Awesome Day #1 — Rediscovering the Land of My Dreams

As you may have read, on 5/21 I began my 8 day stay-cation.  Here’s some things I learned yesterday in the quest to rediscover my life —

I stayed home all day except a quick trip to our local park (Watsons Mill State Park) to take an evening walk with my sister.  So what did I do with the rest of the day?

In the morning I took everything off my largest bookcase in my room and reallocated all the books so I could lay the bookcase down on the floor.  Why would I do that?  Well, it was hella impressive to see something that had been a fixture in my room for ten years move, but mostly I needed the wall behind it for my map (foreshadowing).  I decided not to try to pull the bookcase outside, so instead I turned laid it backside up and set my mattress on top of it (never say I’m not resourceful).  Now — for the first time in my life — I kind of have a bed frame — ‘So, this is what all those high sleepers were bragging about!’

Next I took my empty wall where the bookcase had been and put up a giant sheet of paper — yes I was alone, so yes, it was comic.

Now for the backstory/exposition — a few days ago I was thinking about all the things I love: childhood adventures and daydreams, the books, movies, games etc I love as an adult, and the wilder, deeper things (like hidden caves of gold) that dot my subconscious.   I see all the things I love as a map, a real place (like a Never Never Land) where you could roam and play and discover forever.

It’s a place I have forgotten how to travel to, sometimes, in my adult life.  It is the map that will help me chart the next years of my life and my creative works.

So anyway, I’ve always loved maps, from antiques (with their ‘Here be dragons’), to fantasy worlds like those in LOTR, Gemstone III, and Arcanum.  So I’d decided to create my own.

I didn’t have a landmass in mind but I knew I wanted it to look cool (I know what I like).  So here’s a stretch on a white board–

Part of this project is also about learning to play like a kid again, without judgement.  I had fun cutting out ‘waves’ to mark the oceans and waterways (you see one in the lower left corner of the photo above).  I also made two wave-colored sea monsters that hide on the map as well.

Lastly, I’ve started painting the border between the land and the water with blue sparkle nail polish.  I’m having fun, and most importantly, I’m rediscovering the land of my dreams.

See you all tomorrow!