Mental Kitchen

I live on the west coast down in earthquake country. Whenever I speak to people from any other area, they always ask if I’m worried about earthquakes. Folks outside of California are terrified of our tectonic rumblings. But why?

It all goes back to a game I played with my daughter while idling in line for a car wash. She asked Would You Rather questions, one after the other. One question stood out in my memory. 

Would you rather know when you are going to die or how?

The answer to the question goes back to the type of natural disaster your particular sector of the world is faced with. Most of the east coast is plagued with hurricanes. They even have a season for it. You know when it will come and then people rush to the stores to panic buy what they need. But as you wait for the winds to blast through your neighborhood, your only option is to stress. Because, you know, the waiting. 

Earthquakes just happen. No warning. So I never worry about their imminent approach. The ground shakes, sometimes rather violently, and then it’s all over.

So how does this relate to your life as an artist? You have to ask yourself, are someone who frets and worries about the work you plan to do, so much so that you avoid getting anything done? Or do you dive straight in. Maybe producing utter nonsense on the way. But at least you’re producing something.

I think you can guess my answer to the Would You Rather question. I’d prefer to know how I’d kick the bucket, than when. At least I won’t spend years worrying about it. In the meantime, lets create some art. 

Tim Kane