Nurturing the Creative Juices

Borrowing some good advice from the art world can enhance the journaling experience. In the following excerpt from a posting by artist Robert Genn, just imagine that as he talks about creativity and art, you can apply the thinking to writing in your journal. [Ref: Robert Genn, “Art Keys,” 9/22/2004] 

“There’s a singular habit you need to develop.  You need to build a regular productive rhythm that explores your own doing.  It’s going to be a bit like chain-smoking – you use the last one to light up the next.  But unlike a production line where all the products are the same – this conveyor belt will only exist in order to show development, variation, possibilities.   

Here are a few keys to a possible adventure in ‘one to another’:

·        Start up your line every day at the same hour.

·        Temporarily renounce other joys of your life.

·        Let no one and no thing interrupt your flow

·        Supplement your imagination with books.

·        Let motifs and ideas grow out of themselves.

·        Keep asking yourself “what could it be?”

·        Keep fresh – do not linger or anguish.

·        Be delusional – be full of ‘moxie’ and ‘mojo.’

·        Let your processes become your governors.

·        Become particular about your tools and systems.

·        Take joy and optimism to your growing mastery.

·        Be always prepared to change your mind.

·        Fall in love with the actual doing.

·        Use your intuition to assess your progress.

·        Accumulate your winners and toss your losers.”

More Words of Encouragement:

v     Creativity is never what it seems.  “An amateur photographer friend was invited to dinner and took along a few pictures.  The hostess looked at this work and exclaimed, ‘These are very good.  You must have an excellent camera.’ Later, as my friend was departing, he turned to the hostess and said, ‘That was a delicious meal.  You must have some excellent pots.’” [Simon Evans]

v     “The name given to a thing is not the subject; it is only a convenient label. The subject is inexhaustible.” [George Bellows]

v      “Focus is equal parts concentration and awareness.” [Gen.  Fred Franks, Jr.]

v   "If you focus on the flaws, you miss the feast." [Anonymous]

v     “To write about one’s life is to live it twice, and the second living is both spiritual and historical, for a
       memoir reaches deep within the personality as it seeks its narrative form.”  [Patricia Hampl]

More Themes to Explore

To carry on a bit about themes. 

     Whenever I think of a good theme, I write it on my secret list of theme ideas – a good idea should never be lost!  About October of each year, I start to think about the next year’s theme.  I look at the list for suggestions, and by Thanksgiving, depending on my mood and current life interests, probably I have narrowed my thinking down to about 5 or so topics.  However, life can change quickly, so I don’t lock the final choice down until the last minute, like during Christmas week (or even New Year’s Eve!). 

     Simultaneously, in October, I start looking for next year’s journal books.  They need to be bound (not spiral or ring notebooks), a different color than the previous year, so that it is easy to locate visually on the shelf, and have enough pages to see me through the next year.  This last means more that a-page-a day, since I need extra room for sketches, drawings, quotations,  clippings, birthday cards, book lists, color samples, etc., as well as room for my customized pages (title page, theme description page, end-of-month summary/divider page, index at the back, pocket page(s), and possible tracking lists.  This can go beyond 400 pages, and few journal books contain that many, and if they do, they can be unwieldy to handle.  In such cases, my solution is to buy extra volumes to handle the “spill-over,” anywhere from 1-4 volumes total, based on the number of pages per volume.  If there are multiple volumes for a year (and there usually are), they will be designated by the year and the addition of A, B, C, D, as appropriate (ex:  “2009-A”).  Sometimes it’s nice to start the next volume when the seasons change, and if there are a few “blank pages” left behind and  not used, that is not all bad because there’s still room to add something which turns up later.

     The time between the purchases in October and December is used to customize the exterior as well as interior of the volumes, so that they become a clearly related set on the shelf.  On the outside, in addition to a different color, both the front cover and spine of the journals have the year, volume, and a short theme-phrase clearly written.

     It all comes together, at the latest, on New Year’s Eve.  That’s when I make the commitment on theme, add it to all the previously prepared journals (front, spine, and title page), and explain on the theme page inside what the theme is intended to cover for the up-coming year, knowing that there can be surprises to come.

Some Theme Ideas for Inspiration

“Backyard Voices”                               “Gate-Keepers”

“I Will Never … “                                “Point of Balance”

“Pocket Poems”                                   “Sign Language”

“Persistence of Vision”                           “On the Edge”

Every Day Well-Lived”                          “Bricolage”

“No Man is an Island”                          “Boomerang”

“Where Are They Now?”                     “Vision Keeper”

“Fear Not”                                           “Breathless”

“Reflections”                                         “Sum of the Parts”

“Believe”                                              “To Be & To Have”

“A company of … “                              “Carpe Diem”

“Forever Moments”                              “Patchworks”

“Transformations”                                 “Circle of … “

“Accidental Discoveries”                       “Heart’s Garden”

“Left-Overs”                                        “Story Boxes”

“White” (or any other color)                  “Trick of Light

“A Piece of String”                               “Living Trust”

“The Wisdom of … “                            “The Mind’s Eye”

“No Matter”                                         “Dangers & Risks”

“Sights Unseen”                                    “Lost & Found”

Some Words of Encouragement:

·        “A house without books is like a room without windows.”  [Horace Mann]

·        “’Who says you cannot hold the moon in your hand? Tonight when the stars come out and the moon rises in the sky, look outside your window, then raise your hand and position your fingers about the disk of light.” There you go – that was easy.” [Vera Nazarian]

·        “The reality of the creative process is that it often requires persistence, the ability to stick with a process until it makes sense.” [Jonah Lehrer, “Imagine,” p. 56]

·        “The mind is its own place.” [Louise Penney, “A Rule Against Murder,” p. 303]

·        “Often in life you get what you give.” [Anonymous]

A Theme for the Year

I discovered journaling themes almost by accident.  It was in December 2000, and the start not only of a new year, but a new century.  I wanted to do something different, off the beaten track, so I decided to select a theme for my journaling during the coming year.  What I didn’t expect, was that theme selection itself can be a tough challenge.  There’s the whole world of topics to select from, and which one would I be willing to take on for the next 365 days?  And what was the degree of commitment?  What might sustain interest for a year?  It would have to be broad enough to provide fodder for thought and insights, and yet narrow the focus to a reasonable area.  Should it be a daily commitment?  Maybe that’s a lot to ask, and not leave enough space for other things I want to include.  Weekly?  Maybe.  Monthly?  Probably not often enough.  This theme idea was more difficult than I expected.  And in the midst of all the daily clutter, how could I track on it?  What kind of topic would be of current interest, and yet sustainable in the long view?  What was I really interested in?  Questions.  Questions.  And no one to guide me – this is my own “great idea.” Right.?  So what to do?

     Finally, the answer I landed on was that it didn’t really matter, except to me, so a trial-and-error approach would be a start.  I set myself some guidelines.  Aim for writing something related to the theme (whatever it would be) as often as I felt like it, or not, but at the end of each month, just scan quickly through the month’s entries for theme related material, and make a quick grocery list style summary on how it went.  At least, that would remind me about how the long-range theme project was going.  Maybe take a snapshot of the whole thing at the end of the year?  Yeah, right.

     Well, OK – bashing on – pick that theme!  I picked a simple one, because I love gardens:  “Cycle of the Seasons.”  That was my first theme, and it was January, 2000.  I just sort of talked my way through the weather, the snow storms, the temperatures, the seed catalogues, mapped current flower beds, the visiting birds at the feeders, the rabbit and deer tracks (deer?  In the city?  Oh, my!).  And as spring approached, the melting, the daffodils, the return of the robins, the fledgling dove I rescued.  In summer, the tomatoes from the neighbor’s garden, the picnics, the constant grass mowing, the tornado alerts.  In fall, the house plants brought back inside, the gorgeous colors of the leaves on the sweetgum tree, the first frost.  By the end of the year, it was a treasure trove capturing the cycle of the year 2000.  I love doing it so much, I’ve kept that as an on-going entry in all my journals and never tire of it.  Except, now that I think of it, last year when that tree fell on me! Lucky it was a small one and the many leaves provided a soft cushion all over me!  Ah, that was a lively journal entry for that day!)

     Anyway, a journaling theme project can provide a year of interesting discoveries.  There are so many on my future list, that it is hard to choose each year.  It depends on what I want to focus on at that point in my life.  I’m including a list of journaling themes I’ve actually used.  In a practical sense, they might spark an idea.

Themes to Love, Themes of Challenge

• “Feathering the Nest” (2001)
•  “Diet and Health” (2002)
• “Relation-ships” (2003)
• “Joy and the Spirit” (2004)
• “Morning Song” (2005)
•  “Bountiful Life” (2006)
• “Know Thyself” (2007)
•  “Photo-Analysis” (2008)
•  “Let Deeds be Your Adorning” (2009)
• “Seeking Center” (2010)
• “Deeply Carved” (2011)
• “Leap Year” (2012)
• “Oasis” (2013
• “Windows” (2014)

What I Never Expected to Learn from “Leap Year” (2012):

This is my final journal entry from that year:

     “On January 1, 2012, I expressed the theme of ‘Leap Year’ as ‘a leap, a jump, from one place in time to another; in effect, one condition to another.’ It could be leaps across new spaces, bridges of connections, to be sensitive, to raise consciousness, of risks, exploring the untried, of valuing new connections, of discovery and changes in attitudes, processes, feelings, and ways of thinking and doing.

     It is sobering, to look in retrospect at how deeply this theme impacted upon my life in ways which were unanticipated and profound.  Little did I realize how apt this simple theme was to become for me. 

     The sudden death of my husband on August 18, 2012, was life-changing and immediate in its impact.  In one minute, there was Before and After, wife to widow, togetherness to aloneness, communication to silence.

     For weeks, I could not function beyond weeping for the least sort of reason, and those reasons were always around me.  I couldn’t read.  I couldn’t draw.  I couldn’t sleep.  There was grief, bottled up, but no relief.  I did a lot of walking and became compulsive in housekeeping, and found an outlet by completing plans and projects we had talked about: painting walls, fixing tiles, installing doors, etc.

     And I would find detailed notes on old IBM cards left at key spots around the house, lists which he had made – his ‘To Do’ notes to keep me going.  They are invaluable to me now, as I pick my way along the path into the future.  It’s him, preparing the information he knew would be needed, as I feel my way along from day to day.  They are the products of his research, organized by an orderly mind, and left as acts of love for me to find, sign-posts along the way, as I move into a new year, but no more “leaping” for a while, I pray.  In Memoriam, December 31, 2012.”

Journaling Prompts to Get Going

It’s the nothingness of the blank page which sometimes makes it difficult to get started  with an entry.  You want to do it, but it’s hard to get started.  So on a bad day having some sort of “jump-starter” can help get the journaling motor running.  So here are some suggestions which might help to “prime the pump.”

·        Time-related Prompts: can help divide both the infamous blank page (and confused  thoughts) focus into a more coherent, manageable form, especially when you are busy.  These can be simple:

A.M. – Something which happened this morning …

P.M. – Something which happened this afternoon …

P.P.M. – Something which happened this evening …

·        Event-related Prompts:  something which caught your attention, such as

Halloween Parade – the colorful costumes, children’s creativity , give details…,

Spring Morning – open windows, bird songs, first daffodils …

Silent Night – snow swirling gently, sound of limbs knocking in the wind, …

·        Text-Related Prompts:  Some introductory phrases which can get you going:

Using the Senses – I am/was…, I hear/d …, I see/saw …, I said …,  I feel ...,

Expressing Emotions – I want …, I need …, I hope …, I fear …,

Sharing Aspirations – I try …, I wonder …, I dream …,

·        Find Something New/Fresh:  look more closely at the world around you.

Take a Tour – the house, a room, the garden; let the old become new again

Visit a seldom-seen spot – what was it then?  Now?  What’s joyful?  Memories?

Nature: Sun Rises/Sun Sets.  Watch it start-to-finish, Where rise/set? 

·        Shapes & Shadows: Use the imagination, practice awareness …:

Cloud Formations - wonderful because they change all the time

Who Can Catch the Wind? - Gentle breeze, summer day, storm coming?

·        The Funny & the Odd: Why is it that way?  How did it strike you? Special?

Once upon a time – As I mentioned before, this one is a classic …,

What might “that” mean? – what ever it is, it is interesting and worth recording

What is special about just ordinary things?  Tell the story interesting behind it.

Some Words of Encouragement:

v     Stop every little while and notice what’s all around. [CR]

v     Warmth on the inside can melt cold on the outside.  [CR]

v     Be sensitive to the sounds and rhythms of words, as well as their meanings. [CR]

v     “Seen through my window, Around the heated birdbath, Three bluebirds huddle.”

[Haiku]

v     Remember to laugh. [CR]

         Q:  Where did Napoleon keep his armies?

   A:  Up his sleevies! 

Journaling Some History: "Signal Oak"

Once in a while I review my journals, and in so doing, I run into something noted years ago which resonates again the second (or third…) time around.  This entry concerned a small day trip which I made with a friend.  I have since made three more trips to share this special place with family and visitors.  It’s one of those “to do” with guests.  There is a place about 15 or so miles out of our small town, high on a hill, and is locally referred to as “Signal Oak.”  In my journal, I noted the rather obscure and complex directions to get to Signal Oak, not only so I can find it again, but also as a way for future readers of my journal can also find it.  I’ve included a bit of abridged information from a local news article about this place:

“SIGNAL OAK STANDS PROUD IN BALDWIN CITY HISTORY

By Jeff Myrick

March 3, 1999

The tree provided more than shade to residents as the community sprouted out of the Kansas prairie.  Its branches signaled a warning to others. Through time it was known as Baldwin City's beacon -- a messenger. Tall and firm, bending with the extremes of the region's weather.

Signal Oak.  It conjures the good spirit of all that has made Baldwin City. Its memory serves as a beacon to the future…The history is documented in local historian Katharine Kelley's brochure titled simply "Signal Oak."  Kelley's work cites numerous examples of the tree's storied history, but one -- from the Orange Blossom, a Baker University annual -- might sum it up best, the Civil War beacon
"During the time of the Civil War communication was slow. Neither the wires nor the air flashed a world's intelligence from coast to coast. Still, a lantern from the branches of the Signal Oak near Kibbee Cabin telegraphed a code of signs across the Coal Creek Valley to Blue Mound, where they were flashed in turn to Mount Oread at Lawrence and back again. Thus the settlers rallied when the ruffians came."

The site of Signal Oak, which is marked by a sign and a monument thanks to the work of dedicated local historians, is at the top of Simmons' Hill just north of Baldwin City. The hill is named for Dr. John Simmons, a farmer-physician whose home was at its brow, according to Kelley's work. She states: "He was also a benefactor of Baker University in one of its most difficult times when he mortgaged his farm for $500 and gave the money to save the school."

For those who haven't been to Signal Oak, take Vinland Road (County Road 1055) north to the turn east to Douglas County State Fishing Lake (County Road 12), then turn north again at County Road 1750. Follow the dirt road as it bends east, then north again. As the road turns east once again, stop.
There's the valley that Signal Oak stood atop for centuries. It is one of the most painted, photographed and viewed valleys in all of southern Douglas County.

A protected site
The quarter acre at the crest of the hill where the monument and sign are located is owned by the Santa Fe Trail Historical Society. It was given to the society in 1987. It was purchased in 1974 by historically minded Baldwin City residents John Burns, a Baker professor; Ivan L. Boyd, another Baker professor; Amelia J. Betts; and Kelley. Their only stipulation when it was deeded to the society -- that "the land be left in natural state with no buildings or towers." So it is.

And why? Beside the red quartzite glacier boulder that marks the exact spot where the mighty white oak stood, donated by Hallie Cowles of Sibleyville, is the green and white historical sign donated by Zella and Chauncey George in 1988. But, there's more. Much more. Kelley explains:
"The view from Signal Oak is magnificent. It overlooks three valleys -- the Coal Creek, Wakarusa and Kaw (or Kansas). Mount Oread, where Kansas University is located, is seen to the northwest. Blue Mound and Bald Mound (once known as Willey's Mound) are straight north. The farm adjacent to the Signal Oak site on the north is the former Bishop William Quayle's farm that he laughingly called `my farm that stands on end.' The woods to the north and northwest of this farm are known as the Bridenthal and Rice Natural History Preserves. To the east of the Rice tract is the recently acquired Baker University Nature Study Area.

"A short distance to the east of Signal Oak is the site of Kibbee's Cabin. Later this area was the site of the Barricklow Cabin. … "On June 7, 1909, the Kansas Methodist Historical Society erected a monument of red quartzite glacial boulders on the spot where the Kibbee and Barricklow cabins stood. But possibly the most important information about Signal Oak to us today came during its demise in 1914. The tree was dying and needed to be captured forever. The Topeka newspaper printed the following comment… on June 25, 1916, …"The Signal Oak which stands on a knoll between Lawrence and Baldwin (Old Palmyra), played an important role in Kansas border warfare. On July 4, a celebration will be held in Baldwin to commemorate the events of 1856, and the old tree will have a part in the play that will be produced at that time."

The last time I visited Signal Oak, it was a beautiful day in late June.  It is still on a dirt road.  The orange daylilies were in bloom, making a path of color all the way to the top.  A light breeze stirred the leaves of the branches of a big old oak tree, a descendent of the original oak, still marking the spot.  And it can still be seen miles away. 

A journal is a good place to store information, lest we forget how our ancestors toiled to leave us these pieces of our heritage, things otherwise lost, which have special meaning, stories, memories, pictures, touchstones with our past.

 

Some Words of Encouragement:

·        Give yourself assignments – then do them

·        Try new things

·        You learn as much from failure as you do from success

·        Include clips, photos, ideas, sketches, bits of art, cartoons

·        “Absence of ideas does not mean evidence of absence.” [paraphrased from William Safire, NY Times, 5/19/2004]