Austin Kleon’s most recent newsletter contained a link to an article by Gary Panter on the point of making pointless things during this time of quarantine.
Here’s my favorite part:
In America everyone expects to achieve. But in life, trying, simple trying, has great value. Try it out. Lower your expectations to achieve some pleasure in the doing of something. Something. Drawing. Arranging. Sorting. Collecting. Coloring. Washing, Planting. Writing. Singing. Dancing. Editing. Collaging. Cooking. Stirring. Molding. Casting. Pasting. Making playing card towers. Playing records. Face-painting.
I emphasized the “Playing records” part because that’s what I do. I love playing records and relaxing rather than turning on the TV.
Does playing records make me an artist? Doesn’t matter. But there are a few other things that comes along with owning records mentioned in his quote above…Collecting, Editing, Arranging, Sorting…these are all things that I’ve had time to do during quarantine and it’s helped navigate this weird time.
The first full weekend of quarantine I reorganized my entire record collection!
I even ran out of room and had to buy and assemble a new shelf!
I finally got the DJ gear out I bought throughout last year and set it up in the living room.
I used this set up to record my first all vinyl mix!
All of this was simple motion that keeps me going during this time when it’s easy to get restless. I’ll take it.
Aaron Hartley 