The sound of Zombie noises and grey brains is a mainstream
visual for most promo these days. So when my coworker tells her 5 year old in a very affectionate tone ” I love your brains” (she’s not a zombie fan) my over-active imagination spins on the moment, making a visual image of what one might call Dark Hallmark. Think SWAK kisses on the cold forehead of a lackluster brain-love. Comedy: I did think “Shaun of the Dead” was pretty funny. I’m not much on Zombie mass media. It fosters a certain ill-will upon viral mankind. I work in the health care field, so maybe I’m more optimistic than most in Z- land…there must be a cure.
Drawing happens on the right side of the brain, keep it lively. Brains!
Daily life creates a good bit of left brain and right brain struggle. My M-F job is the sort of demanding clock-watch-time-capsule which requires an open-door policy for children and parents. I eat at my desk. Interruptions are standard. I carry a 2-way radio. I stand-sit-stand-sit-walk-stand-sit. Reactions are mostly creative in the direction of marked efficiency to prioritize, triage, manage, nurture, discuss, reach-out, reach-in, go-between, and then…write-it-all-down.
My left brain thrives in this jungle of organized chaos, constantly sifting and comparing information, organizing it and moving it into a stream of doable tasks. There’s a good bit of right brain smacking down all day long. The right and left brain jocky for position like two dogs trying to prove alpha. Sigh.
Coping requires a chunk or two of quiet downtime, away from people to recharge and reset some sort of creative mode. The domestic schedule doesn’t allow for much of that when Friends have Birthdays, art groups get together, A Boy meets a Girl (me-need some sparks in there right), the obligatory face-time that’s required with meet-greet at space for a hanging solo show (8 weeks of Friday evenings are almost finished for Tim’s Wine Market. Artwork off the wall next Tuesday).
I compare this contradictory flux of interests with the creative spirit of two local musicians who are librarians for day jobs. I asked Wobbly Tom’s bass guitarist and lead vocalist the same questions a few years back. When I asked them separately about their philosophy on having a day job so profoundly different from their artistic interest, both responses were in the vein of how it was about balance and having quiet space. They got real loud with the band. Real quiet with the job. It’s the opposite for me.
One more thing. How do we make time for personal development, creatively speaking. It’s not always about product. We have to feed our souls. I am reminded of this at busymockingbird.com I’m renting a Cello and will be taking a lesson every Thursday with our elementary school’s music teacher. I’m one of three staff members who signed up with the Strings Class to learn how to play. Sixty kids, 3 adults. My bets are on the kids.
My creativity comes from a quiet place. The most I can manage is Sunday’s at the moment. Saturday for friends and The rest of the week eats my brains.(smile)
