choose a colour, any colour... Sunday Scribblings really messed me up this week. There isn't one prompt, but 100 different ones that we can choose from. I don't do well with many choices. Two choices are already a handful for me.
I've been reading those prompts one by one and thinking that choosing one would be denying the others a fantastic opportunity to be part of my fabulous blog. I like the thought of "goosebumps" but what about "fantasy"? And the first ever prompt was very interesting: "What would you attempt if you knew you would not fail?" - reading this made me smile. If you knew something wouldn't fail, that wouldn't really be an attempt, would it? It would be an action, means to an end that was certain and predictable. Do cronicle optimists think like this? Wouldn't it be a bit boring if our attemps weren't gambles with the "forces of destiny"?
Ultimately a good prompt is one that doesn't remind us of anything interesting at first glance, it's one that makes us think, particularly of things that are out of our inner world, making us write something different, that normally wouldn't come out of our pens.
Well, by now, you've probably guessed that I won't be able to choose one prompt at all. I'll have to stick with the smorgasbord, reminding me of the poor decision-maker that I am. Picture me in a clothes shop, handling an array of beautiful blouses. The piece is chosen, it's a V-neck or a round neck, doesn't matter but then...there are many colours! Oh no! I stare and I stare and I stare and then I look to the person next to me: What do you think? Does this suit me better? Blue is my colour, isn't it? But how about red?
The same thing happens when I take photos and they're all similar and I can't choose the best one and delete the others. It's a small nightmare.
To be fair, I've gotten better at it. I try to be objective while shopping. I think: this colour will go better with my other clothes, this suits those trousers, this colour is better for my skin tone. Yes, sometimes it works. When it doesn't I have to go with my gut-feeling. And then I come home and I look at the blouse, it's green (or something): damn it, the blue one was so much more beautiful. But that's not necessarily true. I realized the pieces are much more appealing when all the colours are together, so the only solution would be to buy them all or get over myself!
The central smorgasbord is here.
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24 comments:
I face the same problem when I opened the page and saw everyone of them there. And, yes, I know what you mean about the photos that you take... which ones to delete.
When I wrote mine, I had a prompt in mind... when I was done, I changed the prompt. I guess smorgasboard gives yout hose kinds of freedoms.
Too many choices means no choice! I did not have to think much as I love to write and read a lot.
Here is mine:
The books I would write
It's usually my policy with SS to go with the first thing which comes to mind otherwise I'd probably never get around to writing an actual post! I seem to get better at making choices the older I get but then I tend to change my mind all the time, so the choices don't always stick!
great post, it's so true.. without scribblings I would have never ever in a million years thought to write about my smorgasbord feelings! I also have such a difficult time shopping and making a decision. Why is it we trust that stranger shopping next to us more than our inner voice? I've made more clothing errors that way~
I usually read the prompt then let the words flow. But this week having to choose is a nightmare! I did it eventually though. Nice post!
Susie: Freedom is tough, huh? ;) But nice too.
Gautami: Yes, I read yours and it's great that you didn't have to choose at all!
Fearfullymade: Oh I change my mind often as well and I agree that it's easier to stick to the first idea, otherwise we might get lost in the sea of possibilities.
Lucy: hehe you ask strangers? I never did that, I think people would stare at me like I was crazy. ;)
Keith: You chose two, well done. I thought about choosing more than one but even that I couldn't do. lol
I have a hard time choosing too - guess it comes with a creative mind... unlike my daughter, who is more about getting it done. :)
Now choosing the clothes would be easy for me. which one brought out my natural color...
If only we had time to 'wharholize' everything.
Isn't choosing not to choose some sort of decision? I'm bad at choosing as well. My Mum would only let shoe stores bring out 3 pairs of shoes, maximum, when I was a kid, or we'd be there ALL day while I decided. I haven't gotten any better at it as I've gotten older.
You should have seen me tear my bedroom apart last night trying to decide what to wear out. It's hard anyways but then the change of season caught me off guard. You still managed to write and I was not naked.
I used to be terrible at making choices. As I've got older though, I'm much less indecisive but once I've made the decision I can end up changing my mind a few times!
Usually I chose a prompt and write about it; then immediately change my mind and chose another on to write about...and it's always the second piece I go with. It's like I have to get the 'rubbish' out of the way first.
With this Sunday Scribbling though, I knew immediately what I was going to choose. The magical thing though is that when I wrote it, I didn't know that I had the picture! It was only the next day that I found the very old slide about the exact thing I'd been writing about; and my clever husband managed to scan it for me.
So it was menat to be!
It's here:
http://bellamocha.wordpress.com/2008/03/15/sunday-scribbling-when-we-were-wee/
Laughing. I was afraid to look at all the choices - what if my mind blew up? So I chose smorgasbord. Choices. Phooey. Laughing. Love your post!
Texasblu: I like the way you think, creative minds huh? ;)
Niall:...things would be more colourful, right?
Stephanie: Oh that reminds me of me when I was little too. My MUm had nightmares when we went shopping.
Colleen: haha I loved that last sentence!! True! I'm terrible at getting dressed too.
Bellamocha: Wow! I really loved to see the picture in the end, what a nice touch to finish off. I also like that policy - getting the trash out first, then comes a more wise option. Maybe I'm like that too...
Tumblewords: I completely understand. Reading all the prompts was a bit of a torture hehe all the ideas floating around but not one was good enough.
Ah, decisions. They are tough. But alas necessary.
I like the 'what would you do if you knew you would not fail.' Especially since I'm working towards my own answer even though I'm afraid I might fail. The problem then is that the possibility of failure makes it far more likely that I will self-sabotage and fail because of that.
Oh, the indecision. Photography is my biggest nemesis right now. I have less than 10 gigs left on my computer because I can't properly edit my photos. "Do the clouds look fluffier in this photo or this one? I like them both, I think." AAAAAAGH!
My scribblings are up... come visit!
http://lorivillarreal.typepad.com/do_you_realize/
I think this was a fine and legitimate post to the smorgasbord which really overwhelmed me to hence I went with the very first one! From one frustrated decision maker to another - good luck with that!
I had a hard time deciding the colors i liked best in those photos. but i finally did: i like the central vertical line and the purple and green. I hope that helps :P
It sucks to have to decide things when you're not sure. I try to be practical and objective in that situation and just let it be. accept fate. :P
Kim: No, you won't self-sabotage. Relax, don't worry, don't overanalyse ;) ;) I'm such a teaser, aren't I?
Lori V: I know! And when you really look at the pictures they are identical lol
Violet: Oh I wasn't really asking, it was just a joke. This is one of the few situations where all colours are welcome ;)
Hmmm fate.
Amarettogirl: Good luck to you and all, I really loved your post!
There were three things in this post that I especially liked.
First, I really enjoyed your thoughts on attempting something we knew we wouldn’t fail at. At first glance that sentence looks so where-have-you-been-all-my-life wonderful...until you go deeper into it and work it all the way through like you did. Then it’s no fun. We humans say we don’t like uncertainty, unpredictability but deep down we love the excitement of not knowing how something will come out, and not just in the movie theater!
Then there was your consideration that a good prompt is one that doesn’t remind you of anything interesting at first glance. And I laughed because I’m looking for the word that instantly sparks something and lets me rip! I do love to do that kind of thinking you mention, once I’m into a piece! That’s the good stuff, indeed.
And finally, oh Devil Mood, you just had to bring up shopping didn’t you? I’m a miserable shopper. First I hate to go and I’ll look around forever with an air of indifference, kind of pouty, then after an eternity, if I find just one thing, the dam breaks and everything looks good! This is when I need to be armed with a list of the things I really need; otherwise, my mind goes blank, all the lovely stuff in the store overwhelms and overrides my memory of my home inventory!
MIssalister: hehehe I'm no good at shopping neither. It depends on my mood. Either I'm pouty and not liking anything like you say, or if I'm in a good mood I may begin to love everything and be unable to control myself.
I love it how you can see so many things even when my posts appear poor to me lol
hahaha. that is soo sweet DevilM. I had a tough time choosing a prompt too. But look at you, you're totally confused :P I guess, one should never give you a choice :D
Nice post! Enjoyed visiting your blog. Please stop by…
Miss Iyer: LOL True!
WriterIsland: Thanks for visiting.
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