Itchin' to Say Thank You

As I make a slow shift from recovering from serious medical issues back to the world, I’m itching to be sayin' that I know just what I’m going to do. It seems to be obvious to many other people what I should do, what I have a talent for and what my gifts are, but honestly there is not as much consistency in the views of others as you might expect.

For instance, just when I said I’m finished with screenwriting, of course, I get the first clear screenplay idea I’ve had in three years. Also, I had yet to fulfill one last promise to teach a screenwriting class to a film club of teenagers. Well, last night I taught the class and I remembered how much I love teaching this material. Seeing the lights switch on in their eyes as they began to comprehend the opportunities they have, should they choose this pursuit, was a true joy.  I also gave them the wake-up call to how they’ll have to hone their skills and habits for quite a while to make it in a very competitive industry. They didn’t want to leave, and they told me that I was their favorite speaker so far. The icing on the cake was that my daughter is part of the club and I didn’t embarrass her at all. For a mom not to embarrass her teenager is better than anything I imagine. She said I was cool! I could definitely do it again.

Meanwhile, I finally drew, for a commissioned portrait project, a sketch that I feel will lead me to a great portrait of a life-long friend. This is huge. I feel like I finally rounded a big ass bend in the path towards making art a career. I’m getting down with how a whole project has to be planned, contracted, and fulfilled. It is a shy sort of love affair...we’re taking it slowly...but I think there is really great potential.

C.G. Jung Laughs, Oil Pastel on Black Archival Paper
2012 (c) Amanda Morris Johnson

Finally, I made it, after a month of social media campaigning, into the Final Round of the Daniel Smith 11th Annual Art Contest with my portrait of C.G. Jung. It is very exciting just to know how much support everyone gave me for this to happen. It means “you like me, you really like me!” as one of my favorite actresses once said, and that is a very humbling and profound feeling.  I’m now in a round with dozens of other artists that will be seen by professionals and judged worthy or not. It’s not an experience I take lightly and that may be just because it is my first art contest since maybe fourth grade. At any rate, I count myself lucky just to be in the race still. Thank you to everyone who helped is hardly enough gratitude to express.

Still, where am I headed? What is my goal? To be  honest, I also have my MRI appointment this week, and a meet up with my neurosurgeon next week. What I want more than anything is to be clear and mending ever more rapidly. I have a glimpse of regular life with regular commitments coming into the lens of my inner camera. I can’t drive yet, but I can imagine that I might be able to work out something to get out a little more. I can imagine socializing in real life a little bit more especially in order to share what I’ve learned and be helpful to others wanting to face their challenges with a snarky grin.

I want to finish this recovery period up and get out into the world and see what I can do. Can that be a goal? Is it that simple?