It must be Tuesday, Middlespacers, because I'm answering your questions
Q: Dear Ty,What's yours? That is, what's your daily routine? I was just checking out the Daily Routines: How artists, writers, and other interesting people organize their days Web site and wondered what your deal was.
- Key West Kenny
Ty: Good question and an even better observation, KWK. Funny, I was just discussing Key West with someone yesterday. Serendipitous, no?
Okay, KWK, you reference the Daily Routines site. Neat-o stuff, really. All about our artists, writers, and interesting people and how they do their thing. Since I do not fall into any of those three categories, I guess I will have to represent the common person; your typical, normal, everyday American with small town, traditional American values.
To be honest, I only skimmed Daily Routines. I bore with this sort of fan fucking/celebrity worship stuff pretty easily. I really don't give a shit how Truman Capote organized his "work day." What is it people want to (need to) know about other people (who do things), anyway? Isn't their output enough? Or, does their output's value moderate based upon how they made oatmeal in a rice cooker everyday? Who the fuck cares what Roger Ebert's daily routine is; or what mine is. That's mopetared and is as consumerist as wanting to know how Britney Hilton got a pedicure.
But, I'm in a giving mood this morning and I will indulge you because I feel like it (and I don't have any other Ask Ty questions this week). Maybe you will become a highly regarded and fantastically successful artist just like me. Here are key points in my manly yet typical U.S. American day. Pay attention and you will learn to be a famous celebrity like me:
06:00 a.m. - 07:30 a.m.08:30 a.m. - 03:30 p.m.
- Get up, rise and shine gotta get up, get out and go!
- It's winter, so I walk down and turn up the heat and turn off the back door light.
- I go get the cat and pet him for a few minutes. I move his food/water back to the kitchen. Talk to cat like he's a human with intelligence (using big words and such) and he understands.
- I unload dishwasher, dry dishes, and load stuff from the evening.
- Stealthily stay out of wife's way as she prepares to head out for the Big Commute everyday. I try to be helpful and anticipate her needs by handing her a fork, a glass, or asking her to add to shopping list.
- At some point, I make breakfast for child, pack her lunch, help with clothes, and help with her hair. Talk to daughter like she's a human with intelligence (using big words and such) and she understands.
- I make beds.
- Kisses and goodbyes to wife-mom.
- Often I load the clothes washer, finalize shopping list, and take garbage out.
- Load beans and water into coffeemaker.
- Shower if I have time.
- I take the child to school.
- Often I go to grocery store after dropping off child at school. Or bank**, or post office, etc. Errands!
03:30 p.m. - 07:00 p.m.
- Art: Make stuff and try to remember to eat.
- Commerce: Deal with clients via email only, taxes, shipping, billing, etc..
07:00 p.m. - 08:00 p.m.
- Pick up child (drive or walk or bike trailer)
- Offer snack for child.
- Check backpack and assist child with homework.
- Sometimes she has afternoon sports/activities.
- Sometimes we go to the grocery store or other shopping.
- Sometimes we do outside stuff (bike, scooter, skateboarding).
- Do something artsy/creative or reading or games with child.
- Prepare dinner(s) dependent on family schedules.
- Eat dinner with wife or wife and child. Try to have all three at the dinner table.
- Sometimes assist child with bath.
- Participate in elaborate full-family child bedtime ceremony.
08:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
- Transition time. Cat goes nuts running up and down stairs while child is trying to fall asleep. We try to keep him with us but this is definitely his witching time. So cute, so funny, so annoying.
10:00 p.m.
- TeeVee, internet surfing, reading, snacking, discussing topics, etc. with wife and cat.
Repeat
- Turn heat back down.
- Turn on back door light.
- Check doors.
- Give cat treats, take his food/water downstairs, and put cat to bed.
- Turn off lights.
- Go to bed.
- Read from bedside literature stack until words begin to dance on page.
- Dream the impossible dreams.
Insightful, huh? That's how I do it! Now you know. The genie's out of Pandora's box. My Biggest Secret is that I've allowed my brain to follow its own paths with regard to what will I do next. There's always stuff that happens between doing things for paying clients or focusing on the project de jour.
If you're asking permission or for a how-to guide for doing your own thing, people, as I wrote yesterday:
Ty says,Ah, shit! I have to schedule some time to pick my favorite images from 2008. I hate that exercise and I don't know why I've even done it since 2002. After a quick haircut.
"At some point you have to make a decision as to what you really want to do with your art-life and how you will juggle/balance all the things most important to you (family, making money, art-work, nail care).
You have to customize your existence. If necessary, you must fully suffer for your artistic existence."
Let your mind/body be your guide. Let your situation serve as boundaries. Like Benji sez, schedule time. That works for some people. One hour a day. Don't fuck that hour up making tea and lining up pencils. Have that ready before the clock starts."
Just a guess,
-ty
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