Sankalpa Day 23

Note the look of determination on his face.

As you all know, it's time for the Thursday Creativity Share.

I was inspired by Ira Glass's words to stay the course when you're starting out. When you know your ideas aren't that great, keep working.  Don't give up. It takes time to get a handle on what you're doing.  Like with my goal to be a great artist some day.  I know this sketch isn't that great, but I'm going to keep plugging along. I'm going to pay attention to smarties who have been on the creative journey for awhile now.

Like Michael Nobbs over on the awesome Sustainably Creative blog.

Also, writer Paul Kilduff who shares his cartoons on Facebook.  You should like his page.  It always makes me laugh.  (Full disclosure:  He's one of our bff's.)  (Why would that matter anyway?) (Just look at his cartoons). (Give me a break with this disclosure business).

And artist Marja Inez who has a great tumblr that I follow and adore.

Lastly, good news, my college roommate, Maira Kalman, has a new book out!  It's about Thomas Jefferson. Can not tell you how happy I am about this.  Kudos, Maira!

Thursday Creativity Share is a wrap. The day begins. I'm moving into my important work, with confident creativity and creative confidence.

Sankalpa Day 22

My New Favorite Thing

Before I work each day, I get a fearful feeling and I'm not crazy about that.  But Julia Cameron wrote on her creativity blog that it's not the beginning that's scary.  It's the unknown, the fear of not knowing what's going to happen during the work session. She says it's important to "surrender to the mystery of the creative journey."  So that's what I did today and it worked out pretty well.

Sankalpa Day 21

Today I listened to a talk by John Cleese on being creative.  You need 4 things to be creative.  Time, Space, Humor and Confidence.  You also need to have a fun spirit of playfulness when you're in the discovery phase of working on a project.  Once you get some ideas and make some decisions, then it's time to set play aside and get to work.  I'm in the beginning stages of the book outline revision and I really need to lighten up about it.

On my slog today I found out that sting rays are hurting thousands of people every year.  Supposedly it's all unintentional on the stingray's part, but I'm a bit skeptical about that. I'm glad I learned about the stingray shuffle, so I'll probably not get hurt by stingrays.  Please teach everyone you know about the stingray shuffle because otherwise you could be hurt or killed by stingrays.  Right now, stingrays are getting on my last nerve.

Sankalpa Day 20

It's time for the Monday Writing Report (MWR).  Here's the thing.  I finished up the article and the conference proposal early last week and just yesterday I got back to revising the book outline. Took a few days off, so to speak. Yesterday did not go well.  I wrote some notes, and then took a nap. Then I went to see Jack Ryan Shadow Recruit, which is great and you should see it if you want.  Starting up a new writing project, I experience a sharp, cold, daunting terror in the pit of my stomach so I've been reading a little about confidence here.  I've also been reading about James Baldwin writing in Paris.  Being a copycatter, I may emulate James Baldwin and head over to our local coffee shop this morning. Copycatting James Baldwin is going to involve a disruption of my sacred routine, but maybe that's okay.  Mix it up a bit so to speak?  

Sankalpa Day 19

I'm trying hard to remember if I did anything with confidence or creativity today.  The sad answer is no.  I was feeling punky so I just noodled about aimlessly.

In the evening we went with our friend to see Jack Ryan:  Shadow Recruit.  Let me tell you, this movie did not disappoint.  Jack Ryan is pretty quick on his feet and he saved the U.S. from a big catastrophe.  See it if you feel like it.  Especially if you're in the mood for some action and adventure.

Our landman planted flowers today.  Mostly cyclamen, in pots all over his garden.  Really beautiful.

Sankalpa Day 18

Picture Mary and the angel Gabriel having a chat here.
Church of the Annunciation

Husbandman's caption, "I was going to bring brownies, but...."

We went to the Mane Katz Museum today and learned about the Jewish School of Paris.  Jewish artists studied in Paris and then some of them went to live in Tel Aviv after WWII.  One of these artists said something like this.... We want to create our own Montparnasse here in Tel Aviv, not a Montparnasse of cafes, but a Montparnasse of creativity.  This is not an exact quote, but I've communicated the idea with confidence and I love the idea very much.  Creativity is part of my sankalpa, so I feel I would have fit right in with this group of cool artists.  They would have truly enjoyed having me around and I'm sure I would have learned a lot from them.  After Mane Katz we went to the beach at Habonim. On the way I read about Chaim Soutine to Husbandman.  When I first told Husbandman I was going to read to him about Chaim Soutine, he muttered, "Damn it," but then he seemed to listen attentively to the information I shared. Another beautiful sunny day in Israel.  I took some creative pictures and though we could not find the Blue Cave we were looking for because our map was only in Hebrew, our time there was naim meod.  (Very Pleasant).  We loved every second.

Sankalpa Day 17

Today was chock full of creativity and confidence.  We started out with the Roman ruins at Bet She'an.  Incredible.  Then we headed over to Nazareth.  The Church of the Annunciation contains the grotto where Mary got the news from Gabriel that she was pregnant with child.  This is the coolest church. Ruins in the basement, the rest is very modern, super beautiful.  Countries from all over the world contributed mosaics for this church.  You're going to be seeing a lot of Marys in the next few days my friends.  We also checked out a synagogue where Jesus did a bit of teaching.  Then we went to see HER, a very wonderful movie you should see if you want to.  Hayom (today) was a constant bustle of appreciating this great place we're living in this year.

Sankalpa Day 16

These little greenies just popped up this week. 

I'm beginning a new blog feature.  It's called Creativity Share Thursday.  You're probably going to really like it.

Jeff Wolin sometimes plays tennis with Husbandman.  He's also one of the most amazing photographers on the planet.  If you go here you can learn about his latest exhibit.

20 Something Daughter started a new blog.  I believe she's a very funny writer.  She spends a lot of time on her posts, unlike her mom. Go 20 Something!

Bruce has a new album called High Hopes. Bruce's last album, Wrecking Ball, is the soundtrack to my sabbatical year.  I listen to it pretty much every day, on low volume, as I try to write stuff.  High Hopes probably can't be as good as Wrecking Ball, but I'll get it anyway because I really love Bruce Springsteen. He's funny with Jimmy Fallon here.

So that's Creativity Share Thursday.  It's a wrap.

Sankalpa Day 15

This morning I got creative and wrote a speed story. Tonight I'm getting confident, posting it on this blog.

Harriet Harrison wears a snood all day, on account of her localized hypertrichosis. Each night she buzzes her locks away.  The next morning she pops on her snood on her way out the door and proceeds through her day, puffing up the snood as the minutes tick by.  Harriet donates her hair at the Classy Clips Salon on Saturday mornings.  Though it’s a habit now, it still feels weird to her. Why on earth would anyone want all this extra hair, she wonders.  If I could be bald and stay bald, I’d be thrilled.  

Sankalpa Day 14

 This is the Monday Writing Report (MWR).  I forgot about it yesterday.  Tonight I finished my conference proposal.  It had to be 500 words and it came in at 495.  Boom.

It's due tomorrow at midnight so tomorrow I'll read it over and write a cheesy 50 word blurb. Then I'll send it on its way.  And I'll wish it well.

If this proposal gets accepted, I'll be happy to chat at NCTE in November.  If it gets rejected, I'll go to NCTE anyway and give a mock presentation to my friends over drinks at a local publican house.  It's basically win win.

I am being fairly creative with this proposal, hitting an angle that I haven't hit before with my dissertation data.  And I'm confident that I did my best with it.  Now I have to start working on the book outline revision.  I'm going to give it the old college try.

Sankalpa Day 13

Though it's almost dinner time, Husbandman said he needs a little nap.  I told him it had to be a short one because I have this overwhelming desire to go to the pub and have a scotch.  This overwhelming creative desire comes over me about once a year and today's the day.  On his way toward his nap, I heard Husbandman murmuring, "There are people who don't understand me and there are people who do understand me, but the people who do understand me often either overestimate me or underestimate me."  

Okay, not sure at all which category I fall into, but I do know this.  Husbandman will be waking from the nap soon to drive me to the pub.  I wish our pals could meet us there.  This means you.

#1 Son's Big Purchase from the Old City.