joke, a learning opportunity. There is a 52 weeks self-portrait group, but I think I may be done with the constant self-portraits for awhile.

I’m interested in diptychs and square format and polaroids, so I could think of something to do with one (or a combination) of those. I think with a project like that, I’d learn a lot about composition. Not having to be in the composition myself all the time would be a big plus. Clearly I’m interested in an artistic project — if I don’t make it a project, I know deep down I won’t follow through and do it — and for me, that pretty much means photography. I could go in for the seductive Paper Source tagline Do Something Creative Every Day. Only I can’t draw, and I tend to glue my fingers together when I’m playing with adhesive.

Maybe I’m just smitten with the idea of having a project. Something I do every day because I have to, and the only reason I have to is I said I would, and I said I would because I was smitten with the idea. Being smitten with an idea is wonderful.

I’ve been thinking about the same thing, and wondering if it’s a good idea to even consider it alongside the ongoing Project Dissertation.

You know, if we could both talk ourselves into being social, we could attempt something like this rather lovely thing: http://3191.visualblogging.com/index.html Dunno.

You know, I think I could be egged into a project like that. I’ll confess, probably not always in the morning, but it’s a fantastic idea. Their project really is wonderful.

So, you have this dissertation to write, and I have this crazy job, and we’ve never met in person, and it would be a lot of work… and probably a great challenge, and a lot of fun.

If two geeks get together online, does that count as social? Yes, I think it might.

Hmmm. Perhaps we should contemplate the matter, then.