dirtylibrarian | Entries tagged with inspiration

Though it is pouring rain outside, I'm excited both for my morning run (which a friend is coming over to meet me for) and my drive to Portland later today.

I had the craziest dream this morning about being out on a run (hampered by a broom and pillow) and accidentally coming across the most awesome beautiful costume party ever. Heavy metal gurus were chatting me up, pretty much every creative person I've ever admired was there dressed to the nines in elaborate costumes, and my high school band teacher was there (dressed completely normal and ignoring me). I wasn't invited to this party. I wasn't going to get to eat any of the food. But I was honored just to get a glimpse of it.

It is pretty clear what this all means. This weekend I'm heading down to Portland for Wordstock. Some of my friends are unavailable to hang tonight as they are being honored at a special author party. Me, I'm taking a creative writing workshop with Lynda Barry, which I am THRILLED about. Though I hesitate to admit it, I have some deep secret hopes pinned on this weekend...that maybe it will help open up that side of me that is terrified to try and make the leap from someone who is very good at writing press releases and such, to someone who can commit to creating something meaningful, and real...from my heart, as a gift to others, to readers. I'm a perfectionist in many ways, and the fear of failure runs deep in me. But bit by bit I try to move forward. Hopefully this weekend I'll find lots of inspiration.

My horoscope for the day seems to think this is all a good idea:

Friday, Nov 7th, 2008 -- Allowing yourself time to daydream today can open up possibilities for growth you hadn't previously considered. With the watery Pisces Moon in your 9th House of Big Ideas, you may even be contemplating going back to school or taking up a new subject of study. If you've been longing to travel, now is a good time to encourage your wanderlust. Stretch your horizons while you feel the inclination.

Portlanders...I hope to see you soon! Not much free time this weekend, but we can fill it up!

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Correction: I realized having Tuesday off and hurrying back for work Sunday night was silly. I got Monday off, so I can take my time and really enjoy Portland, as is right. Can't wait to see y'all.

Current Mood: excited

Better to do something imperfectly than to do nothing flawlessly.
-- Robert Schuller

Must do more bad writing!

Band practice was canceled tonight as everyone else was psyched to go listen to the Ignite talks. I hadn't been before and was intrigued by their excitement, so decided to check it out.

Basically you have 18 people who each get 5 minutes to lecture on the subject of their choice. They get 20 slides that go by for 15 seconds each, and after that they are done. There was a huge variety of topics, but most were tech related in one way or another. Many were pretty humorous, but all of them were in some way informative.

The energy of the crowd was amazing...the place was super packed with all kinds of interesting intelligent folks. The couple dozen I recognized were people I had crossed paths with in Burning Man circles, and one person I had been on a few dates with back in the day.

I know the fellow who runs it, who encouraged me to think of a presentation to do on libraries. I was flattered he asked, but assumed he asks everyone. But then I started wondering what sort of topic would interest this crowd that I could confidently about. I really like the format and limitations, and while I know I am a powerful speaker when dealing with teenagers or librarians, I've never had a good opportunity to show off my stuff to this crowd. So I got thinking and came up with these possibilities: "Getting the most out of your community investment (or how you can save double your taxes by using the library efficiently)" or "How to talk to teenagers".

Other ideas?

I just adore the creative, geeky people in my life. Not only do they entertain and engage me, but they are a constant source of inspiration for life done right.

Today a big HOORAY for my pal Steve for allowing himself to take a break from his meticulously amazing, true to life comic styling to make Simpsons versions of The Wire.

And a thanks to all of you, my LJ posse who inspire me:

anneheathen- your sewing and gardening projects are such that I dream of doing

capn_jil - your mad art has a freedom I need to remember

carapace_green - you've reminded me that science sings

colleencoover- I adore your distinctive style and expression

gordonzola- when you write about cheese it makes me hungry and hot

holyoutlaw- your photography makes me want to get out, shoot, and challenge myself more

jemale- I haven't been following your work long, but what I've experienced intrigues me

jillbertini- I love the way you fit creativity into your life all the time

johnaegard- your Comfort Guides amuse the hell out of me. Can't wait for the new Greeter!

lara7- your mix of art and function makes every visit to your place captivating

librarian- your writing and integration of new technologies into everyday life carry me forward

marssaxman- teach me to sew, like you taught me to solder! your clothes are incredible

nevikmoore- your balance of job, family and cartoons is always impressive

pfarley- when is esheep coming back? best webcomics ever.

signifier- you make writing all the time look like the best job of all

skotkik- I'm so glad you have a chance to let your writing and painting bloom - the anticipation is sweet

terriblestorm- rocking drummer and soon-to-be law school student - you kick so much ass

thisisnotanlj- not just an amazing writer, but a shining star of a librarian too - I'm proud to be your peer

unshelved_comic - I was there at the beginning and couldn't be prouder to know these guys

Sometimes I look at all this great stuff going on around me, and I wonder, why am I not doing more? Or rather, why so little creative output?

capn_jil last night gave me a clumsy analogy that somehow works...I have so many interests and things I want to do I'm like a sea star trying to grow too many legs, and they are all going to be stumpy as long as I am going in so many directions at once. So the question is, how to focus? All I can think for now is to simplify, get rid of some of the clutter (literal) and distractions (squirrel brain), and hopefully the answer will rise to the surface.

Spring goals: Reduce possessions by 20-25%. Drop old projects that have been on back burner so long that they got moldy, then dried up and became part of the pan. Take a meditation class to clear mind.

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This gave me shivers.

Thanks to

leeeah for sharing this, and to

skotkik for making me watch Obama's speeches. I'm won over.

Hope your year is off to a great start. I had a fantastic New Years Eve, despite being sick for the last six days.

Sadly, I have already broken my New Years resolution of doing some creative writing everyday. Ha! And inspiration for getting going with this?

It doesn't have to be

the blue iris, it could be
weeds in a vacant lot, or a few
small stones; just
pay attention, then patch

a few words together and don't try
to make them elaborate, this isn't
a contest but the doorway

into thanks, and a silence in which
another voice may speak.

-Mary Oliver

And perhaps for writing, too?

Today I woke up early, and thought about a conversation I had with a friend of a friend at a show the other night, where he basically made the case that if I am going to be driving as much as I am and really don't want to move to the boondocks I call my service area, I'm going to need to do all I can to make the drive pleasurable. I've already worked on this some, getting the AC fixed in my car, new speakers, and fancy-ass wiper blades. This morning it hit me that I could do something to make the days where I am unable to carpool on my long route something to look forward to, with ritual. And by this, I don't mean slaughter or such, but rather to make a plan for a pleasurable activity on such days...in my case, I've decided if I'm going to drive an hour, I'm going to carefully rediscover entire albums all the way through. This may not sound like much, but I've been finding I'm developing a tendency to fill up my wee iPod with my most favorite of songs, and there is no room for full albums. At home I multi-task too much to pay close attention, but in the car, I am all ears.

Today I listened to one of my all-time favorite straight thorough with much relish: Neutral Milk Hotel's In the Aeroplane Over the Sea. Much singing along ensued, and some I'm-stuck-in-traffic-so-I-might-as-well-dance wiggling around, too.

Now the question is, what next? Tell me your favorite albums...that is not just cds with a few songs you like, but ones that work extremely well as a complete whole. Two of my other favorites that come to mind right now are Arcade Fire's Funeral and Jim White's Wrong-Eyed Jesus. I have plenty to re-discover in my collection, but would love to check out some of your favorites, too.

Yesterday I had a pouty moment when I felt like

technogreek hadn't been keeping me up with some stuff going on in his life. But then I realized, that with so many other people I'm used to them saying they are going to do something, and then following that up with lots of discussion, reflection, planning, postponing, agonizing, or whatever it takes for them to get around to doing it. But with him, he says he is going to do something, and it gets without all the in-between steps. He just does it.

jillbertini shared in her journal the other day some advice an author gave her about getting going with writing that really stuck with me since I read it:

It seems to clear that you want to do this. And 'thinking' is often a way to find a way to avoid what must be done, in my opinion. A way to try to be rational. Wanting to write isn't rational. It's like love; sometimes you just have to commit.

It made me think about so many things I've been thinking about doing...exercises, yoga, writing, practicing my drums, house projects, etc...that I put a lot of energy into thinking about, and could completely be saving that energy for better things by just doing these things and not thinking about them at all. So this morning, I woke up early and immediately did the neck exercises my chiropractor assigned to me (but I rarely do), and did the A.M. Yoga workout I purchased the DVD for a few months ago but hadn't touched. My goal for the day is to get all the things rattling around in my head done, or do at least 15 minutes each of the things I feel I should be doing. As Mary Poppins says: Well begun is half done!

Current Mood: energetic

via

rebellibrarian

I was already a full pledged Mr. Rogers fan before I read this nice little article, but I'm happy to share more good news and inspiration of my heroes when I can find it :)

Current Mood: optimistic

...after my flurry of late night posting.

From Brian Wood's blog, a quote from one of my favorite writers Antoine de Saint-Exupery:

“Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”

Current Mood: contemplative

I highly recommend checking out the photos of Nina Berman. She recently became a bit famous, for taking an award winning portrait of a Iraq vet and his wife on their wedding day. Salon has a good article about the picture. Her other photos are well worth looking at, too.

Thanks to

capn_jil for introducing me to this awesome blog out of London. It is simple, yet enchanting...capturing the beauty of everyday life and some of its wackiness, with just the right blend of words and photos. Plus food...recipes with pictures! Check out Route 79.

I'm totally inspired by this blog. Maybe after my life mellows out again a bit I can work to do something nice like this.

found via defective yeti

I confess one of my worst habits, and greatest joys is ramen. My tastes have evolved slightly over time. As a youth I favored Oriental Flavor Top Ramen, and gradually discovered the subtle luxury of Sesame Chicken (packaged with real sesame oil and seeds that you add!). Now my vice is primarily hot, spicy and somewhat fishy Korean style ones with fatter noodles that come in a round.

So it is only appropriate that I take a moment of silence, and raise a slippery bowl to Momofuku Ando. You've got to love a guy who can be quoted as saying:

“I’ve realized my dream that noodles can go into space.”

If you are looking for something positive, to get you in a good mindset about the world this year, I highly recommend checking out this documentary. It was created by a guy who wanted to give his young daughters better answers to their increasingly difficult and depressing questions, so he found Nobel prize winners to talk to. When he got back, he started The Nobelity Project to help these visionaries, and to give people ways to make meaningful change in the world. Good stuff.

I got this article through an email subscription, and was really pleased by it. I like that people are thinking about and spectulating on this weird random photo.

Who is that mysterious, elegant man? And why is he sitting on a dead horse?

My favorite quote: "Who knows why somebody would take a picture of it?" she said. "People had weird senses of humor then just like they do now."

I meant to post this last week...

Two dolphins who had swallowed toxic plastic were saved by the world's tallest man, who used his long arms to retrieve shards from their stomachs.