Friday, February 1, 2008

Rules

I have two kids home sick, and not much time or energy for my own thoughts. So here are some rules I found that seem to apply well to more than just school. As #9 says, enjoy yourself. It's lighter than you think.

Immaculate Heart College art department rules, (by Sister Corita Kent)

1.Find a place you trust and then try trusting it for a while.
2.General duties of a student: pull everything out of your teacher, pull everything out of your fellow students.
3.General duties of a teacher: pull everything out of your students.
4.Consider everything an experiment.
5.Be self-disciplined. This means finding someone wise or smart and choosing to follow them. To be disciplined is to follow in a good way. To be self-disciplined is to follow in a better way.
6.Nothing is a mistake. There is no win and no fail. There is only make.
7.The only rule is work. If you work it will lead to something. It’s the people who do all of the work all the time who eventually catch on to things.
8.Don’t try to create and analyse at the same time. They’re different processes.
9.Be happy whenever you can manage it. Enjoy yourself. It’s lighter than you think.
10.“We’re breaking all of the rules. Even our own rules. And how do we do that? By leaving plenty of room for X quantities.” - John Cage.
Helpful hints: Always be around. Come or go to everything always. Go to classes. Read anything you can get your hands on. Look at movies carefully and often. Save everything, it might come in handy later.

(from mike.tczno)

12 comments:

sageweb said...

I love rule number 1, 8 and 9. Find a place you trust, then try trusting it for a while. It is harder then it sounds.
I am absolutely an analyzer while I create.
And I love, Be happy whenever you can manage it.
Wow pretty cool.

yellowdoggranny said...

and my favorite:
fuckem all but six and save them for pall bearers..

Miss Janey said...

Great rules to live by...

mumbliss said...

Dear E-beth,
I like 6,8,10 and I like the part about saving everything because it makes me laugh. I hope they feel better soon. XXXOOO

Anonymous said...

Didn't Yoda say #6 too?
Wise words indeed they are, yes.

Elizabeth said...

Sageweb: Yes, #1 really got me too. Sounds so easy, is so hard.

Granny: Can't argue with that! Somehow I don't imagine the good Sister comin' up with that one though. Be pretty funny if she did.

Miss J: Or to try to live by....

Mumbliss: Yeah, you and I don't have any trouble living out the "save everything" rule!

Hat: If he didn't actually say it, he should have. Hmmm.... Sister Corita is suddenly a short little grey nun with large ears.

more cowbell said...

And as the nuns used to tell my mother: keep your hands on top of the covers at night.

Never mind. Screw that one.

Susan said...

6.Nothing is a mistake. There is no win and no fail. There is only make.

Right on, Sister!
(and, phew, that rule makes me feel so much better about myself!)

Elizabeth said...

Cowbell: Silly sad nuns. Definitely screw that.

Susan: I know. It's a good thing to believe, and also hard. But I try too.

D-Man said...

8.Don’t try to create and analyse at the same time. They’re different processes.

Oooo, I like that one. Good to remember, no?

Unknown said...

Sister Maria never taught me anything as helpful as those rules...I am going forward your blog on to St. Pauls in New York!

Doralong said...

Sister Corita is a wise, wise woman..