Finish It!

Any time I’ve heard an aspiring artist ask an accomplished artist what he or she would do about their half-finished project, the accomplished artist’s answer always seems to be, “finish it.” For better or worse they insist the aspiring artist finish the damn…whatever.


It has occurred to me lately that I’ve never really finished anything. My life is a series of loose ends, abandoned projects, and forgotten ambitions. I am a node of untapped potential. By no fault but my own, my works are standing like Johnny Cage the end of a Mortal Kombat fight, dazed and wobbling. All I do is stare; no awesome combos ever come to mind.

Finish it…

Maybe I’m afraid if I finish something I start, it won’t be as wonderful as I thought. I don’t know where this comes from. I’ve never had anything I’ve done really reviewed negatively. Maybe I don’t want the streak to end.

I think this has much to do with my reluctance to see things end. I hate endings. Endings are usually so sad, so bad, so…final. However, I am fabulous at beginnings. I have started many stories with fantastic characters with awesome back stories and fabulous premises. I fail to do anything with them. I can never seem to push them forward to an ending. Happy endings are dull outside of a massage parlor and dramatic sad endings are equally lame.

There is nothing to be done for it though. I see myself pleading my case of unfinished business to every fantastic artist I know of, living or dead. In my head they all say the same thing almost in chorus.

Finish it…

My new goal is to do just that. Finish things. Finish everything I start for better or worse. I endeavor to tie up all those loose ends. I’ll complete abandoned projects and I’ll fight for the ecstasy of doneness. Every new thing I get excited about I will bring to its ultimate conclusion.

All those artists in my head would be proud, even if I never join their ranks.

The end!