jam star

I've been pondering about creative things lately, and there is one thing that I would like to re-affirm: corporate creativity is great. Creative clustering is something that i really like, and still wish i was part of in a bigger scope. example.

I have always enjoyed writing. I would like to start/join some sort of group, like the Inklings. we could meet on tuesday nights at some pub and smoke pipes and read our work to each other and give each other pointers.

I also really enjoy being able to just play music with someone. When you're alone its great too, but when you and somebody are just trackin' on some groove together, magic happens: harmonies break out, riffs are conceived, emotion audibly produced, its just great. I have always loved having a musical friends, but now more than ever i really just want to find someone that is more than a friend.... more like a ... buddy? yea, that sounds right.

i think with all creativity though comes quite a bit of discipline. I recently purchased a book called "Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy" by Orson Scott Card (phenomenal writer--both as a fiction writer and as a teacher) and read it in about a week. I really feel like writing is a major aspect of my creativity, yet there is something that has kept me back from going public with most of my ideas/work. One of the things that Card mentioned was that discipline isnt something that you just decide to go get, but its something that comes from within you. it's already there, you just need to tap into that. (strangely, this also ties into the Gospel in several allegorical senses....MDCCers can totes agree with that.)

So applying this to a larger area of my life, i realize that what i have now, in my head, in my notebook, saved on my computer in a .band file, its not always going to be what im creating and thinking of tomorrow. tomorrow i will move on to something else. So forming those ideas, allowing them to shape however they may, and embracing them now, thats what fulfills these creative urges that i feel.

so i spent about an hour or two today really just writing. why wait? came up with a few pages of stuff. thats a pretty sizable chunk. I have the whole summer to do this kind of stuff. its really great.

on a related note, for all of you that arent aware, i caught a sneak-peak of my brother's band's new cd... QUITE good. i was, with all honesty, not expecting much, because theyre just a local band, but this music literally blew me out of the water. its really good. thats all i can say about it though.

and completely unrelated: i kinda hope i get a job working outside this summer.

what a rant.

Dogsitting and pre-summer smells

I am watching the Dresser dog, Claire, so im staying at their house for 3 days. i forgot how bored i get by myself. i get to use their car though, thats nice, and its a stick so i love driving it.

The smell of summer is just starting to be uncovered. Its a mixture of bbq-grills, fresh air, growth, gasoline, heat, and dirt. i love that smell. im one of those guys that likes to catch a faint whiff of gasoline on my dirt-ridden hands by the end of a sweltering summer day.

kicking bad habits

in recent months, ive decided its time to start kicking bad habits. isnt it strange how dumb some of you habits can be, yet you have no idea how they originated?

well, i felt i have kicked the first one, and a few days ago i decided to stop biting my nails. let me tell you, its already been tough.

i plan to try and stop caffeine too. who knows how that'll go.

Detroit

It is a beautiful day in this town. Some days i just want to walk around and look at stuff. The climate is pretty great too. *sigh*. i love this city.

Weathermatics

Rain + Snow = Big wet chunks of cold stuff falling on my roof all night, sounding very much like santa/a thief.
Rain x Snow = a front lawn that looks covered in cottage cheese
Snow/Rain = Good snes day weather

Will Smith

I have always been a big fan of Will Smith, but when i think about it, i'm not really sure why. I always really WANT to like all of his films, but a lot of times, i get disappointed with how the storyline ends up playing out. I think what i like about him is his spirit and friendliness on-screen--his ability to make you think 'man, what a cool guy. i would definitely hang out with Will.' But the truth is, a lot of the movies he does just end up declining towards the end. The most recent example i have of this is Hancock, which i just saw for the first time tonight. I thought that the plot had great potential, and Will started off really well (scratch that--he stayed consistent the entire time) but the storyline just went in a different--and more disappointing--direction than i expected.

Dont get me wrong--i still think he's totally awesome, and i dont think any of his movies are BAD per say, its just that i always feel a little bit let down. The circle that i end up falling into is getting really excited for the next thing he does and then being disappointed when he wasnt as awesome as i wanted him to be.