Creative Shout Outs: Brian Selznick

Being deaf in one ear does have its advantages. For example, when my brother and sister and I were little, I always sat right behind the driver in the family car, with my "bad ear" to the window. Harry and Eva had to take turns -- one trip, window. Next trip, middle seat. Whoever was in the middle was smooshed on both sides, feet scrunched up by that big floorboard hump. So sad.

Another, ongoing advantage? I can block out sounds by blocking one ear. It's easy. I bury my good ear into a pillow at night. I lean my head against my hand during the day.

And now, another advantage: my very personal and heartfelt appreciation for Brian Selznick and his book Wonderstruck. It's the first book I've ever read that speaks directly to this part of my life.

Selznick's writing and illustrations are amazing. You certainly don't need a hearing loss to relate to the other losses in this story, and the ageless search for love and a place where you belong.

I read all of Wonderstruck -- 600+ pages -- in one setting. Now, it's a book designed for children and it's told in both words and pictures. So, it's not like I sat down and read War and Peace in one fell swoop. On the other hand, I have the attention span of a gnat. And my iPad was right there, waiting.

But an iPad is no match for a story that truly resounds.

P.S. I did not know the book had anything to do with Deaf culture until after I bought it and started reading. Don't you love the unexpected connections you sometimes find in books? We are all less alone than we think.

P.P.S. The Scholastic website for Wonderstruck also took me back to my younger days. During elementary school, there was concern I could lose all my hearing, so I learned lip reading and some sign language. I will now "sign off" with my name:





Creativity Tips: 10 Ideas for a Creative Weekend

It's a new day! New weekend! New month! And,as your favorite creative instigator, I've got MARCHing orders for you. This weekend, do at least three of the items on this list. The benefits will extend beyond Sunday -- you'll start next week with a fresh creative outlook!

1. Go see Hugo. If you've already seen the movie, then read the book -- The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. I generally read books first and often skip the movie versions, but this movie is phenomenal. Gorgeous. Visually stunning.
2. Take a bubble bath. You don't need official bubble bath. Just pour some liquid soap into the tub. Then relax. You remember how to do that, don't you? No? That's why you need the bubbles.
3. Pretend you're a kid and Doodle 4 Google.
4. Grab your camera, your phone/camera, or a sketchpad. Drive at least 12 miles from your home, park the car and go for a walk. Take three photos or draw three pictures. All the images should have a common theme. You make up the theme.
5. Experiment. Try a new recipe. I think this sounds good, but I'm addicted to coffee. Have I ever mentioned that my grandmother used to freeze coffee into ice cubes so she could cool her morning coffee down without diluting it? Brilliant.
6. Avoid all computers, iPads, e-readers, etc., for one day. One day, people. You can do it. Your brain and your eyes will thank you.
7. Write a thank you note to a friend. Thanks for what? You'll come up with something -- years of kindness, loyalty, sharing a story that made you feel connected and less alone. There's always a reason to be thankful.
8. Breathe. For at least five minutes. Of all the poses in my yoga class, this is probably the most difficult one for me. Although I'm a few steps away from this, too.
9. Celebrate the birthday of the wonderful Dr. Seuss. If you don't have one of his books, consider this a great reason to go to the library. Heck, you don't even have to check out a book. Just sit down and enjoy. And, while you're at the library, explore. (If you can leave without checking out something, well, we need to reconsider this friendship.)
10. Buy a canvas. Paint it. While it dries, cut up images, words, whatever out of a magazine and glue them onto the painted canvas. Stand back and admire your work.

Now, choose your three! Invite someone special along for the creative ride. No need to stop at three -- go for the gusto. Do as many as time allows.

As I write this, it's snowing heavily in Kansas City. Yesterday, it was 70 degrees here. The world is weird and wonderful. Happy weekend!

Happy Valentine's Day!

My grandmother's treasure box holds poems, letters, postcards -- and Valentines from the early 1900s. They're still beautiful today. Love endures.

My enduring Valentine's Day wish for you? Love yourself. Appreciate your gifts. Treasure your life. And if the world doesn't send you flowers, buy your own.

Happy Valentine's Day!

(Thanks to Leslie for the photo!)

Honoring Ayelet

A friend on Facebook posted a link to this column about Ayelet Galena, a little girl whose fight for life captured the attention of thousands of people and led many to register as potential bone marrow donors.

I hadn't heard about Ayelet -- I noticed the Facebook story because I've been on the bone marrow donor registry for years. Simple truth: With all the data inputs we receive every day, we hone in on topics that relate to us personally.

The column, a tribute Eleanor Goldberg wrote after Ayelet's death this week, is beautiful. I encourage you to read it, to register as a bone marrow donor, and to appreciate that life is a gift. Here's an excerpt:

Ayelet's grandfather remarked in his eulogy of the absence of words to describe the tragedy of his granddaughter's death. There's a term for a child who loses his parents, a husband who loses a wife. There is no word in the English language to describe what it is for a parent to lose a child.

Creativity Tips: Avoid Shiny Objects

This just makes me laugh, because it's so true and so me. I would credit someone for the poster/doodle, but I found it on Pinterest and have no idea how you trace it back to the source ...

The lesson here: If you're like me and have a project with a demanding deadline, avoid shiny objects at all cost. Ready to focus? Good for you! Hop to it. (Sorry. Couldn't resist. FYI, Pinterest is my definition of a shiny object. Time-warp extraordinaire. Very fun.)

Creativity Tips: Write a Special Valentine

February brings one of my favorite holidays -- I love Valentine's Day. Sure, it's gone a bit commercial, but we don't have to fall into that rut. You know why? Because we're starting early! We're not waiting until Feb. 13 and running to the nearest Hallmark store to choose from picked-over cards. Heck, no! We're creating our own.

If your Valentine is written in snow on a Bug, you're all set -- assuming you have snow. And a Bug. If you have something a bit more formal in mind, I can help. For advice on how to write a Valentine, look here. I covered that last year. This year, I'm focusing on audience rather than message. (Oooh. That's romantic. Sorry. Slipped into PR business mode for a minute. Let me get my Valentine mojo back. La dah dee dah dee dah ... my funny Valentine ... OK. I'm back. Thank you for your patience.)

For this Valentine's Day, go beyond the usual. In addition to writing* notes to your beloved, your family, your friends, consider people who have truly changed your life for the better -- people who might not be aware of how much they mean to you. It could be a minister who always takes time to listen. A yoga instructor who opens your heart with upward-facing dog. The librarian who consistently recommends books you love.

Now, create a Valentine to tell them -- briefly and sincerely -- what they've done that has helped you and how much you appreciate it.

Is it that simple? Yes. While we humans have a tendency to complicate things, declarations of love, of thanks, of appreciation, can be beautifully simple -- a wink, a smile, a hug. And, this month, a Valentine!

*You're absolutely right. Valentines don't have to be written. They can be food, drawings, photographs, handmade lovelies. But when you're trying to tell someone what they mean to you, words are wonderful.

Creative Shout Out: Leslie!

Take a look at this! Shutter Sisters -- a really cool site that deserves its fame -- features a photo taken by Leslie, one of the original members of the Creative Instigation team. Yay for Leslie!

There's some Woody Allen movie where he says he lerves something, because love isn't a strong enough word. I lerve Leslie's photo and I'm so proud of her for submitting it. That's one of the biggest steps of all, people. It's one thing to do amazing work. It's something else to have enough faith in yourself to send it out into the world.

The photo is also part of this great video. Enjoy! And please join me in congratulating Leslie!

(I'm including a photo of the amazing Leslie here. To see her featured photo on Shutter Sisters, click on the link.)