Creative Psychology

It’s amazing what an ocean does for strengthening bonds.

Today, I burst into tears upon seeing my brother’s face, half a world away. A strange mix of emotions came over me just then: thrilled that technology allows me to view in real time a likeness that I’ve gone without for over a year, but also cringing with the acknowledgment that this was the closest I could get. No hugs, no family kisses, no razzle of the hair, which is now about 8 inches shorter than it was a year ago. Just an overwhelming sense of distance combined with the urge to be obnoxiously close to him.

That sense of polarization was explained to me early this morning in an article published in Psychology Today called The Creative Personality: Ten Paradoxical Traits of the Creative Personality.  My favorite is the following excerpt:

Creative people alternate between imagination and fantasy, and a rooted sense of reality. Great art and great science involve a leap of imagination into a world that is different from the present. The rest of society often views these new ideas. as fantasies without relevance to current reality. And they are right. But the whole point of art and science is to go beyond what we now consider real and create a new reality

I’ve tried to explain that concept to people a hundred times before, and never seem to get through to many.

My next great scheme is to launch a fairly regular scheduled Art Night.  This event involves inviting friends and neighbors over once a month or so to break out our art supplies and just create.  Last night granted me a sneak preview of my projected arrangement, and all seemed to go pretty well.  Fall and Winter are nearly upon us, so searching for engaging projects indoors will become more and more important in the coming weeks.  For you this means, button up your overcoat, grip your thermos tight between your woolen mittens, and head on over.  It’s Art Night.

Rainy Day

I had much bigger plans for today. Today I intended to go out into the world, to make something of myself, to touch something real.

I didn’t. I sat inside the house for fear that the rain would melt me. Dissolve me. Ruin me.

The network is breaking down. The people in it are no longer living, they’re scraps of paper tossed into the wind and landing by the wayside. They’re disintegrating into the earth with every falling raindrop.

If only we could soak the water up, with a big culture sponge.

Yeah. That’s what we need.