Bad Poetry Day.

by ►CubaGallery

I love celebrating silly holidays.  Today is bad poetry day.  Since I have always loved silly poems, I had to participate.  Silly rhyming poems that remind me of Dr. Seuss, Shel Silverstein, Kenn Nesbitt and other children’s writers are my favorites.  Here’s  a silly one for fun:

Today was a very good day

In fact it was the best

I only had to go to work

We had no quiz or test

 

The sun was shining all day long

We didn’t have one cloud

The radio played a lively tune

The laughter was good and loud

 

Dinner was a great big feast

Followed by a chocolate treat

Afterward I turned on the TV

Sat back and put up my feet

 

It really is amazing

How easy it can be

To have a really good day

Just by being me

 

Now go have fun and write some bad poetry of your own.  Have a great day!

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When in Doubt, Do It Anyway.

Picture by revoluzzza

The fear monster is very scary. It can be overwhelming loud and insistent.  That nagging voice that says “You can’t dance.  You don’t know how to paint.  You’ll never be able to write an entire novel.”

We all doubt our abilities and talents.  We fear we don’t have enough time, determination or knowledge to accomplish our dreams.  When in doubt – do it anyway.

Our fears will always be there.  Usually they never amount to anything.  I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve hesitated to do something new because I might look foolish.  Often, I did look silly, uncoordinated or clumsy.

It’s okay to look like a fool sometimes.  It means we’re growing and learning. I took a writing course since I love books and stories and I’ve always wanted to create some of my own.  I never did any more writing after that course.  It overwhelmed with the big bad world of publishing.

I learned publishing was too intense for me right now.  But I did learn others things; punctuation, sentence structure, and other useful tips that I can use in anything I write.  I learned that I may need to tweak that dream a little to make workable for me. So even though I see the course as a failure, I did learn.

I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.
Thomas A. Edison

 

A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.
Albert Einstein

We’re always going to stumble and falter when we try something new.  We’ll feel uncertain and nervous, ungraceful and fumbling.  But our investigations will teach us, sometimes leading us in new, exciting directions.  It’s an adventure worth having.  So if you’re in doubt – go ahead and do it anyway.

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Teddy Bear Day!

Originally uploaded by *brynne

Technically Teddy Bear Day was yesterday, on the 9th, but since I didn’t think up this poem until today, I’m calling a Do-Over and celebrating now. So here goes:

National Teddy Bear Day
Teddy bears are always nice, and never –ever rude
They spread love and laughter and a happy attitude

Teddy bears are always humble, they never brag and boast
And they’ll never tell a secret, or steal your piece of toast

Teddy bears and warm and snuggly, they’re dear to our heart
They love to meet all our friends, and I’ve yet to hear one fart

Teddy bears come in every shape and size
And each one is perfect in their owner’s eyes

Better than any warrior, Teddy bears are courageous
Their kind-hearted, joyful nature is a bit contagious

Through every storm in life, they’ll help you get through
And all they ask in return, is a little love from you.

Have you hugged your Teddy Bear today?

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Get Inspired.

Picture by Express Monorail

Where does inspiration come from?  How does one find motivation, stimulation or encouragement when they need it?

Having lately felt very un-inspired and about creative as a block of cement, this was a topic of interest.  So I started with what I already knew – where inspiration isn’t.  It doesn’t come when you’re tired.  You won’t feel excited or motivated when you have a headache or feel distracted by pain or illness.  And inspiration doesn’t show up if you are overwhelmed, or don’t have any room in your schedule to stop and breathe.

Luckily, inspiration is like the sun – even when you can’t see it, it’s not totally gone; it’s just hidden behind the clouds. Ideas, creativity, and innovation come from everywhere.  You can see a red sports car drive by and appreciate the sleek lines and color.  It might inspire a sleek red satin dress design or a manufacturer to produce a shiny red TV.  (Why are TV’s all black or silver anyway?  Wouldn’t a bright blue TV look cool?  What about a yellow color to match your kitchen?  It’d be fun right?)

Inspiration comes when you’re relaxed and comfortable.  During a long hot shower, right before bed, or while cloud-watching lying on the grass.  Creativity is a state of mind. It’s when you relax your point of view enough to allow a new reality to emerge.

A choreographer could see a new dance move in the swaying of tree limbs in the wind, a photographer could see a new vantage point while cart wheeling upside-down with his kids.  It doesn’t matter where you are or what you’re doing – inspiration is all around you.

Some other things that hinder inspiration are:

• Narrow boundaries or thinking.
• Too much noise or interference from the outside world.
• Stiffness in body and mind.
• Looking for only ONE right answer.
• Listening to your critics.  (Or believing that they’re right.)
• A serious frame of mind.

Some things that help inspiration are:

• A light frame of mind.  Open up and be playful with your thoughts.
• Substitution.  Thinking outside of the bos.  (Using a butter knife in place of a screwdriver.)
• Seeing the forest past the trees.  Keeping your possibilities open.  There is more than one path to success.
• A notebook.  You’ll get more useless ideas than good ones, but keeping track of them can help see connections important to making your project work.
• Flow.  Letting your mind drift from one thought to another.  Another word for this is brainstorming.
• Lots of outside stimulation and activity.
• A quiet space to sit and contemplate.  (Whichever works for your purpose.)

Places to find inspiration:

• TV.  Try watching some commercials with the sound off. See if you can figure out what they’re selling.
• Nature.  Look at the sheer variety of creatures.  Birds alone go from small songbirds to majestic eagles and the over-size ostrich.  The colors in a simple leaf can vary from pale yellow to deep green.  Just sitting in your yard can provide hours of contemplation.
• Music.  Let you thoughts roam as you listen to some instrumental music.
• The opposite.  Try thinking of the exact opposite of whatever doing.  See if trying to accomplish the opposite goal gives you insight on how to achieve your true desire.
• Children.  Ask a kid how they would do something.  Even if you can’t use it, it’ll probably open your mind to new ideas.
• Movies.  What advice might Shrek give on this idea?  How about Sherlock Holmes or Chuck Norris?

What are your favorite tips for finding inspiration?  Share your thoughts in the comments section and help others GET INSPIRED!

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Random Thoughts and Creative Minds.

Picture by B℮n

Do you ever just have those inquisitive thoughts while watching TV, reading the paper or discussing the news?  Like did you know that Meglodon lived in Washington DC in prehistoric times?  The White House and the surrounding area was entirely underwater.  Meglodon ruled the water and was so big it could eat a whale!

Have you ever read historical alternative fiction?  This is when the author imagines historical events happening differently and what the possible outcome of the changes would have been.  It’s a captivating glimpse into what-if ?

One of my favorite authors, Roger von Oech, says we all need is “A Whack on the Side of the Head,” to help wake us up to creative thinking.  His insightful and fun-filled book will break you out of your everyday pattern of thinking and get you thinking upside-down, sideways, and every which way.

Having fun is a key component of creativity. Ever have an argument with your spouse about whether Hulk is stronger than Superman, or if Sauron is more evil than Voldemort?  Or try this one – watch a TV commercial with the sound off and see if you can figure out what they’re selling.

We all have occasional random thoughts of brilliance. We all have strengths, talents and abilities that stir our passion and capture our attention.  It doesn’t matter what it is – I know people who earn a living by selling hard-to-find candy.  If you can draw, you could be a comic book artist, a greeting card designer, a video game developer or several other great jobs.

I love to let my mind drift and float.  Often if you are relaxed enough to do this you can have some amazing creative ideas.  It’s fascinating how fast our minds can move.  Thoughts speed by at a record pace.  Harness a little of that brain power and anything is possible.

The funny thing about thoughts and creativity, is that in order to get best results we first need to slow down.  We need enough space to actually notice one thought at a time. Since we have so many thoughts come and go, one way to find the great ones is to use a notebook or voice recorder to note your best ideas.

Open yourself to spontenaity, random chance, and curiosity. See what types of activities or topics enchant you.  These are the things that stimulate enthusiasm and interest.  What do you enjoy learning about?  What subjects would do you talk about endlessly?  (If you don’t know just ask a family member or friend – they’d be glad to tell you.)

Take a little time and rediscover your joy. You’ll be glad you did.  Even if you can’t make a living doing what you love, you can sprinkle your days with bits of happiness.  Sharing the elation you get from gardening, music, books, or favorite childhood cartoons may find you a friend that enjoys the same thing.

That’s my ramble for today.  Hope you liked it.  🙂

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