You know what you know, but do you know what you don’t know?
Blindspots are the areas that, as the name implies, we are blind to. They may be blatantly visible to others, but you overlook them. In some cases, we may not notice what’s in them even when it is pointed out. Unless you illuminate the area for yourself, you won’t be able to see what’s there.
These blind spots can be outside or inside ourselves, separate from us or within us.
It is recommendable to at least become aware of their existence, if not get rid of them by perceiving what they encompass. So that you can proceed in a manner that reduces or prepares for potential risks. Pitfalls and more that may backfire can be avoided, too.
Furthermore, blindspots are vulnerabilities that can be exploited by the ill-willed. To someone versed in this, and familiar with mental mapping, noticing others’ blindspots isn’t too difficult. And they can be used to confuse and manipulate. Attacks through them can also be particularly hurtful and/or disabling. As though not knowing what hit you and how - being caught off-guard and unable to fend from it.
To those who take advantage of this, if not bright enough, playing or appearing ignorant or naive (or just dumb) can lead to their downfall as they underestimate how much the person is grasping while overestimating how much they are. People with overinflated egos are especially prone to making assumptions that ultimately won’t serve them and have plenty of blindspots themselves
How clear is your conscience? Do you have a conscience? Does your conscience speak to you? What is even a conscience?
In people, a conscience is a built-in mechanism that assists in determining what is the right way to behave in given situations and circumstances. With a conscience, you are prompted to evaluate the actions you've taken or could take. Considering not only how they benefit you and how convenient they are for you, but also what impact they have on others - directly or indirectly.
Because of this, something as seemingly harmless as leaving a piece of trash on a park bench instead of dropping it in the nearest trash can may leave you feeling displeased with yourself. Accidentally being rude to an innocent stranger may nag you for hours. For worse, more severe and serious offenses, you may be robbed of sleep. Or at least, that would be the case if you're a conscientious person.
A conscience could be suppressed and repressed to the point where it is barely hearable, but it could still be affecting your state. You may not be as much in the mood for things or even begin hating yourself and not knowing why. Having voices in your head that you do not recognize as your own is a possibility, too. And if you're the kind who dreams as a way to access and process what's in your subconscious, what you've been denying might come up there.
Lacking conscience, on the other hand, denotes a brain disability. Although, ironically, those that do often take pride in it, mistaking their inability to weigh matters in terms of impact, consequences, and balance, as a sort of 'slickness' that allows them to take shortcuts in life and go through it unbothered. It can be enviable, but the reality is that it is self-centered and relatively short-sighted. And in extreme cases, leads to sociopathy and psychopathy - if not just narcissism.
Ideally, your conscience would work for you and your greatest good. Not as something that hinders your potential, crippling and paralyzing you, but that helps develop and reveal your best version. So that you can live an exemplary life with few to no regrets.
For this, engaging in self-reflection when you run into a moral or ethical issue is important. This is how to fine-tune the systems that program and inform your conscience. And it is life-long work. Along with keeping it clear.
We may be needlessly setting ourselves up for frustration.
Having expectations and pursuing gratification can do wonders for your productivity. The former gives you aims while the latter gives you rewards. But it can become counterproductive if not formed well or delayed enough.
In the case of forming expectations, you don’t have to limit yourself to what is most “realistic” and therefore settle, but it may help you to find the spot that works for you between being firm and being flexible with them. E.g. What is within your domain and what isn’t? You can push yourself to do your most and/or your best, and expect that of yourself, but it doesn’t quite translate the same way when expecting that of people or life itself - there’s less you know to account for and less that you govern over. So, to some degree, you must leave matters to chance and be adaptable enough when whatever comes. Yet, it tends to be the case that odds will be in your favor if you strive for excellence - just as long as you don’t insist in fitting into places that you’ve outgrown.
When it comes to delaying gratification, it can be tough but it is doable. But like with forming expectations, there’s a sweet spot that you must find for yourself. One between being able to go without it and being kind to yourself regardless. Being a joyless machine can only get you so far. And primarily chasing after joy will turn your process into a roller coaster ride. That said, gratification may come with what you're doing, when the tasks at hand are inherently fulfilling and you are appreciative enough to derive fulfillment from them, or found outside or after the task, like listening to nice music while drinking a cup of your favorite tea or by getting feedback and collecting a payment. For example. What is gratifying is innumerable and often not obvious. It is also specific to each person, though underlying principles might be the same.
We are prone to frustration, when we’re too heavily reliant on expectations being met and gratification being granted. This frustration can be a sign that they are of extreme importance and should not be taken lightly. But it can also mean that they’re backfiring on you and should be revised.
Whether you're a horror freak or not. A crawly creature from the dark or not. You can venture into the realm of monsters. Be careful, though! Some are indeed terrifying.
I thought I would be doing this next year, once I had everything in order and would at last go all into cherishing the art and the artists that have meant much to me and that I am to honor. But with NSYNC reuniting all of a sudden (and what a shocking and pleasant surprise that was!), I ended up listening to many of their old songs again and felt compelled to bring up this gem before the month ends.
This song came out a bit later, after my carefree days in which I could be their "#1 Fan" were over and I had to put my attention on more pressing matters, but I still loved it so.
I was fortunate to know a love like this during my difficult teenage years and I was so glad that it was so beautifully put into melodic words and interpreted by no other than NSYNC. I was still very young back then and my heart, to tell you the truth, wasn't all that developed yet. But I was shown this kind of love and it became a kind of love that I've given, too, and aspire to be able to continue to give.
Some may say that love songs corrode people's brains, but I don't believe that. Not necessarily, anyway. If anything, I believe that if more people were open to be moved by songs like this one, we'd have a kinder world. And to other type of songs, too, that teach standards and boundaries. But I'm being idealistic.
In any case, though my obsessive phase is now pretty embarrassing (hey, I had my reasons for liking them so much!), I'm not embarrassed to say that I love this boy band. And it makes me so ridiculously happy to see them together again! So much that I can't even fully process it. It feels like a dream.
I hope they'll keep delighting us with more because these guys are amazing in countless ways. Some of the happiest years of my life were years I indulged in their work. And it's bewildering because I'd been desperately trying to return to that magical epoch!
Also, nobody asked, but in case anyone's wondering: Lance Bass was my NSYNC crush. Until I realized I didn't even know what a crush really was. 😅 Then Chris Kirkpatrick was my favorite because of his goofy humor! 😁 But of course, I adored all of them and would fight anyone to defend them.
Today, I'm rooting and cheering for all of NSYNC! 💙
Before the year ends and the phase of 'Building the Foundations' is over, I wanted to bring a few songs that are particularly significant to me and to this place. Their lyrics speak messages that I believe are key to grasping the meaning of all of this.
I didn't want to just post them, though. I wanted to get into the role and interpret them, too. As I relate to them. This is a task that isn't currently easy for me but will become so as I keep attempting it. As my first attempt, this time, I only managed to install and try the microphone, set the stage, dress up, figure out lighting and framing, and decide on how I would be formatting the captures. Ideally, next time, having less to do, I'll have a performance to show for it as well. Albeit a short snippet of it.
Killing Me Softly (With His Song), performed by the Fugees (Lauryn Hill), was my first choice for this series of four. I've loved this song since I first listened to it when it came out, decades ago, and it hasn't ceased to be special to me. Yet, it wasn't until a few years ago that I truly experienced what it expressed in excruciating pain. What's interesting to me, though, is how it speaks of unaddressed shame and other unresolved issues and how uncomfortable it can be when they're stirred and reflected back - especially in public. And you may hate the messenger for it but, at the end of the day, it is you who has inner work left to do. Because this is what artists do; they bare out their minds, hearts, souls, and sometimes even their bodies before most are ready to. And when you see yourself in it, you might not always like what you see. They've accepted themselves, but have you?
Personally, I'm thankful to those who are gentle in the process but it is also my responsibility to learn to handle even the most crude and harsh truths that they may reveal. And as long as it isn't done maliciously, I'll take it with gratitude!
Before too long, I wanted to have this here. I don't promote vandalism (though my stance on it is in the gray, the "it depends" area), but I do love graffiti that's done artfully! This is one of my favorite things about the city and I wanted to preserve it before it gets ruined, painted over, or completely taken down. Just really love those bold colors and shapes.
Just as logic can be battling emotion, so can reality be battling imagination. Or alternatively, joining forces. Again, there is no one ideal measure and blend of them - that will depend on the art. And you may be naturally or circumstantially inclined toward one end more than the other.
The rules that guide realism are plenty. The rules that guide imagination are not that many.
When you're aiming to bring realism into your art, you must be observant, perceptive, and attentive to detail. Beyond that, you must be meticulous, thorough, and especially sensitive to what is off. When you're aiming to bring imaginativeness into your art, you must push boundaries, roam, distort, convert, complement, adorn, and go on your whims.
Will your imaginative work of art have any coherence to it? If you want it to. Many can appreciate that though the absence of it can also be valued. That "on-drugs" kind of freedom that unleashes possibilities. Will your realistic work of art have any fanciful touches? If you want it to! That would be delightful though the absence of them can also be impressive. That "where's the lie?" effect when it is so close to reality that it might as well be.
Nevertheless, being somewhere in between can make for great, astounding art, too. The type that could bring reality to imagination and imagination to reality - literally.
You can create art from and through both or either logic and emotion. It may seem as though they are at odds, forever destined to be apart or in conflict, but that doesn't have to be the case.
However, when it comes to creating art, there is no one ideal. It can be done mostly logically, mostly emotionally, somewhere in between where they are at war, somewhere in between where they're in harmony, or somewhere in between where they're in a love/hate relationship. Finding just the right measure and blend for the kind of art you're making is therefore your task.
Often, great art is associated with emotions. And while it is true that some of the most beautiful art is heavily based on emotions, we cannot deny that some of the most brilliant art is heavily reliant on logic - which may or may not be explicit.
It serves to recognize where your talent lies rather than to lean more one way or the other just because you believe it'll make your art more worthy (given what your peers appreciate or what you heard or read one time). You can still develop in both areas - and that's advisable. However, it would be a waste not to take advantage of what you're innately advantageous at.
Yet, sometimes it is not about talent or what you're most by default. There may be times in your life when you're more capable of using logic than of experiencing emotions and vice-versa. You may call these logical times a dry period. And you may call these emotional times a drowning period. Both may give way to something worth making. And if not, you can take it as a cue for a break.
