A Schedule in the "Fog of Creative Chaos"

Change...

Flexibility...
Creativity...
Adaptivity...

Each of these words reflect a major part of our life in India.

Plan, prepare...but not too thoroughly, things change rather quickly and often unexpectedly. In the words of one experienced worker, "When inviting guests for a meal, don't begin cooking until you see the whites of their eyes!" Or, as another experienced worker declares, "Sub chelaga!" (or, "Anything can happen.").

Below is an update of the ongoing...and ongoing...and ongoing construction project in front of our building. At least it provides somewhat safe (or at least "safer") passage...oops, look out for that other step, though! Janis, being a "ditch-magnet" in India, has to be especially careful coming and going from our flat...












Recently BBC published an opinion piece, "The Brilliance of Creative Chaos" (Dec 5, '08, http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_newsmagazine/7768021.stm), in which the writer shared a number of humorous and chaotic observations about living in chaos. We both identified at many points... So here's a rough schedule of a week in our "fog of creative chaos":

• Language study emphasizing survival and conversational Hindi - 30 hours

- Janis - with 2+ language helpers, one for 3 hours on Weds afternoons, and one for 1 hour on Fri afternoons, and one (our neighbor's 6 yr old son) occasionally; study time 10 hours; community time (practical practice) 15 hours.








- Chuck - one language helper 1-1.5 hours Mon-Fri; study time 10 hours; community time 15 hours.

• Art production and instruction - 8 hours - Either on Tuesday or Thursday except for when it is Wednesday, depending on Janis' 1 student's schedule. At Reflection Art Gallery where we use one of the studios for painting and Instruction.

- Occasional making art at home where we are currently working on "Brick Baby" (Janis), "Surreal Landscape" (Chuck), "Muslims Appeal For Refuge From Abyssinian King" (Janis & Chuck), and a variety of miscellaneous other art projects.

• Planning, vision casting, communication, various administrative tasks - 10 hours

- Planning for possible development of "Made To Create" concept
- Emails, SMSs, Blog updates, handwritten notes, etc.
- Various reports, record keeping, etc.