Skip to main content

Purposelessness has a purpose - Kevin Greenberg - Have a Creative Outlet

I really enjoy the purposelessness of art and the playful aspect of it.  I would like to always make room in my life for that type of experimentation and purposelessness in creative expression.

Quote from Kevin Greenberg, architect and podcast interviewee.




I am not sure why is happening but I am in a more upbeat mood lately.  A lot of my writing has had an edge to it and the quotes I was picking were not from a Disney happy ending.  I was writing to vent to a certain extent.

 But lately, I am in a happier place.  Could it be the benefit of journaling every morning which I started doing after reading Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way? Is it listing the three gratitudes I have everyday (almost)?  Is it from a high-fiber oatmeal breakfast most mornings?

 Before, my morning routines consisted of reading the news for at least an hour over multiple cups of coffee.  That's always a ray of sunshine to start the day.  Next I'd journal and plan my day.

 Now, it's down to less than an hour of the news, then journal, and next watch some comedic youtube videos.  I am currently entranced by Comedy Central's This is Not Happening.

 I still watch too much TV.  I still don't do enough visual creative work.  But another difference is I listen to podcasts.  I have been listening to Pod Saves America and Lovett or Leave It  for a while.  But lately I've expanded to the podcasts from NPR.  The podcasts I chose from the NPR playlist started out as the news.  ( Another liberal echo chamber - I love it).  

 But then I read about How I Built This with Guy Raz and started listening to the stories of how entrepreneurs built their businesses.  I bought bone-phone ear phones and started listening everywhere.  But, what happens when I was inbetween podcasts?  The NPR comedies started:  Wait Wait ... Don't Tell Me! and Ask Me Another .  And now, Holy Muffin Tops, I am watching comedy in the morning.

 Not too long ago, I wasn't waking up every day looking for a wet stone to use on my axe. I didn't have a thought that would link to an angry, self-righteous quote.  I had to scramble to find the pile of index cards with interesting quotes I compiled last year and pull one out of the there.  That's where the Churchill blog post came from.  I had a couple of "Lord, Give Me Strength" mornings:  Forgive and Forget.  But, in general I was worrying that I this blog project might stop.

 Then I thought I could just find something a person said on one of the many podcasts I listen to.  And that is how we got today's quote.  I found out about Clever Podcast from one of those end-of-year bests lists.  Since I like design and had a small international design business at one time, I'd give it a shot and went to the premier show. I'll just listen to them until I get bored.

 Well, Kevin is Episode 17 and I am loving the two hosts:  Jaime Derringer of Design Milk and Amy Devers, an TV show designer.  They are funny and great interviewers.  And for the most part I have never heard of the designers they've interviewed (okay - I've heard of Jonathan Adler ) and I think that's great.


So for today's blog, I am quoting an architect. I chose the quote because I have been beating myself up for not finding time for visual creative activities.  And even now, instead of saving this blog entry for the morning, I am procrastinating on starting a project by writing.

 Another of Kevin's statements is to be gentle with ideas and yourself.  So, I wanted to get this blog entry out.  I wanted to see if I was satisfied with choosing a quote from a person not widely known.

I am happy with it.  I am putting out there that creativity can be easy and freeing and not have a purpose other than being.  And that it is important to do.

 Maybe I'll have another unexpected shift and pick up that kit to produce my art.



Gratitudes:  Chocolate covered blueberries, woks, and electric tea kettles.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Don't trust a skinny cook - Vinne Vrotny - Teacher Hypocrisy

Adults want comfort, but expect students to go into [the] discomfort zone.  Are we hypocrites?  from Vinnie Vrotny - Blog post    Multi-faceted Refractions I live with the thought that I am a hypocrite.  I am a teacher almost every day I implore, cajole, push, and pull students to learn more about the immediate subject and themselves.  And yet I feel guilty when I don't do the same thing. To find today's quote, I Googled "quotes teacher hypocrisy" and got no love.  I got quotes from Don King, Malcom X, Alan Dershowitz (black pot) and others.  But no listed, no famous quotes about teachers and hypocrisy.   Then I Googled "teacher hypocrisy" and oh boy, were there hits!.   Grass roots education ;  Condor Voice ; I, Hypocrite Teache r; and today's quote were just a start.   I realized that I am not alone.   I must admit I also hate lazy teachers.  They are robbing students' time.  Teaching is a hard job, both emotionally and phy
Post a Comment
Read more

We shape our buildings - Winston Churchill - Be in action

We shape our buildings, and afterwards our buildings shape us. from:  Winston Churchill, Painter , Political Survivor, Orator , and Nobel Prize for Literature Winner So much negativity in the world and in my thoughts.  Originally, I was looking for a quote about the benefits of having positive thoughts.  Sigh.  There are many quotes like that out there, but the ones I found where either by celebrities or self-help gurus.  Not that what they are saying is not useful, it is just I wanted elegant, powerful bon mots from a profound source. So, Churchill. I'd written down in my notes about this quote.  It was made in a speech to rebuild the House of Commons after a bombing raid.  I noted the quote because it agrees with my belief that architecture influences those who encounter it, whether for good or bad.  But in this case, I am presenting it to my gentle readers as a metaphor.  Like:  "You reap what you sow," or "You've made your bed, so go lay in it."
Post a Comment
Read more

Anger and Work - Toni Morrison - Tired of being angry

I get angry at things, then go on and work. from: Toni Morrison Author and Teacher Disclosure:  I know little about Toni Morrison.  Yes, I should read her writings.  But I have my own writings to get out of my head. I found this quote because I have become tired of being angry.  Maybe I should just scream myself into a coma, but I think I would still wake up anger.  Screw the Serenity Prayer.  Stuff admonitions of how anger is caused by fear.  Stifle thoughts of turning the other cheek.  Suffocate ideas of rising above.  Smother the idea that this is not productive.   But then, a sliver of sanity and the simplicity of Morrison's quote.  As I have written before, I like to find the origin of quotes I use, and this one I found (unless this is photoshopped ) So, my two options are to keep my hand in the fire or to move into action.  Since I am writing this, I have chosen movement.   This entry can be considered the equivalent of picking myself up and brushing myself off.
Post a Comment
Read more