The Human Condition and Creativity

“Honey, can I put cheese on Max the Chihuahua?” I asked.

“You never let me put cheese on Summer the Chihuahua.”

“Yeah, well, right place, right time.”

I came across this image while cleaning up a backup hard drive. You can see me at the front of the room, teaching, meaning I'd handed my camera to someone else. Fun facts: the woman on the far right is Jill, whose mom babysat my stepdaughter decades ago; the woman next to her is Jennifer, who was pregnant at the time, and who I saw not long ago with one-year-old Jack. — I came across this image while cleaning up a backup hard drive. You can see me at the front of the room, teaching, meaning I’d handed my camera to someone else. Fun facts: the woman on the far right is Jill, whose mom babysat my stepdaughter decades ago; the woman next to her is Jennifer, who was pregnant at the time, and who I saw not long ago with one-year-old Jack.

I have rejoined the Twitterstream, where it is always raining lawnmowers and assholes. While I scour the web for interesting content, I always try to generate my own.

Is this creative, or derivative? Can it be both at the same time?

We’ve all been there: a dull ache, a misplaced purpose, unending repetition at work or at home or both. Sometimes it’s worse: anger, dissatisfaction, depression. It’s a real thing, and it can poison our whole lives. When we fall into this pit, the poison ruins things that would otherwise be good in our lives: spouses, children and grandchildren, pets, hobbies, sleep, appetite, nature.

I’m not there now, so no inquiry is merited, but I do know a few people who are in the rough. I wish I had some good advice for them, but we all know that the way out is through, and I can’t go through for them. Be of good cheer? Fake it ’til you make it? Councilor? Therapist? Walk the dog? Write? Blog? Cry?

Chess and music are two activities I consider very creative.

My friend and next door neighbor Jenn Nipps talks about creativity all the time, and how well it serves her, though seldom in equal portions.

It’s a delicate balance: talking about creativity instead of creating something is a lot like talking about cameras instead of taking pictures.

As I wrote this I ran across a couple of Open Mic Nyte buddies who are opening a new live music venue, Sessions Live Music and Alehouse, which is great: it is my view that more creativity begets more creativity.