The Mezzo Void
Journal
While this journal may focus on daily experiences and personal reflections; it is also used, as a space to explore broader topics like the highs and lows of artistic expression and life’s seasonal rhythm. As a result, you'll find a mix of personal updates and deeper thoughts, since I'm going with what feels most authentic to me.
Archive: 2024
Practicing Quietude- 2/1/2025
It’s 1am and here I am with some sort of revelation about the nature of the society that we live in, which doesn’t exactly embrace solitude but this is when some of my most transformative work takes place. It happens after the day has subsided and quiet covers the land or at least covers me. I find myself unafraid of being alone with my thoughts and, in fact, welcome them. Being still with our thoughts is truly an art form. Being present with those thoughts; allowing them to come and go, as they please is most natural, as opposed to letting the noise drown them out. The irony is that quietude is a privilege seeing as how we live in a society that is addicted to being wired; whether it’s the internet or the phone but it’s good to step away for a while. I find myself trying to practice carving out a time for so much stillness per day, in order to hit that emotional reset button and find some lucidity.
My Birthday- 11/15/24
For my birthday, my bestie bought me an art kit to help take my creations to the next level. It includes Canson multimedia paper, 2 kneaded erasers, a white eraser, a pencil sharpener, 2 sandpaper pencil sharpeners, a set of 16 blending stumps with the case, a pencil extender, a 6 pack of Staedtler pencils and a mechanical pencil with the lead replacements HB and 2B. A middle range of art supplies are a good thing to have as they set me up for a new journey. I bought myself some Liquitex acrylic paint and professional brushes too. Success is part tool/ part technique; a sweet spot can usually give the desired results without excesses or restrictions but while unwrapping gifts; I thought about the bigger picture. It becomes apparent that it’s good to have a passion, a hobby or something to be inspired by. It’s good to have these things that help to give me a break from the daily grind, otherwise I might just crack under the pressure of routine. When monotony begins to suffocate my senses, this can lead to pure madness but there is a way out. I’m sure that just about everyone has something that they enjoy whether it’s fishing, photography or traveling. Whatever your thing is; it’s good enjoy it to the fullest and allow it to enrich your life.
Me, Fall & the Earth’s Cycle- 10/31/24
It’s that time of year- Samhain, which in ancient Celtic culture it is believed to be a time when the veil between the living and the dead is thinnest; allowing spirits to roam. This pagan festival has since morphed into a contemporary celebration, such as Halloween bringing with it a reminder of the earth’s cycle. As a result, it's easy to find myself turning inward during this season. This also means that my mood is sulky, creating is less often and those seasonal cravings are sneaking up. You’d imagine that I could be bursting at the seams of creativity- inspired by the changes in the external landscape; drawing up some fall themed pieces or writing about apple orchards but this is not the case. It becomes apparent that the patterns of the natural world impact our mood. As a result, being curled up—swaddled in layers of quietude, nestled at the bosom of fall is the norm. It’s wise for me not to think of this sulkiness, as part of any impediment but perhaps an opportunity to explore new ideas. By surrendering the need to know what direction I’m heading at every moment and going with the natural flow of things, I welcome the divine order. We, as sentient creatures are not apart from life; we are part of it. The leaves are turning gold, the air is filled by pumpkin spice and daylight remding us that we honor a palpable, feeling Goddess. Embracing the beauty of fall means accepting the fact that nature is on a retreat and this transformation is also taking place within me. Many things slow down: certain plants become dormant, outdoor events like weddings become less frequent and summer vacations end; signaling a reflective period. It is during this time that the planet recharges and we are encouraged to re-connect with ourselves. Being less active means that my efforts can be re-focused during these long days. Many of us are creating fertile ground from which ideas will hopefully bloom. Nevertheless, there is a lot of free space allocated to development; once creativity re-emerges.
Site Overhaul- 10/28/24
While javascript can be great if you’re looking to ensure that your website won’t be just another cookie cut-out (although some make up for it in material), this programming language has its drawbacks. My site recently underwent an overhaul, since I wanted to reduce js dependency. As a result, my design relies on css; which offers a more streamlined approach. This site now uses a small js code, which gives users the ability to control the homepage design. There are a few reasons, as to why js has been less efficient, although this new layout proves that a mix of both css and js can be effective.
A website can often become bogged down by gaudy elements used in interactivity, for example. A cleaner experience makes it easier to navigate the site- fewer distractions mean that visitors can concentrate on content. #2 Emphasizing css simplifies maintenance, which ends scouring through js codes to locate the one that needs troubleshooting. #3 Js can be a bit unpredictable when it comes to event handling, for example, because it relies on scripting logic. The implications are that bugs can potentially pop up more frequently.
What I’ve learned is that css has come a long ways over the years from its infancy of styling websites. Tasks that were once done by using js can now be accomplished by using css, with far less complications. One example is animation, which can be achieved by using properties such as @keyframes and it relies on painless syntax. This puts the ball back into the court of web design instead of coding/ programming. Overall, this transition has led to a balanced strategy that best meets my needs and those of my audience.