Daphne Bennett

I have printed a pile of business cards from moo.com. I don’t know what to call myself. I am not defined by my roles I currently tenure. I have been working in a charity job on Friday, at children theatre on Saturday and at a children home on Sunday, and I also volunteer for the local council’s heritage research and Citizens Advice. And mother, always a mother. I am not able to pin myself down to one role. I think my most consistent role is childcare and housework.

At the end, I put Artist, Blogger and Coder on it at the end. These 3 things are what I am trying to do weekly if not daily outside work and childcare responsibilities (like 14 hours+ a day?). And I remind myself not to be so greedy that I pick up every shift of offer, so that I can reserve some time to do something for myself. But I am not quite an artist or blogger, and definitely not know enough to be a coder. I try. I work towards these directions a little bit every day.

Next week my goal is to start drawing.

I have learnt something interesting this week, the word origin of the word ‘analysis’. This word is everywhere to a point that is almost cliché. I learnt that the word “analysis” comes from the Greek word “analuein”. This word is made of two parts: “ana” means “up” or “back” and “luein” means “to loosen” or “to untie”. So essentially “analuein” means “to loosen or untie something”, in order to examine it closely.

I have studied visual and text analysis for many years in my art history studies. Now I am learning SQL and Python so to understand data. And back to here, to write, is to loosen some knots? By definition, systematic examination and interpretation with the goal of uncovering insights or patterns of my own irrational decision makings and behaviours? The purpose for the Substack is a process tracker, a reflection, amidst the unstoppable tides of life.

Life moving a bit faster than I thought it would be, perhaps it’s a positive thing. I am nervous as hell nevertheless. I would not say I am very healthy this week but perhaps once the new routine kicks in I am able to be more disciplined, less weary. That’s what I keep telling myself, but I have been consistent in making some changes everyday.

Until next week.