Joy in Being Creative

I wish this picture would have been taken while I was playing that lovely grand piano! But I did well at my recital in June. Interesting evening, in fact. I was 6th to go up, and the people before me were a mix of piano oldies [yawn] and wild guitar [loud, but good]. By the time it was my turn, I wanted to Show the audience that piano music can be as interesting as guitar. I really pounded it out! I did a medley of Sweet Child O' Mine with We Are The Champions--my own adaptation. When I finished, the teen boys said, "Rock On!" My teacher said, "Are you angry?" [maybe at myself for hitting wrong notes, but he hadn't heard me play with such enthusiasm before] And a little girl leaving the building at the same time looked up at me and said, "I liked your song."

Wow. The novel I published 4 years ago never got this kind of response. So that's why I'm playing piano now instead of writing.

You can be creative at anything you put your mind to. You just have to want it badly enough.

"Ok," you say, "but when I'm doing My Thing, I just can't get into the Zone."

Hey, I can identify with that. Distractions will drive you nuts, and the worst distractions are inside your own mind. But if you've ever experienced The Zone, then you know it exists, you know how wonderful it feels being there. It's mighty elusive, though, isn't it?!

Try deep breathing. Listen to the world around you. I met a well-published lady once who wrote in her laundry room so the white noise would block out phone calls and other nonsense. It won't block out the inner critic, though. You need to lock that bugger in the closet! Have Fun! Just for today....

Last night I amazed myself by getting the left hand and right hand working correctly together on a rather difficult piece of music. I actually jumped up and down like a little girl. 

The Zone is a great place to Be Creative. ...Find it Today.

Joy in the Creative Process

Some FaceBook friends of mine prompted me to start writing again. All I seem to be accomplishing, however, is either poems, or Musing on the Creative Process. In an attempt to prove to them that I am writing…sort of—LOL—I decided to share in my musings.

One of the topics that came up the other day was “Family-itis”—meaning, real life gets in the way of what we really want to do …with our life! I am reminded of a lovely lady, Carol Ding, who I met at the World Science Fiction Convention in Philadelphia in 2001. She was creative in many areas, not just writing. Her photos were magnificent. And I seem to remember she sewed as well, plus other crafty kinds of things. She’s dead now, of an aneurism in the brain. Walking around normal one minute, and gone the next. What I’m trying to say with this story is that I don’t think it matters, really, whether we turn into the next J.K. Rowling, or Beethoven, or whomever.  What matters, really, is that we have fun before we die.

Easier said than done, I know. But it CAN BE DONE! It’s a slow process of weeding out the unnecessary things in your life. Several years ago, there was a task at work that was driving me crazy. I delegated it to someone else [now he’s going crazy, poor guy, but I will not relent!]. I refuse to feel guilty for spreading the work around for others to do.

Balance is the key. I do not make a fortune. Deliberately. I want my TIME to create! I take that time…. At least I try. Yeah, the “Family-itis” got me down recently too. It’s so easy to devolve  into “Let Me Help You With That”…[sigh]. But I AM IMPORTANT TOO!!! [you need to tell yourself] Don’t you forget that! Make the time for yourself. Make it happen TODAY!

Oh, and so I can show my FaceBook team that I’m really being creative with my writing, here’s the poem I wrote on Monday:

PRECIOUS MEMORY

Continent’s edge—

Sea stacks, sea fog,

Sunset’s glow…

Briny waves clacking rocks.

Rocks worn by time…

Tapping against each other…

Tide, waves keep

Them moving.

Three gray oblong rocks

Brought home as souvenirs—

Heavy in the suitcase—

Now on my dusty dresser,

Not wet or moving

Yet smooth to the touch.

~kc