I requested questions and here they are!

Trying to get my creativity going in areas other than sci-fi and running, I asked for questions from my friends and family.

D.A. -  How can I get myself motivated to start my hobby of mosaics? I have all the books and tools. I've watched the videos. Getting the motivation is the hurdle for me.

I have found when I want to start a project but can’t get going it’s usually because there are other things standing in my way, actual physical things and sometimes mental things. Do you have an actual space set up for making mosaics? It needs to be a clear space, a place just for creativity.  You may need to get rid of other things in your life to make space for this, both mentally and physically.

After you have a space clear, you could also try making a schedule for yourself. Include all the things you need to do in the schedule: work, exercise, chores… but make sure you put in time for the thing you want to do…in this case, mosaics. I have found in order to practice writing every day I had to force myself to make it part of my schedule every morning (this was the best time for me to practice). Now if I miss my morning writing practice I feel the lack of it. If you don’t have time every day to schedule it, put it in for twice a week, or however often you have the time.

But don’t get so caught up in the schedule that you feel guilt if you miss something on it, or you have to rearrange the schedule. Creativity has to flow, guilt impedes flow.

You could also carry a small sketch book with you and draw mosaic ideas and plans on your work breaks or if you get an idea while waiting for an appointment.  That would help you get creativity in at odd times and help fuel motivation.

Also…use whatever works. I have found playing Apone’s ooh-rah speech from Aliens motivational for my running.  If a Zen meditation mantra printed or written out and hung in your workspace helps…use it. If a picture of Cookie Monster makes you smile and puts you in a good headspace for creativity, use it.

 

C is for creativity. M is for macaroon...and motivation.

 

B3 – 1. First thoughts when we met at Borders. I obviously "passed" and made the club. ;) Oh, and just keeping it real, you scared me a little a bit. But I remember your laugh. Once I heard you laugh I knew we would be great friends.

I intimidated you? Little old ME? I’ve heard this from other people and I just never understand it. It does stoke my ego A LOT though, so you can keep saying it. I’m just me: short, frizzy hair, not physically imposing, awkward in my own head.

Intimidating? Me? I'm the one on the left, by the way.
 I can totally understand how Raggedy Ann would be intimidating.

 

What I remember about the infamous Borders meeting is…being nervous. Because I’m always nervous meeting new people.  I was also really excited that there was another young woman and mother to talk about pagan stuff with! I knew our energy clicked right away. It was one of those, “I can’t explain why because I just met her, but I really like her.” And I was RIGHT! Score!

2.  I know your brain is often spinning 1000 miles an hour with ideas and thoughts. What is the worst part about that? What is the BEST part about that?

The best part about that is…I’m not going to lie…it makes me feel special. It makes me feel creative and different to have even the silly ideas like SF Jane and the Colonial Marines Running Club.

But it took me a long, long time to own the right to feel good about this. Because…let me see if I can put this in a way that doesn’t sound arrogant and pretentious…I’m not sure if I can.

See, I know lots of people get ideas. But after many years I understand that while everyone gets ideas, it’s not necessarily at the speed and frequency that I do.  I get ideas about every-fucking-thing. A simple walk through Hobby Lobby makes my brain explode six ways from Sunday. The tiniest things can give me ideas for scenes or plot details. They’re not all usable ideas either, so that’s frustrating, because my mind still wants to explore…Every. Single. One. In excruciating detail.

Now, I DO NOT think this fast-forward creative brain makes me better than anybody else. Because it’s not like I’ve created the Archimedes Screw or a useable FTL drive or something else super-beneficial to humanity. Hell, I can’t even properly discuss the science at those two links, because I don’t understand it. Most of my ideas are just EPO...entertainment purposes only...and mostly just my own entertainment. Occasionally others are entertained too, but hey, I haven't reinvented the wheel, ended hunger, stopped war or any of those other very, very, very much more important issues. So...I'm different. Maybe even a tiny bit special. But I do not think I'm better than anyone.

Nerd Porn...that's one sexy screw.

 

But having lots of ideas does make me feel pretty damn good.

What’s the worst thing about freight-train brain? For one thing…it carries me away. Necessary Shit doesn’t get done. Shit gets done, but inadequately. Shit gets done adequately, but super-late. Because my brain is designing t-shirts for the Colonial Marines Running Club and trying to remember all the changing labels for the drink in Lefty Larue’s hand in each of the ten panels for one comic. Regular life can’t be put on pause because I want to draw now. And when I do start drawing, or writing, or sewing…that is far more interesting than washing dishes or making dinner or going to work. I could clean the entire house and I would not feel as satisfied and happy as I do when I hit publish on one really good blog post.

Freight-train brain also interferes with other stuff I really DO want to do, like read more books. Read more blogs. Comment on those blogs. Exercise. Cook new and exciting recipes. Eat decent food at proper intervals. Go to the movies with Da Boys. I can only do one thing at a time and that’s frustrating.

I feel overwhelmed a lot. Because even with all of the sketchbooks, notebooks, and a mini-recorder, there just isn’t time for it all. There isn’t time for even writing it all down, much less following up every idea. Yet the ideas don’t stop. Ever see a movie or television show where someone has suddenly developed telepathy and they are being driven mad by the constant voices in their head they can’t shut out? Sort of like that.

Or like trying to prove the continuum hypothesis.

Property of the Abstruse Goose...shine on, you crazy diamond!

 

3.  One more! During today's run the outer area of my right calf was TIGHT! What is a good stretch? I did the traditional calf stretches. Standing on a stair and dropping the heel. Stepping my right foot behind and trying to drop that heel to the floor. Stretched the back of the calf, but not so much the side. HELP!

First let me ask how you are doing the stretches. The way the stretch is done can maximize its efficiency. I’ll talk you through the way stretching was taught to me to show clients when I was in massage therapy school.  Take the stair drop stretch.

Stand on the stair. Mentally center yourself. Make sure your breathing is slow and even and your joints are aligned. Breathe in…and as you breathe out, lower your heels. Always breathe out as you start the stretch. Try to be present in the muscle you’re stretching and be aware of the endpoints of the muscle. Stretch for at least twenty seconds, thirty seconds is better. If you want to try and deepen the stretch, wait for another breath out and push further into the stretch. When the time is up, slowly and carefully come back to your beginning position. This process will help you get the most out of any stretch you do.

So, alternatives! I have often found stretching during yoga classes feels deeper so you might try these Simple Stretches for Ankles and Calves from the Yoga Gypsy. Remember also that just like every run is different, every day of stretching is different. You may not be able to do as deep a stretch today as you did yesterday and that’s okay. Never take a stretch deeper than is comfortable for your body in that moment.