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?
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.
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.

Your humbler, mumbler host takes a moment to pose and keep an eye on things at Sessions Live Music and Alehouse.
Your humbler, mumbler host takes a moment to pose and keep an eye on things at Sessions Live Music and Alehouse.

2 Comments

  1. About this:

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

    You are absolutely right. You also may (or may not) have noticed that I don’t talk that much about creativity if I’m not in the middle of it. I just finished one big project, sent off a query package and the requested sample chapters, and dove right in to another big project. And thanks for the link to my blog.

  2. About this:

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

    You are absolutely right. You also may (or may not) have noticed that I don’t talk that much about creativity if I’m not in the middle of it. I just finished one big project, sent off a query package and the requested sample chapters, and dove right in to another big project. And thanks for the link to my blog.

    (Oh, and for April I’ve been participating in a blog challenge, so the posts will be slowing down.)

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