Creativity happens in so many ways....

This is the current career book I'm reading--again a recommendation from a Work Group colleague!

Over the years I've taken a number of creativity, brainstorming, out of the box, etc. courses, and I admit I tend to score at the lower end on those tests when it comes to pure out-of-the box elements.

HOWEVER, my creativity shines in making some of those other pie-in-the-sky ideas work. There can be tremendous creativity in implementation, innovation and stretching to make things work.

I might not be so creative in coming up with wild ideas (though I'm decent enough I think!), but I can usually come up with a bunch of ways to make it work when I know the goals. And writing copy and taking pictures also has creativity--though with some structure around it.

In this book, as in THE ELEMENT, Ken spends time focusing on the problems with education today and the teaching to the test focus in schools. I admit, this wasn't a problem for me growing up, as I am a good test taker. But I do agree with his comments that after starting school kids who would belt songs proudly, draw wildly, tell crazy stories and be adventurous often start to "settle down" in some fashion and become self-conscious. I'm not sure if it's teachers, fellow kids, older kids or the pressure to fit in, but it does happen.

My niece is five (and three-quarters as she would remind me), and loves her American Girl dolls. She dresses them, wants pictures with them, walks with them and sends them over to their grandparents to spend the night when she's away or busy and can't love them enough. Along with changes of clothes (and they better change once during the visit!), she sends lists of what they should eat and do and the rituals before going to bed. I love it, but also miss the time a few years ago when it was her imaginary friend who would visit and have to do these things. Now the girls (and one boy) are very concrete objects. She's still creative, but is she losing some of that spark? And is it necessary? I'm not sure that the future holds, but very interested in seeing it.

 There's a lot more to learn in the book about how to spark creativity, but just wanted to share one fact I found fascinating from a tech point. A nanometer is a billionth of a meter (eek!) but when asked by Ken for a visualization, the scientist said it's "about the distance that a man's beard grows in one second."

Being able to manipulate something that small? It's certainly creative I think!

Do you re-read?

I think every reader--and writer--has a “keeper” pile, or shelf, or bookcase or room!  For non-readers, this can be a puzzle. They’re done with the book, why still have it around?

For those of us who re-read (whether scenes, skimming, the whole book or whatever), it’s just explainable. It’s two worlds crossed by a great divide (and a love of clean shelves by some odd people).

It makes me think of EX LIBRIS: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman. Have you read it? When cleaning out my office I found three copies--I’d loan one out and then need to loan out another before it was back and somehow ended up with more than I started!

While many of the essays rang true (I didn’t grow up with parents who were readers, but they did try to instill a love of books in us), the ones I most relate to were the marrying the libraries (just because I have ended up with multiple copies of books--and recently had to choose among a couple of Georgette Heyers I had two to four copies of!) and the carnal vs the courtly reader.

There are readers who strain, crumple, break the bindings and then there are ones who you never knew the book was read. Growing up I was a carnal, now I tend to be a courtly--except for beach or outdoor or pocketbook reads, but I pick those carefully! :) 

The advent of ebooks means that I can have even more books hidden around and on shelves, but it’s true that I'm not about to give up the shelves of read--and unread books. And even though lack of space might force me to do some reshuffling and prioritizing at times, I’m always going to have piles of books around. 

So now I think I have to go pick something off my previously read shelves, stepping over all those yet-to-be-read titles, because there’s nothing quite like greeting an old friend and being reminded of just how wonderful it is. And really, there's always something new to discover.

Who do you like to re-read?

Enjoy!

Thursday thoughts - The Element by Ken Robinson, Ph.D.

So last week I attended my first “Work Team” as part of the career counseling sessions. It was interesting--about twenty people from all different areas (with emphasis on HR and Financials) and what they are doing in their job hunts. 

I mentioned that I was searching for my new passion, but wasn’t quite sure what it was. So one person recommended reading Ken Robinson’s books about finding your passion. I'm actually listening to this rather than reading it, and the author is doing a good job relating the anecdotes and explaining things.

I’m half-way finished and find it encouraging and inspiring if not quite prescriptive enough for me at the moment. (I want an answer now! Fix me!) But it’s true. You need to find out your passions and see how you can make it work for you. So the “element” is where your passion meets your natural aptitude. It’s your zone so to speak. And then use creativity and imagination and inspiration to bring those together to find out where you should be. 

I love the idea that everyone can find their perfect element. But I don’t have the passion for playing billiards, the ability to walk on my hands or desire to play an instrument for hours a day. So I'm still searching for my things (other than reading books).

I think most authors I know have actually found their passion--they’ve actually made a commitment to finish that book, and the next one. But in my conversations with family and friends, I don’t know that they are working in jobs that are their passion. Though sometimes it does lead to money/free time and the ability to do something else for the passion! :)

Happily, there’s still time ahead for me. And maybe when I finish the book I’ll have the answer! Or at least have his next book on hand and hope to get to the next step!

Do you think searching for your passion is crazy? I do wonder....