When the batteries run low

Okay.
Something's going on.
I'm not liking my photos, and I'm discouraged about my poetry, too.  I can't seem to create any intriguing new collages (though I've been trying).  I'm not interested in going out shooting.  And of all the sunrise pictures I've taken in the last few days (we've had some glorious ones) this is the one I chose to put here -- and it has an ominous feel to it -- or at least, it feels that way to me.

I think these are my normal post-Christmas blues.  And it IS coming up on Martin Luther King weekend -- which I've traditionally spent going off somewhere on a retreat, usually with some sort of artistic component.  Last year I went over the mountains and came back with these wonderful collage inspirations; the year before that I spent a weekend doing Soul Collages (which felt fabulous at the time, but now I look at them and go "what were you THINKING?  These are CRAP!")

I've not made any plans for a retreat this year because I have a rehearsal on Saturday.  But maybe I need to re-think this; see if I can get away, just for Saturday night and Sunday?  Because something in me needs to get re-charged. 

Just out of curiosity (this is the advantage of keeping a diary) I went back and looked at my posts for this time last year.  The post for January 11 talked about a similar feeling, and the last lines said this:

"Sometimes we just need to give ourselves permission to go off-line.  Take a deep breath.  Vedge out.

Just do it!"

Hmmm.  I guess this IS some sort of seasonal malaise.  Sad to be so predictable, isn't it!  And yet, at the same time, it's reassuring: this is a normal transition phase, usually followed by some new surge of creativity.  So.  What can I do to jump start that?

Hmmm.