The daily card, week 5

Welcome to week 5! I still love this project. Especially because I've realized that it's like mandatory, small-scale art journaling. I have always loved the idea of art journaling, but the whole artiness of it, combined with the fact that I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist, made it feel paralyzing. The fact that I have to create and express something every day has freed me up to make things that are not great. And as a result, I end up loving most of what I make.

The "now that you don't have to be perfect, you can be good" card (a quote from John Steinbeck's East of Eden) pretty much nails it. When I sat down to make that card, I felt like I was out of ideas for the first time this year. I was about to paint a card white and write "I am out of ideas" when that quote popped into my head. It perfectly summed up the project and the reminder that not everything I make has to be brilliant.

I love this batch. The "MEPI is the bane of my existence" card is one of my favorites. For those of you whose day jobs don't involve supporting democracy in the Middle East, just know that MEPI is an office in the State Department focused on assistance to the region. I have no beef with them in general, but I had spent most of the workday wrestling with their tricky budget and reporting templates, so this was the sentiment that best summarized the day. I get a huge kick out of this card - I love the tongue-in-cheek effect of using a girly design to express a mundane bureaucratic frustration. And I like the idea that scrapbooking and art journaling doesn't always have to be days at the zoo and deep dark feelings - career ups and downs are fair game too.

The "with time you will see if I am a real artist or not" card was made after I finally saw Exit Through the Gift Shop. It's a line from Thierry Guetta, who pulls together a hugely popular but somewhat derivative street art show after studying under Banksy. He makes the point that creativity isn't a one-off show or event, it's a process over time. I love the line in the context of the movie, and I love how it applies to this project. A month of cards is cool, but keeping it up is what will make me a creative person. Creativity unfolding over time? Count me in.

One reason we haven't gotten married

Austin: Why do people buy wedding dresses instead of just renting them?

Anna: Because it's your special day!!

Austin: But you don't buy the band into slavery just because it's your special day.

We clearly don't see eye to eye on wedding planning.

(Happy Valentine's Day weekend, everyone!)

The genius of April and Andy

Photo credit NBC

I, along with everyone I know, am on a huge Parks and Rec high at the moment. They are ending it on such a high note - harkening back to some of the series' most memorable jokes without getting too heavy-handed. (Exhibit A: Treat Yoself 2017!) And the characters have all developed in believable ways since the show left off three years previous.

But I think my favorite part of the season so far is April and Andy and how they've evolved over the course of the series. When they first got together, April, for all her anti-social quirks, was the responsible one with a steady job. Andy was a sort of dopey guy who mostly wanted to play with his band and shine the occasional shoe. Now, a few years later, Andy has parlayed his childlike sense of fun and imagination into a successful, fulfilling creative career. He's doing a grown-up version of what he’s always loved. April, on the other hand, is fumbling a bit, feeling like she's wasted ten years of her life on a job that's not her real passion, but unsure what her real passion is. And along the way, they each made a few attempts at new careers that didn't pan out – Andy with the police academy and April with veterinary school.

That portrayal of a young couple figuring out their careers feels so realistic to me. The roles can reverse, over time, with regards to who is secure and confident in their path and who is searching and struggling. It’s not that there are some people who always have their shit together and some people who never do. Instead, it’s a constantly evolving process as we all go through periods of stability and periods of questioning in our career paths. It rings true with what I’ve learned about life and career so far – that periods of feeling lost and uncertain can lead to greater growth and fulfillment (and, apparently, TV gigs as Johnny Karate). And that just because you know what you're doing now doesn't mean you always will.

Of course, I also love the portrayal of Leslie and Ben addressing the challenge of balancing their relationship with their careers in politics and public service. But they're a bit further along than I am in their careers and family life. At this point, April and Andy are where it's at.