Recipe for Creating More

This is not meant to be definitive. The hope is to present some ideas. There is some background to draw upon.

  1. As much as possible, put your internal critic in the dungeon, a nice one if you like. You can liberate the rascal when you begin to edit, and absence makes the findings sharper.
  2. If you are stuck, do something else; a different style, media, genre, voice.
  3. Do Morning Pages as instructed by Julia Cameron in The Artist’s Way.
  4. Use a different method; notebooks and a variety of pens, computer, tablet, phone; acrylics, oils, watercolors, pencil, colored pencil, pen & ink, canvas, paper, wood, sculpture; color, monochrome, macro, zoom, panorama, varied lenses, day, night, indoor, outdoor.
  5. Take a break and read something inspiring, or if you are more audio-visual, watch some how-to’s on YouTube or find some podcasts. Use music when you can, it can ease tension and promote imagination.
  6. Work in a different location: Go to a cafe or restaurant, a picnic table in a park, a bench or table in a high traffic shopping center, a library, a ball game, a parade.
  7. Give yourself permission to be an amateur. Everything does not have to be perfect. Even if something you do does not get glowing praise, it was an experiment in which you gain knowledge. There is no such thing as perfection. What you do at the moment is perfect in that it is an expression of yourself and was done courageously by you. Work, and in time you shall gain mastery.

This is brought to you by my son, Alex, saying he was having a hard time working on his novel. I thought it might be a topic worth my exploring since I consider myself a creativity expert.

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Opportunity

I have always supported every form of artistic/creative endeavor possible. I pay outrageously for the privilege many times.

A few years ago, I won two tickets to a concert, the prize sponsored by the company I now do my small job with.

I took my Mom, who had never been to an indoor concert, and we saw Kenny Loggins. The thing is, “Danger Zone” from Top Gun is and has been my ringtone.

I thought I would share a picture. I was allowed up close cause the venue was small.

 

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The concert was spectacular, and I am forever grateful I was allowed to share it with my Mom.

© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan

Welcome February

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This is Goobi, my grand kitty. She believes she owns me, and I am a semi-obedient cat servant now, so maybe she is right.

There is a lot of material in the following pages, so please humor me and read it all. It has been a while since I have written much by hand, so my script is iffy at times. It will improve as I do this again.

I have mentioned I work slow, I have done all these since about 1 or 2 am, until minutes ago. The scanning process was a nightmare with the Dell. Do not get a Dell.

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That last haiku is a tribute to Freddie Mercury, and someone, but no one.

I hope you are having an outstanding day. I have stayed busy. I may be back, but it depends.

There is a lot swirling around inside me right now, the thing is finding the right piece to begin assembling the puzzle and the proper color to paint it with.

God bless you! Create. Write your name bold across the globe. You are a masterpiece.

As a prompt, if you are brave – post a handwritten page or more.

© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan

 

LoVe and Some Suggestions

Here we are entering February, with that I Heart You Day. I usually celebrate all month, well, kind of, all the time. I am decidedly weird, do not think I am unaware, LOL! I am gonna tell you a secret, that maybe is not so secret, I do not know if it is obvious. I fall in love with everybody. I always have. I have been utterly celibate for over ten years. Still, I love people. It does not matter who you are, it is not a sexual thing, it is a total devotion type thing.

I am so afraid of doing the wrong thing, so I have social anxiety, but I will befriend anyone. I smile and talk to perfect strangers, although I quake inside.

Okay, you are exceptional, very dear, very precious, and loved very much.

Something you could do for your significant other this month, or a person, whoever:

  1. Write a little love note every day and put it where they will find it. If you have time and the inclination, do a full-fledged love letter.
  2. Make a trip to a park together and take pictures to seal the memory.
  3. Call them up, just because, and say something scandalously sweet.
  4. Plant a tree together, maybe one for each one of you.
  5. If you can admit one to your family, adopt a dog or a cat, or go all out and adopt more than one.
  6. Attend a spiritual service together – whatever sect appeals to you. If you have differences in approach, go to one of each together.
  7. Go where the water is, lake, ocean, river, pond, just go. Water is magical, and love breeds there.
  8. Decide you will journal together, whichever of you is most verbal begin and give the other time on the same day. This is particularly good should you need to work something out. Make it an everyday habit, maybe for always.
  9. Compliment each other every day. Try for something different each time, and not just clothes.
  10. Help each other with chores, especially children, if you have them.
  11.  Bonus: Give books, poetry, writing, fiction, non-fiction, just books, everybody books. Need suggestions, hit me up, I read everything.
  12. Extra Bonus: Give Music, any kind, any time. All music, all the time.

You can do most of these things with friends and other family members too.

I hope, it does not matter what I hope.

God bless you all. May dreams come true for you in February. Have fun and reach for the stars, if you miss, maybe you will beat Elon to Mars.

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© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan