How to be more creative quickly
October 15, 2009 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Health and Happiness
The simple answer is to have an overwhelming need combined with no easily accessible solution – bored kids or broke adults can be some of the most creative people out there if they let themselves.
As I’ve been getting ready for my upcoming trip to Florida (today) there were two things I truly need for the trip that I don’t have the money or time to order; a loose sieve for metal detecting on the beach to separate the sand from the treasure quickly and a sun hat that will fit my head that consistently proves that one size does not fit all. I’ve no idea if what I came up with will actually work, and it does require a serious commitment to looking a little strange on the beach but I really enjoyed the process of solving these two problems.
For the sieve, I spent $4 at the hardware store for some plastic gutter netting and then stitched it together with some plastic cord I already had and used the rim of a large cottage cheese carton to reinforce the top – it looks like a really funky fishing basket but I think it will do the trick. For the hat, I simply went through my stockpile of fabric and found the lightest possible one I was willing to part with which turned out to be pale pink and used the only hat pattern I had that had a brim – so it looks like a confection for race day but it didn’t cost me any money and it’s ready to go in the suitcase.
I didn’t have prior skills here, I just trusted that it was possible to solve the problem within the parameters I had set. It was a lot more fun than buying either item ready made, although I agree that would use less of my time, but there’s no creativity in letting someone else always solve things for you.
Uninspired and moving forward
September 29, 2009 by Juliet Chase
Filed under Importance of Motivation
It’s not exactly writer’s block – I’m just feeling a lack of a topic here! And that in itself is a subject because it happens to all of us at some point and in all sorts of tasks. I thought about my choices: go and eat and hope that inspiration will strike, skip this post and hope nobody will notice, stare at the screen until something happens or what I’m doing which is closely related to stream of consciousness. I don’t have time to put it off and yet nothing major has happened. I thought about writing about balance but if I sound preachy in my own head, I’m unlikely to write it better so thinking I should save that.
I think these dips are natural – I just came off a weekend of intense stuff and trying to fit a lot in and I know I have that coming up again in a few days. In my new era of no excuses I decided that moving forward even if it feels awkward was the best plan. I’m not entirely convinced. Doing the boring little prep tasks or future chores is my way of powering through them; things like making ear wires for earrings (not inspiring work but it needs to get done at some point) or catching up on laundry so that when inspiration does hit, it’s less of a conflict. It’s all good:-)
