Thread: A Birthday Gift
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Old August 2nd 16, 09:29 PM posted to rec.pets.cats.anecdotes
Bastette
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Default A Birthday Gift

jmcquown wrote:

On 8/1/2016 5:59 PM, Bastette wrote:


Never being satisfied is a sign of a good artist.


But an unhappy person, I think!


I don't understand that comment. My SO is not an unhappy person.


Mary paints. We've seen some of her wonderful work here (Duffy sitting
on top of one!). She completely understood what I meant. John is
always touching up or making changes to his paintings. Not being
"satisfied" doesn't mean he's unhappy at all. He's critical of his own
work and tries to improve on it. Funny, I thought you would understand
that's what we meant.


I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything disparaging toward your SO or to Mary.

I'm a perpetually unsatisfied person, and one of my main goals in life is
to learn how to be content with who I am, and with what I have. I'm not
always successful at that, but one way that I have succeeded is in being
kinder to myself, as well as appreciating what I do, because I *know when
I'm finished with my work*. By "work," I mean various artistic activities
such as singing, songwriting, jewelry-making, and other hobbies, as well
as my paid work. I've managed to get to the point in whatever I've created,
where I can say, "This is good enough." Does that make me a less than good
artist? I hope not. It does make me a happier person, though, and that's
something I would never want to give up.

Anyway, my comment was a philosophical one, about the way that being
continually unsatisfied with one's work (or one's life, or oneself)
deprives a person of joy. If that doesn't apply to your SO (or to Mary!)
then it's not directed at them.

--
Joyce

I want freedom, the right to self expression, everyone's right to
beautiful radiant things. -- Emma Goldman