A question that plagues me quite a bit.
Years ago (1993-1998) I used to DJ at parties. It seems fun from the outside and yes there was lots of parties, but it was not just party party party.
Though I do sound now (very different from DJing) the same issue plagues me.
And since I started blogging it follows me here too.
Its that question ‘What’s next?”
I am sure it plagues the creative arts people too. I am guessing that actors while doing a show are also wondering what they will do after the one they in at the moment.
While DJing while everyone enjoys the current song, I am thinking of the next song, In doing sound, while the audience experiences the show freshly, I am merely focusing on the next cue or what song is next.
Blogging is a bit different in that its voluntary, so if nothing comes to me I dont blog, but still in the back of my head comes those words….”What Next?”
I guess its like that in all areas to a certain extent. I know we are to live in the moment, but its not always so easy when certain things depend on you to “make it happen”. The way life is does not always lend itself for us to live in a moment only.
I do think there is a middle ground that exists between living in the now while not turning into a complete vegetable while “living in the now”. I hope i find it…..
What do you think?
Anyway, thanks for listening (reading) my little rant.
the Honest One
I loved your point about blogging. I’m in that boat, too. It is a risk free, enjoyable way to be creative because there isn’t an imminent threat of failing. For the time being my “in the now” is being a stay-at-home mom, but when I think about the future- what will fill my days when kids are at school?- I get that What’s Next? feeling.
I hear you, its not always a nice feeling…..but you could always have more children…… 🙂
I have to answer that question every Monday morning as I figure out my “blog week”, “writing schedule” and “submission plan”.
I too have to answer that question almost every day, still does not take the bite out of it
This seems to tie back to your comment about being asked as to where you see yourself in the medium future. A little bit of forward planning perhaps, plus some application. We create our futures in the present, by day-dreaming, thinking, planning and doing. Some bench-marking and ticking off helps.
We all do our planning and stuff, but its just what bugs me sometimes is the constant drive away from just enjoying whats in front of you.
It’s a good comparison.
In certain kinds of work, if you want to keep a steady flow of work going, you need to start planning “the next thing” while “the current thing” is in progress. If you don’t, you won’t be able to keep up, and will be outdone by people who are better at it.
Examples from my own personal experience are that retail stores start planning their holiday runs as soon as the current one wraps up. The people I know who worked with science fiction conventions started planning the next years’ in a meeting the week after the convention closes. To prevent staff members from burning out, they are expected to resign or change posts after three consecutive years.
Professional actors and artists have their agencies (and moreso, their audiences) to determine what to do next based on how well the current work is being accepted, again, like DJing.
Hey Chunter, long time no see….. I do plan and no whats coming ahead (mostly) but it does get to me sometimes because of all the areas I am involved in and its not a too long before it all seems like a chore rather than enjoyment.
But I guess it happens to all.