Still nothing much of substance...

[fai_dust]

...which seems about par for the course on LJ. I was cleaning out my various bags (purse, laptop case, girly backpack meant for small children & Hello Kitty tin lunchbox I use as a smaller purse) and I realized just how many things I jot down on Post-Its and the backs of scrap paper to write about (on LJ or just my real journal) that have actual substance but by the time I'm at my computer, they're either forgotten or displaces by unimportant rambling.
 
(1) - Wow. I never what level of controversy Ctrl+Alt+Del had surrounding it. It's... shocking, to say the least.
(2) - I have been meaning to say this for a few weeks now, but I forget almost right after my "lesson" (which I suspect is subconsciously intentional); I can no longer innocentally enjoy Greg Land's art without either seeing bad art, bad "things", or getting mild vertigo from all the weird angles in one frame. No fair!
(3) - i_want_2 , remember when you said the "writers' block" that goes beyong writing and covers all fandom-related things is called "fandom burnout"? You don't happen to know a cure, do you?
(4) - LJ finally got back to me on the support question I posted over a month ago about being unable to log in; they quoted the FAQ at me. Really? It took them over a month to direct me there? I wonder if LJ's hiring from the Toaster School of Tech Support as well...
(5) - Yesterday, my blood pressure shot right down, so I couldn't get out of bed until noon and was pretty useless all day. Today, my left arm is seizuring so badly I have to sit on it. Blegh. Could be worse; it could be my right arm. I'll take what I can get.
 
+ remember all those subjects I mentioned on Friday? I'll get to them (even if you don't care). I know this because three of them are half-typed.

Comments

Cures, all types.

[i_want_2]

1. Quick fix, nimble finger your way to the big O. Only works during times of tense frustration, lasts for a few minutes. Should be followed by reading that engages the mind and sleep. Wake up feeling however your body feels in the morning, but your mind will be firing.

2. Music. Emotional music. I am a depressing person, I like to dwell in sorrow because it is the safest emotion for me. One of my favorite scenes in shows/movies/stories is the reaction to something tragic because of it. For you, it is to find your happy medium. Get the music and wallow in it and everything those songs remind you of them. For example, the song Full of Grace by Sarah McLachlan and the final scenes of Season 2 Buffy are all connected in my mind. It causes your mind to feel buffered and comforted enough to seek out what inspires you.

3. Emotional role play. When no one is around, act out your frustrations as if you were confronting the source. I get angry, shout, even scream sometimes. We don't usually associate it, but your RL can build up like a toxin in your mind and block your ability to focus what you want to do.

4. Reread your old work, some of your old favorites, go over the source of your longing, what is calling you to write, and reacquaint yourself with why you like it. Deliberately avoid what frustrates you. Sometimes, even a spark is all that's necessary to get your creativity going again.

5. Forcing yourself to write. Write and write, it's shit, you know it, but god damn it, you're writing! Tell your mind and your body to go fuck itself, you're writing.

6. Research. Do extensive research for a fic you want to write or see written. Read up all you can on the plot device. In medical fandoms it's not only the illness, but the cure too. In super hero fandoms, it could be the history of the power/belief in the power. In Eureka, it's the history of scientific discovery, figuring out the flaws, and fixing them. Then, in your mind, apply what you learn to the story. Even if you don't write it, you know you confidently can.

7. Sensory Deluge. Walk away from fandom for a few days to about a week. Surround yourself with mindless entertainment. If you catch yourself think about some plot or art/icon, tell yourself no, bad dog! This dries out your fandom addicted brain.

8. Reflection/Meditating. I don't mean Om Mani Pad Ma. I mean examining things in your mind and life, to the point where you find time has passed while you were mentally distracted. An examined mine remains healthy and acts to focus your creativity.

9. In conjunction with 8, you can exercise to help purge mental overload. If you are having to focus physically, you can't work yourself up mentally over stupid shit. Your thoughts have a better chance at clarity.

10. Do something else you enjoy and know you're good at for a confidence boost. Even if you're not an expert, and can only pull off a small part of what you are good at, do it. With me, I can sing and dance, it builds my confidence to do this well enough. Another thing, cooking, making a meal that is perfectly done is an ego boost. Learn to do something that is easy to master and do that if you are unable to do something else you like.