Thanks to My Creative Cheerleaders!

A few days ago, I posted on Facebook that I'm finally moving on my BOOK. I would tell you the working title , but it changes every five minutes. Suffice it to say that the book will be much like the blog -- except organized, more in-depth and more inclusive of other people's stories.

I put my plan out there as a way of putting my feet to the fire. What I didn't expect was the overwhelming, positive, enthusiastic response -- the post generated a ton of encouraging comments. Apparently, there are people in the world who think I can successfully write and publish a book. And they want to read it. How cool is that?

It's real cool. Creative cheerleaders -- and many of mine are here on the CI team -- make a huge difference. You're more than creative instigators. You're creative fuel.

Thanks for keeping the faith -- I'll keep you posted on progress!

P.S. Writing the book is one of my creative resolutions for 2013. Tomorrow, we'll be talking about your creative resolutions. Stay tuned ...

Creativity Tips: One Man's Trash ...

The Landfill Harmonic video is making its way around Facebook, but I didn't want any of you to miss it and I know some of you aren't Facebook fans. Don't let the 11:45 timeframe scare you from watching every moment. It's beautiful from start to finish -- creativity in motion, changing lives for the better.

Think of the video as a gift -- a reaffirming reminder that the difference between trash and treasure really is perspective.

Thanks to Leslie for being the first to point me toward the video!

Creativity Tip: Write It Down

Did you ever get a brilliant idea and then forget it? Yeah, me too. As life zooms by at a lose-your-breath pace, it's easy to also lose focus.

What to do? Simple. Keep pen and paper close at all times. Or, if you prefer, some voice recorder dealie-bob on your phone or whatever. The trick is to make note of the idea immediately, using whatever system works for you.

Case in point: I was having trouble writing an essay for a client and woke up with the intro in my head. Fortunately, I keep pen and paper near my bed, so I scribbled the idea down before I got up, got going and the intro got lost. Here's what "brilliance" looks like at 6:18 a.m.:

Clear as mud? That's OK -- I understood it. On the other hand, I recently sent myself a text saying: First Sunday in December. First Sunday in December? What? Was I supposed to go somewhere? Meet someone? Is it the title of a play? A line in a poem? Who the hell knows?

So here's the brilliant idea for today:
When you get a great idea, don't wait. Clearly, concisely and quickly capture that thought.

And you can write that down, if you'd like.

P.S. If you're reading this on Monday morning, I should be at the synagogue, participating in a meeting. I'm not there. I'm in a completely different and much less enjoyable meeting. Why? Because I forgot to write the first meeting on my calendar. Write it down. Write everything down.

Friday Fun: Free Gift for the Holidays!

Print. Wrap. Give. It doesn't get much easier than that. Happy weekend!

It's a Wonderful Life

So, picture this: It's a gorgeous, sunny day in old KC and I'm driving with my darling daughter Kate to buy food for our family Thanksgiving meal. We're going to a store about 10, 15 minutes away because I like it better than the store by us.

We pull into the lot, and I realize I don't have the coupon that will save us 10 percent on groceries.

Got the picture? OK. Now, imagine this: I'm cursing as though the world is coming to an end, fuming over the "wasted" time, and sulking about having to drive all the way back home and then go to the icky store by us. I am slamming mad -- unreasonably, loudly, insanely angry.

Kate, on the other hand, is the model of calm, reminding me that it's a pretty day, it's not that far, it's no big deal. Suggesting that possibly I need to breathe.

Yeah, well. Instead of breathing, I yank the car into reverse and pull out. And, as we leave the parking lot, we pass:
1. A homeless family holding up a sign asking for help.
2. A woman walking back to her car who is clearly fighting cancer -- she's wearing a pink T-shirt and has a pink stocking cap covering her bald head. And, fyi, she's smiling.

"Mom," Kate says, "I think someone is sending you a message."

I got the message, and I'm sharing it. During this crazy, busy time of year, it's good to remember that we're lucky people. Lucky, lucky people. And it is a wonderful life.

Creativity Tips: Slow Down

OK, raise your hand if you remember Simon & Garfunkel singing, "Slow down, you move too fast."

All right. Now that we're all feeling groovy, here's the creativity tip and exercise for the day. When I told Leslie I was going to brag about her Mortal Muses guest post, I forgot to ask her for a photograph to illustrate my post. Why? Because I move too fast. There are far too many times where I don't slow down and think things through.

I'm betting that hits a very Simon & Garfunkelish chord with a few of you.

So, a day late and a dollar short, here's the photo that should have been part of yesterday's post!

Photo by Leslie R. Adams

The creativity exercise? Slow down. Don't move too fast. Focus on one aspect of this photo -- the door, the roof, the wheel, the trees, the barrel, whatever. Now, write five descriptive sentences about that part of the photo. Remember: Details make the difference -- they bring writing to life. Don't just say it's a red door. Describe the red. The handles. Tell me what's behind the door. Go!

Creative Shout Out: Leslie Adams & Mortal Muses

When you get outside your comfort zone and really stretch creatively, you know what happens? People notice.

Want proof? Consider the wonderful and talented Leslie Adams. This week, the Mortal Muses site features our lovely Leslie and her fabulous photography. Whoo hoo!!

It's well-deserved recognition of Leslie's beautiful work and her enthusiasm for creative exploration. Whether she's expanding her talents with Instagram, baking, or blogging, Leslie is always playing, always learning. Always creating. She's amazing and I'm thrilled that she remains an essential part of the CI team.

Mazel tov!