R is for Risk/Rules


When I was twelve, most of my summer evenings were spent playing board games.  The older kids in the neighborhood would gather; we all had a turn, to have game night at our home.    We played the traditional games, Clue, Monopoly, Yahtzee, card games, Life, Risk and Masterpiece.  I loved Masterpiece, miniature paintings that were auctioned off.  We each had so many paintings and one was a forgery. You had to have a polka face for art. Some of us, played the rich parts well, we dressed up or brought a hat, some jewelry or a pipe.  We broke all the rules, there was probably 12 of us, playing this game, not enough play money or paintings.  

   I remember I always would get Rembrandt, Renoir or Rubens. Somehow, the forgery painting would end up being a popular one.  There was also a lot of laughter and jokes.   If we weren't playing games, then we would take a risk and make crank calls.  We would call the local store and ask "Do you have Prince Albert in a can?; Well you better let him out." " Is your refrigerator running;you better go catch it."   Then we would call and ask for Sue. dial the same number 3-4 times, then one of us would pretend to be Sue and call the number and ask if we had any messages.  This was as wild as it would get.    I caught my daughter recently making a crank call with a friend, on her cell phone.   I was stunned at first, but I guess there is a way to block the call *67.    Kids will be kids; I of course had to give the Mom lecture, how we don't harass people and if
 if you want to call your friends and play a trick in fun, nothing mean, okay.  Then I snooped and listened, harmless fun.     We also played Risk, this game always became ugly.  There was always a lot of debate about stragedy and boys are generals, not girls.   This game never went well.  The game of Life was always messed up, rules were broken, people didn't agree and argued.  

All of this reminds me of what it is like as a creative person, whether you write, craft, cook, paint, and have an interest in  music. We all need to take risks and break the rules.  Don't we as creative people have to step out of the boundaries of the norm.  I am a good citizen, I have only had 1 speeding ticket, was stopped, last Memorial Day weekend.  I deserved it I was racing through this one area and the cop was hiding in the   I broke the rules and paid for it.   I guess, what I am trying to say on a general level I follow the rules, I  the  generally drive the speed limit, help my neighbors on occasion, send mail to shut ins, I have done volunteer work.   When it comes to art, I want to break the rules, take risks, think outside the box.
Isn't that what we are  suppose to do...to a point, I guess we are defined by terms, if submission is involved. There are general guidelines to follow for a lot of art submission, but being creative is about being unique.

Let's not forget to mark or circle May 3rd, Lee of Tossing it Out has picked this day for us to post about
our reflections of A-Z blog challenge.   It will be fun~

Also another R, I received my May Basket, the other day, from Cari Bruno.   Thank you Cari for a fun swap; it brings back fond memories of the days, when I  rang a door bell and hung the basket on the door and took off running.  

I received, coconut candy, seeds, peat pots, a tool for trimming roses, gloves, a rose, tea pot for one, tea and a vintage iced tea spoon and beautiful notes.  Thanks Cari~

Comments

Lisa said…
I agree - we need to step outside what is considered the norm and create our own special way of doing things as relates to creativity. It's so hard to do that at times though, being a rule follower, as I am too.

Love the gifts you got. Teapots are wonderful!
most enjoyable to read,I really loved it.

Take care
Yvonne.
I hate speeding tickets...

Looking forward to Arlee's May 3 post.
Linda said…
Please tell us more about the May basket. Is this something you do with a friend every month?
chris weigand said…
Thanks for the memories. The games and the pranks were all fun. I remember the games and playing with my sisters. The pranks, never did them but heard of them and thought they were funny. But I had this fear of being caught and my dad was all for punishing. The fear of a spanking definately deterred me from pranks.
The basket idea sounds so cute. I wish someone would do that for me. Maybe I should start something like that for someone else.
unnamed lad said…
well...the last time i rung a door bell and ran like was when myself and another buddy LEFT BEHIND a "kid" goat staked out in the guys yard with an open end 55 gallon drum and a half a bale of hay for it to sleep with. i think he would have preferred your May basket.
Ella said…
Lisa-I love tea pots, would like to collect them, but I collect tins. Maybe a T post, tee,hee

Yvonne-can't wait to see your next post! X is going to be difficult

Alex-yeah, it took awhile for me to get caught, I do have a heavy foot.

Linda-in M post I showed what I gave my May basket partner www.artsymama.blogspot.com had a swap. Other blogs do this, too. You agree to make tags, baskets, art work of some type and you get assigned a partner. You email each other for ideas and clues to what they like and then a date is set to swap. This is how I received the May basket; it is fun! I also did a tag swap in March, theme was Alice in Wonderland! Fun...

Chris-I think as long as the pranks are in fun, not spiteful and you understand this will likely be done back to you, then fine.
Thanks the basket idea is fun and there are so many themes you can chose. I did a Halloween swap and I have done Valentine's.

Bud-You crack me up; what is the story behind the goat? Funny, this should go in your book!
Did you mean your friend or goat would prefer the May basket?! I'm teasing! lol