This week I got sick, so I decided to go easy and simply reflect on 52Weeks so far. I know I skipped Week 11 - it’s 95% done; I’m waiting on something before posting it. Stay tuned in the next few days!
3 months in. It’s been so much fun, and I’ve still got momentum!
Recap
Here’s what I’ve done so far:
Week 11 - House Wallpaper cards (coming soon!)
A poem in the style of E. E. Cummings:
each week i create
something new to celebrate
authentic games web,
puppets in short film said,
apple watch breath time,
bubblopolis and stencils in rhyme,
kitchen elf to assist,
pirate workout on rooftop twist,
3D animations come to life,
mystery stamp game to strive,
non sleep deep rest in space,
house wallpaper cards with grace.a year of creation,
never-ending inspiration,
from the mind to the hand,
i bring to life what i’ve planned.week by week, project by project,
each one unique, with no object,
for the joy of making,
and the thrill of undertaking.a year of creativity,
a journey of discovery,
with each project, a new ability,
and each creation, a victory.
Observations
A few observations I’ve made about the project and process so far, in no particular order:
I’m drawn to video editing and filmmaking, several of the weeks I included video as a medium (even when it wasn’t really necessary)
The weekly cadence is brilliant for squashing perfectionism and focusing on execution. It makes it easy to make decisions and progress
At times the projects have become quite all-encompassing and intoxicating
I’m generating many more ideas than I can create
Many ideas come to me in liminal space - first thing as I wake up in the morning, drifting off to sleep at night, dozing on a plane, meditating, daydreaming while waiting for something, shower/bath, mid-conversation
When I tell people about it, my eyes light up and then their eyes light up
Many people love the idea and have ideas of their own they want to do. Might be an opportunity to build community around this
I need some kind of card to give out
I like QR codes
I often overestimate what I can get done in a week. Then I trim it down to fit - the push and pull feels healthy. Some mix of divergent thinking and creative destruction
It’s a fantastic format to collaborate with others. However, not everyone moves on the same schedule or wants to buy in to the ‘finish in a week’ approach
It’s hard to do while also maintaining a full time job + relationship + responsibilities
I put a lot of pressure on myself to finish each week
I’m incredibly lucky to have such a supportive and patient partner who not only puts up with my obsession, but inspires me with new ideas and makes my ideas better
A lot of my projects draw inspiration from my environment (eg my house)
Reflections
Some of the most rewarding projects have been when I’ve combined several mediums, like the pirate video (movement + video + AI tools) or the mystery stamp cards (photo editing + physical cards + web design)
I’d like to get better at collaborating with others on weekly projects. I think to do so I need to contact people in advance of the week, and mutually agree on expectations
Starting next month, I will no longer have a full time job (time off woo!), so I will have more time for other things
Part of the reason I want time off work is to remember what it’s like to have a life with less dictated structure. Maybe it will be harder to stick to deadlines for myself when I don’t have the external structure of Monday-Friday. Or maybe the weekly structure will be just the right amount of structure
Next steps:
Move to Mexico City and get fresh inspiration
Learn Spanish
Performance art: live music, audiovisual experiences, immersive dinner parties