The Box 69: ALL

Color: ALL
Song: "Change" Joy Denalane feat. Lupe Fiasco


Change.

Accepting Change...
Doesn't come easily for most people.
A Change in relationships
A Change in jobs
A Change of leadership
A Change of address.

Being Creatures of habit we are also Creatures of evolution...Constantly adapting with the Changing times.

I experienced a need for change yesterday that really ruffled my peacock feathers. Since the beginning of "The Box 69" I've been using the vintage crayons from a 1958 64-count Crayola Crayon box. I bought the box in a collector's tin about 10 years ago and for those 10 years, they've just been some old crayons in a tin box trying to look important.

Once I got over myself and the idea that I was sitting on this uber treasure that would bring me riches in my retirement (you can order that same tin of crayons online for $12), I cracked the tin open and took a good whiff of that first day of school smell!

Change.

Yesterday, I bought a new box of 120-count Crayola Crayons...and they look nothing like the crayons I've shot so far in the blog series. The paper color for each color. The font used on the various colors is different from the old school crayons. The new crayons have the name typed and set in English, Spanish, and French. Continuity...gone. Or so I thought.

Change.

Originally, my idea for this project was to shoot a series of three minute short films thematically connected to or depicting the emotional temperature of each color/crayon. 64 short films...actually 69 short films (I thought 69 would be sexier than 64 for obvious reasons...change)...each three minutes long...nuts and crazy and ridiculous! Who had time to shot and cut all that material?! Naw...I needed a new plan.

Change.

I write...a lot. I write nearly everyday. My grandmother introduced me to writing regularly because I had reading and comprehension issues growing up. In her mind, the more I used my own words to tell stories, I'd grow more comfortable with someone else's words. Now, I love words...and how they work in partnership with others.

Change.

Changed my life.

In 1990, I entered James Madison University an accounting major. By the end of 1992, I was a theater major. Change. Change I didn't...couldn't tell my dad about...until graduation day...1994. Yeah...at JMU, there was a big, overall ceremony for all the graduates with a speaker and then based on your major, you went off to different buildings on campus for your specific program's graduation ceremony. My dad started off towards the business school. I called for him to come back this way...my way...to the Performing Arts graduation. "For what?" he asked.

Change.

Throughout my life, I've experienced and embraced Change. Hell, I voted for it in 2008. So, why was it so difficult to wrap my brain around switching from the 1958 Crayola crayons to the current, multilingual, politically correct crayons? (Indian Red was renamed Chestnut in 1999 and Flesh was replaced with Peach in 1962. My box '58 box kept Indian Red but still switched out Flesh for Peach. How I WISH I had the Flesh crayon! I'd find the deepest, darkest, most wonderfully Black person I could find to hold THAT Flesh crayon!) The answer...Comfort. A mighty different word from Change...Comfort. They were the crayons I grew up using. I was accustom to certain hues holding distinct meanings and I never questioned them. Ok...I may have questioned Thistle. Who knew what a dang Thistle was?! That was one of the colors that remained NEW looking for the entire life of my crayons because I didn't know what it was! Meanwhile, primary colors? Worn OUT! Comfort! The metallics? Gold, Silver, Copper...WORN OUT! Comfort! Combination colors: Red Orange, Blue Green, Green Blue, Yellow Orange, Orange Yellow, Orange Red, Blue Gray, Gray Blue...worn out, Worn Out, WORN OUT! I KNEW those colors...even when you mixed them! Comfort! I was comfortable with what I knew...and I used it. I relied on it.

**Side note: White also remained new lookin' and in the box. Take from that what you will...but I'm here to tell you, I NEVER had Black paper to color on, so White was a waste of crayon. However, if you have Black...you MUST have White, right?! Comfort.**

Here's the thing about Comfort: it's but two shades from Complacency. I looked up Complacency just now and realized it's time to shake things up a bit. Complacency: noun, a feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements. Hmmmm...

So, I'm leaving the Comfort of what I've Created. I'm leaving the Comfort of what I know. I'm Challenging myself to dig deeper...to mine for more precious jewel tones in myself, in my life, and in the others around me. Change is difficult. But it also mighty, mighty rewarding.

Oh...and I closed my eyes just now, pulled out five random crayons out of my carrying case: Timberwolf, Vivid Tangerine, Cerulean, Macaroni and Cheese...and Tan. Yes, Tan. I said I closed my eyes! A hint of Comfort fights to remain Close. Ok Tan...I see you...Let's Make Some Changes!

TDV