A thing I didn't grok when I was younger: You can just... do stuff. Anyone can write a book-- just open a document or buy a composition book and go. If you want to try an art form, you can take a class, watch a YouTube video, or borrow the tools from the library. You don't need permission to play. - ThreadSky

delilahsdawson.bsky.social • 6 days ago

A thing I didn't grok when I was younger: You can just... do stuff. Anyone can write a book-- just open a document or buy a composition book and go. If you want to try an art form, you can take a class, watch a YouTube video, or borrow the tools from the library. You don't need permission to play.

Comments

drtwillett.medsky.social•6 days ago

This is a life changing realization ❤️

vanjensen.bsky.social•6 days ago

It's interesting, but just doing stuff has always been my MO. I never studied creative writing. Everything was seeking out knowledge and experimenting, trying to get better, trying new things.

mark747eagle.bsky.social•6 days ago

What is grok?

delilahsdawson.bsky.social•6 days ago

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grok

artofnar.bsky.social•6 days ago

Generative Ai software. It's a stab at people who are using Ai to create art instead of being practical.

mark747eagle.bsky.social•6 days ago

Instead of being creative! There's a database of published books that have been 'gathered' by AI bots. I've done a few searches, and it's pretty much universal, with no regard to IPR whatsoever.

delilahsdawson.bsky.social•6 days ago

Absolutely wrong. Grok is a word, and in this case, it has nothing to do with AI. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grok

artofnar.bsky.social•6 days ago

Don't blame me, blame Google. But the point is valid. People need to practice art, not say abracadabra and presto.

bakingyoda.bsky.social•6 days ago

Horrible advice. Everything needs to be juuuuust right before you make an attempt. You need the right notebook, app, etc and all the planets need to be in their proper alignment or you will fail miserably.

Or at least that's what I tell myself...

jenni4iowa.bsky.social•6 days ago

I absolutely disagree. There's no point in "trying" if you're not going to be good at it. That just opens too many doors to failure, especially after aging out to the point that you won't have teachers unless you pay hundreds of dollars for a single class.

dchernushenko.bsky.social•6 days ago

So true. It started for me w/ photos I could develop in a darkroom. Next came getting photo essays published. Wow, people like this! Then non-fiction books, then doc films, then a novel. Last fall I cycled from Vienna to London (age 61). All of this was play. Nobody ever gave permission. Try it now!

rabbitcavern.bsky.social•6 days ago

realizing that all the "rules" are either made up or simply my own insecurities/self-doubt has been truly revolutionary for me

ecmyers.com•6 days ago

There's so much of a focus on "results" and "success" as an adult, but as a kid, I would write and draw comics for fun, just for myself or to share with some friends and force my family to read it. There was a joy in creation that was more about the process and turning an idea into a physical thing.

gregvaneekhout.bsky.social•6 days ago

I suck so bad at guitar but I remind myself I’m not playing to impress the dudes at Guitar Center.

ecmyers.com•6 days ago

I'm sure you're better than some of the people at Guitar Center! My son used to struggle with not enjoying being "bad" at something, but he's learned that if you practice, you get better. And to be less afraid of trying new things. It's gratifying to watch him develop that perspective and skills.

gregvaneekhout.bsky.social•6 days ago

That’s so cool. It took me so long to learn that skill and enjoyment aren’t inextricably linked.

jameslsutter.bsky.social•6 days ago

I am never worse at guitar than when I'm in a Guitar Center...

gregvaneekhout.bsky.social•6 days ago

I started bringing my own headphone amp.

jameslsutter.bsky.social•6 days ago

Hahaha, I love it!

delilahsdawson.bsky.social•6 days ago

I mean, you just walk in and play Stairway to Heaven with your foot on an amp. Like it's hard??

bmfenn.bsky.social•6 days ago

Denied

thoggatt.bsky.social•6 days ago

That's how learning happens.

signine.bsky.social•6 days ago

Being bad at something is the first step to being good at something. Also sometimes you’re bad at something in a very specific way that resonates with people and you never know unless you try.

itgodp.bsky.social•6 days ago

Took me way too long to figure this out

perfidiouspete.bsky.social•6 days ago

I painted my first painting last Saturday after nearly 50 years. It was terrible, and I loved every terrible second I spent painting it. And I'm going to paint more terrible paintings again, and again, and again, and NO ONE CAN STOP ME!!! NO ONE!! MWUHAHAHAHA!!

cavan.bsky.social•5 days ago

I wish I’d realised this sooner!

thetrekspert.bsky.social•5 days ago

Or, if you wanna go high-tech, you can open Word. Or your Notes app!

dailyjames1975.bsky.social•5 days ago

Same

boondockersworld.bsky.social•6 days ago

YouTube is a gold mine of information✨

misscookbook.bsky.social•5 days ago

Amen to this! I finally realized this at age 70, after 35+ years of teaching others. It took me a few decades, but now I am "doing stuff". I'm writing, I'm painting, I'm drawing, I'm telling stories, I'm LISTENING! Life is amazing when you play along.

guiltypanacea.bsky.social•6 days ago

I spent years of my adulthood thinking the music creation part of my life was over. Then I just started doing it again and it's so fulfilling

delilahsdawson.bsky.social•6 days ago

Yes, many things are cost prohibitive. You can't just go hop on a stranger's horse for free or take a silversmith class for $5. But there are cheap ways to play. Jewelry findings are cheap; you can make earrings from paper, tape, glue, Sculpey. A crochet hook and yarn is about $10 total at Walmart.

kedwards.bsky.social•6 days ago

I get into arguments with AI art apologists who claim it’s an affordable way into learning art. I call bullshit every time because a cheep sketchbook and some number 2 pencils cost a few bucks at Walmart. Art instruction books are free from the library, or on YT. But it requires effort!

delilahsdawson.bsky.social•6 days ago

I took a taxidermy class this weekend and wanted to make a proper stand for my starling. But I didn't want to buy driftwood or find some $$ antique object. So I bought an unfinished wood plaque and sphere at Michaels, $3.99 and $4.99, screwed them together, stained and varnished from my garage.

stephenblackmoore.com•6 days ago

When are you going to combine books and taxidermy and start binding yours in human skin?

delilahsdawson.bsky.social•6 days ago

Never. That was honestly my least favorite part of taxidermy class-- too many weird smells and textures. Had to go home and scrub the hell out of my hands.

alwayscoffee.bsky.social•6 days ago

Stephen, this is how you get the Necronomicon. NO.

stephenblackmoore.com•6 days ago

Don't be a NecronomiCAN'T, Ali! Be a NecronomiCAN!

kirstenthompson.bsky.social•6 days ago

not without an updated manual. *gestures at ominous crater*

kbspangler.com•6 days ago

We have enough going on, Stephan. Start the apocalypse or get off the pot.

alwayscoffee.bsky.social•6 days ago

robburgess.bsky.social•6 days ago

Necronomican or necronomican't, there is no necronomitry -- Yoda (probably when drunk)

mightybattlecat.bsky.social•6 days ago

It's fine, you just have to remember the words Klatuu, Barata, Nickel or Necktie or something.

alwayscoffee.bsky.social•6 days ago

😂😂😂

delilahsdawson.bsky.social•6 days ago

I feel like art has become such a hustle that we forget that we can just... play. Not everything needs to be framed or put on display or sold on Etsy. You can buy a sketchbook and experiment and never show anyone. There's a free tutorial online for pretty much everything. Or start a Craft Night.

tdarook.bsky.social•6 days ago

Often hobby clubs in an area will let people who are interested partner up with a pro who already has most of the tools. We do it with our homebrew club, and the local woodworkers do the same. We want people to have fun and not be blocked by large entry costs.

chumplet.bsky.social•6 days ago

Every wall in my house is covered with paintings I've done just for the love of it. I sold a few due to sheer luck.

delilahsdawson.bsky.social•6 days ago

This thread brought to you by the fact that I screwed 2 chunks of wood together and am now beaming with pride bc it always felt like only professionals could make stuff out of wood but I own a drill and a box of screws and I am unstoppable and also probably kinda scary when holding a drill. /END

merlyngabriel.bsky.social•6 days ago

As someone who studied art and has a degree in it this was one of the things that puzzled people the most about me. I don't want to make a living off my art. I liked having a job, I love being creative but I didn't art to be my job. Be creative just because, it's so rewarding.

merlyngabriel.bsky.social•6 days ago

and this is not to disparage anyone who does make a living from their art but it felt to me that it was less of a choice and more of a must. It's the same with hobbies, there's this push to monetize doing things we love just because, I don't understand why.

delilahsdawson.bsky.social•6 days ago

Oh, and here's the finished piece, although the starling will stay pinned for another week until he's done drying:

rednewsom.bsky.social•6 days ago

holy crap, that's glorious! me and my wonky squirrels (which i bought rather than did myself) are very impressed!

chaoticute.bsky.social•5 days ago

He’s so beautiful!!

delilahsdawson.bsky.social•6 days ago

One more thing. I do not know how the word 'grok' currently pertains to AI because I hate AI and have the term muted across all social media, but it's a wonderful word with a colorful past: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grok

queenoftacos.bsky.social•6 days ago

Wow!! This is beautiful and impressive!! 😍 Great job!

spiderkav.bsky.social•6 days ago

That's super cool

truckinmasseur.bsky.social•6 days ago

Looks great!

dannyfaust.bsky.social•6 days ago

One day my sister just came downstairs with a Caboodle full of craft supplies and just, like, made bracelets for a solid year and a half.

yitzi2.bsky.social•6 days ago

You can do any of the stuff...but not all of the stuff. ☹️

brightsunsmedia.com•5 days ago

To add to this: not every hobby has to be a side hustle. You can do stuff just because you like it and share it without trying to make money off it.

I still have trouble with this.

divinedice.bsky.social•6 days ago

Also one thing I needed to hear earlier in life: you also have permission to do these things badly. Like Jake the dog says, being bad at something is the first step to being good at something

pknanse.bsky.social•6 days ago

Society seems so hyper fixated on hustle and productivity and everything moving toward a fixed goal/end that we end up feeling like we shouldn't be doing anything that doesn't lead to some profitable end state. It is so sad.

Our souls need art for the sake of art. Play for the sake of play.

artofnar.bsky.social•6 days ago

Yes, people need to realize art is something we do as humans. Just look at the old cave paintings. #MakeArtNotWar

weirdo95.bsky.social•6 days ago

But you also have to be ready to accept that your first attempts will be disappointing. To be really good at something you always have to start by being bad at it and persevering so that you improve.

That's the part that has always killed me.

aaron-mac.bsky.social•6 days ago

I'm learning that there is a joy to be found in simply 'doing'. Am I the best at the thing? Absolutely not, but I did it and maybe learned something along the way.

amalgam-by-jex.bsky.social•5 days ago

I just took a juggling class! even had a coupon code so it was free. I've started compiling recipes and I'm gonna turn them into a book and get it printed to hand out as gifts. anything can be real

dmiguez.bsky.social•6 days ago

You don’t have to be good either. There’s no law that you’re only allowed to do stuff you’re good at.

feraljoe.bsky.social•6 days ago

This is the most important mental barrier to break down. This cannot be stated enough.

truckinmasseur.bsky.social•6 days ago

When I was 9 or 10 I wrote a series of adventures of a heroic child which, coincidentally, took place at & around my grandparents’ house, where I was spending my days. I did my own illustrations, & sold 3 of them to neighbors, but a 4th laughed & told me my illustrations were horrible. Career over.

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