Week in Review 2015 - 10/02

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

Sunrise over Lake Winnebago at Kimberly Point
in Neenah, WI. Photo by Dana B. Eagles

What's on my mind? What isn't on my mind? I'm having a major case of monkey mind this week. No, I am not thinking about monkeys. Monkey mind is a term coined by Buddha to describe a mind that flits from one subject to the next, often in a fretful, obsessing over problems sort of way. Buddha recommends regular meditation to quiet the monkey thoughts. This is something I can do at the end of my twice weekly yoga classes. Love Shavasana! I'm not so successful at home when interruptions happen, such as robocalls and the ping that announces a new post has arrived in my e-mail inbox. Thanks to caller ID, I know not to pick up the phone unless I know who is calling. I'm also semi firm about not checking my e-mail except at certain predetermined times of the day. Why? Because if I do check my e-mail, I'm likely to get sucked down the rabbit hole of distraction or action. Yesterday was loaded with robocalls and e-mails. I ignored the calls but snuck a peak at the e-mails and that was it - monkey mind off and running. 

A hint of where I am headed with
Deconstructed Sunrise #3.

I did manage to make progress in the studio, but fell just shy of completing Deconstructed Sunrise #3 to a point where I could share the big reveal. This resulted in even more self destructive monkey mind behavior. Progress, any progress is still  progress, right? Here is what I did manage to get done:

1) Continue piecing Deconstructed Sunrise #3 (Due November 30, 2015) - Done!

2) Free motion quilting practice. - Done!

3) Post the number of days I have worked in my studio in 2015 - 80/126

This week's FMQ practice piece inspired by
one of Tracy's at Whirls 'n Swirls. 

4) Perform a random act of kindness - Done!

I fear another case of monkey mind next week, as I have quite a few conference calls scheduled in my role as SAQA's Exhibition Committee Chair. Each call requires some prep work and definitely ends up with actions to be done after the call. It is a world that fascinates and engages me. The reality, though, is that it takes time and that is time that might have been spent in the studio, one of the few places outside of yoga class where my mind quiets down. When I regroup, here is what I plan to focus on:

1)  Deconstructed Sunrise #3 (Due November 30, 2015)

a) Finish piecing Deconstructed Sunrise #3
b) Prepare quilt for quilting

2) Free motion quilting practice. 

3) Post the number of days I have worked in my studio in 2015

4) Perform a random act of kindness 

I am now linking up to two blogs on Fridays. The first is Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays and the second is Free Motion Mavericks.