A good friend of mine just died unexpectedly. I’ve known him longer than anyone I’m not related to; he was in my life far longer than he wasn’t. I can’t picture what it’s going to be like going forward,
He was a huge influence on me, probably more than I’ll ever realize. One of his influences, for which I’ll always be grateful, was music. He introduced me to so many good bands: Bauhaus, The Cure, Henry Rollins, Stan Ridgway, The Residents, Devo, Dead Kennedys, Talking Heads. The list goes on. But the big one was the Ramones. They were his favourite, and they ended up being one of mine too.
So for Stuart, I’m sharing “Rockaway Beach,” written by Dee Dee Ramone, his favourite member of the band. Please give it a listen, and think about the people who helped you become who you are.
I also want to share this video that I saw a couple of weeks ago. It made me feel better, and hopefully it’ll help someone else feel better too.
Sometimes you don’t realize how much you need something until you get it. In my case what I needed was a happier plant.
My calamondin orange was suffering in a too-small pot for far too long. I kept putting off re-potting, wanting to do it after we moved, but since that’s taking longer than anticipated I finally decided to take care of the plant now.
After transferring it to a bigger pot, pruning, and staking it, I was tired, but also feeling accomplished. It was like a weight had been lifted. Giving the plant what it needed made me feel good. I highly recommend it.
I also discovered that my once-tiny houseplant has gotten huge! It really wasn’t obvious until I was finished and took a step back. How dwarf is a dwarf citrus tree anyway?
Photo by Scott Morrison
By the way, you can use calamondin oranges to make cake, juice (aka Filipino lemonade), or– if you’re like my SO (who also snacks on lemons)– you can eat them straight off the branch, rind included.
What little thing has lifted your spirits lately? Share in the comments…
My character Mara loves plants too. She’s also a vampire. Download my books and find out more…
If you prefer paperback, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop – a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥
Is anyone else feeling stuck lately? It could be winter blahs. It could be two years of mostly staying home and not being able to go anywhere fun or interesting. Or maybe it’s just something everyone goes through once in a while. Whatever the reason, if you’re feeling meh, you can bring back a bit of the spark by injecting some creativity into your day. Give these a try…
Dance
Put on some music and, as the saying goes, dance like no one’s watching. It’ll get you energized and maybe even spark some inspiration.
Cook
Skip the recipes and see what you can put together with what you already have on hand. If cooking’s not your thing, order in and get something you’ve never tried.
Play
Break out a creative or problem-solving game– basically anything that involves active participation instead of just following instructions. RPGs (like D&D) are perfect for this, although you generally need at least three people and a few hours to get the best experience.
Doodle
Blank paper + the writing tool of your choice. Don’t overthink it– just scribble away.
Photograph
Go for a walk or just wander around the house until you find something that catches your eye. Try to get as many different photos of one object as you can.
Daydream
Let your mind wander and see where it goes.
Redecorate
Rearrange the furniture in a room, or plan out your dream house. See the potential in your space.
If there’s something around the house you’ve been thinking of getting rid of, see if you can figure out how to improve it or find a new way to use it.
Compare
Pick (or have someone pick for you) two random things (e.g., a bear and a pair of socks). List everything you can think of that the two have in common (like, a bear and socks are both fuzzy).
Sing, with a Twist
Pick a song and make up new lyrics for it. You can write them down if you want, but it’s more fun to make them up as you go. The lyrics don’t have to be deep– sing about what you’re making for dinner or about your pets or how you’re feeling at that moment.
At its heart creativity is all about seeing things in a new way. Have fun and don’t overthink or self-edit. It probably won’t solve your problems, but being creative can set you free.
What do you do to stop feeling stuck? Share in the comments…
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If you prefer paperback, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop – a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥
A while back I read a great article about how travelling can enrich your writing. In it, the author outlines how travel is unpredictable, fosters empathy and reflection, and creates authenticity in your writing. Now that travel is slowly getting to be possible again, it seems like a good time to remind ourselves of how much it can add to our lives. Here are four more ways travelling is good for creativity (even if you don’t go any farther than the other side of town)…
It breaks up your routine
Even the most imaginative person needs inspiration, and, as many of us have learned these last couple of years, nothing is less inspiring than doing the same things and seeing the same few places over and over again, day after day. Going somewhere new shakes you out of your rut, gives you a fresh perspective, and re-ignites creativity.
If you go somewhere you’ve never been, you’re bound to learn something, whether it’s a few words in another language, facts about local history, or even a new skill (so many places offer classes and workshops for tourists). What you discover can be the spark you need for your current project, or the inspiration for something new.
It gives you the chance to be a different kind of creative
There are all kinds of opportunities to be creative while you travel, and if you can do so in a new (to you) way, even better (I’ve written before about how creativity begets creativity). Take pictures, write a journal entry (or poetry, short fiction, a song…) about your trip, sketch what you see, take part in a workshop, visit galleries and bookstores, talk to interesting people you meet along the way. Use it all as creative fuel.
When I was having trouble finding the right image to use for the cover of Love Lies Bleeding, a photo I’d taken in Paris turned out to be just what I needed (I posted about it here). My Paris trip photos also came through for the cover of Blood Magic, and I have a third one in mind for the next book. I didn’t go to Paris to take photos for my covers, but my travels led to exactly what I needed. You never know what going somewhere new could end up doing for you.
You don’t have to travel to be creative, but it really does help. Even if you can’t make it to another country, try exploring a different nearby town, or visit a neighbourhood in your own town that you’ve never been to. The important thing is to break out of routine and try something new. It could lead you to places you never expected.
Has travel helped your creativity? Share in the comments…
Download my books and find out how my travels have influenced my stories, and not just the covers…
If you prefer paperback, use this link to order Love Lies Bleeding from Bookshop – a portion of each sale goes directly to independent bookstores, as well as to myself. Thank you for supporting indie! ♥
Aspasía S. Bissas 