Find Three Words

I found the words

• Beautiful
• Funny
• Nose

Nose?  I don’t think that one is supposed to count so I looked again and came up with these.

• Creative
• Mezilut

I kind of hate word searches.

There is Nothing New Under the Sun

Who did I just quote?  The bible?  Marcus Aurelius?  Ambrose Bierce? Shakespeare?  All of the above?

It came from somewhere, because I know I didn’t make it up.  Nothing I say, or have ever said, is something that just pops randomly out of my head unless it’s been popped in there by someone or something in the first place.  We all gather up hoards of information that we try to sort out for ourselves so that we can then express and share it with others.  We believe we are being witty and creative.  But it’s really only information/idea scrambling and spewing.  I didn’t make that up either, but I did try to put it into my own words.  Which of course are not my own words at all, because I learned those words from somewhere and merely arranged them a certain way in the interests of making a point.

And my point is,  ALL OF THAT was stolen from this little book.

I didn’t steal the book though!  That I paid for, and it was well worth it, if only for the great quotes inside that I can now steal without guilt.  Or too much of it, at least.

One piece of advice Austin Kleon gives is to forget writing what you know, and to write the book you want to read.

How incredibly simple that sounds!  (I wonder if he made it up or stole it from somewhere?)  Not that it matters.  I’m suddenly convinced that it’s exactly what all great writers do.

All great artists paint the picture they want to look at.  Musicians compose the music they want to hear.  Movie people make the film they want to be a box office success and bring in the most ridiculous amount of money imaginable.  Well, you get the idea.  There’s all kinds of art.

This book is chock full of advice on how to remix and reimagine and discover yourself in the process.  He says we should risk being boring in the everyday world so that we have the space to be wild and daring in our imaginations and our work.  I’ve got the boring part down!  Wild and daring will take more effort.

Here’s a stolen quote to get you interested in reading this very readable book:

Steal from anywhere that resonates with inspiration or fuels your imagination.  Devour old films, new films, music, books, paintings, photographs, poems, dreams, random conversations, architecture, bridges, street signs, trees, clouds, bodies of water, light and shadows.  Select only things to steal from that speak directly to your soul.  If you do this, your work (and theft) will be authentic.  -Jim Jarmusch

I suppose I could call this double theft – from Jim Jarmusch and from Austin Kleon.  So would that make me a master thief?  I’m certainly working on it.

My 10 Best Qualities

Hmmmmph. Let’s all be arrogant, conceited, ego-centric pin heads today, shall we? Like we have to be when we hand in a resume, because if we’re brutally honest no one will ever hire us.

And my motivation for answering this prompt will be what exactly? “A little gloating is in order”? WHY?  Is a list of all my endearing qualities going to be blindly accepted by people who will suddenly love me MORE?  Well, okay then. Let’s get ‘er done.

Optimism (Photo credit: hynkle)

Being SINCERE
Because even when I’m being sarcastic, I really, really mean it.

Being a DAYDREAMER
The fact that I can quietly zone out completely at any given moment makes me appear to be thoughtful and imaginative, rather than merely bored to death.

Being CREATIVE
This is the label I give to myself when I am completely zoned out (see above) and performing various artistic tasks at the same time. It’s the process that’s important here, never mind the results.

Being EASYGOING
It is always good to stay calm and relaxed. You can call it being lazy if you want to, I’m perfectly fine with that.

Being KIND, CARING, and CONSIDERATE
These are especially admirable qualities to have when you deal with the public on a daily basis, and are excellent ones to fake when you feel like being the exact opposite.

Being OPEN-MINDED
Sometimes I am SO open-minded that new ideas and concepts just whoosh themselves right on through my brain leaving no lasting impression. I do try to be flexible and embrace change. This ties in with the laziness thing as well, since resistance to change often requires a certain amount of effort.

Being ABLE TO KEEP A SECRET
Please refer to number 6, where things I hear do not necessarily lodge themselves in my mind for long periods of time.

Being DEVOTED TO MY FAMILY
Because friends may come and go, but relatives you’re kind of stuck with.

Being POSITIVE AND OPTIMISTIC
Goodwill is a lovely thing to practice, even when it’s not Christmas. Being funny is good, being fun-loving is even better. Being able to kick yourself in the ass when you’re not being either one of those things is a priceless gift.

Being YOUNG AT HEART
Because always being mature is highly over-rated. My job description suggests that I should act like a grown up all day long. My heart tells me that life is too short to spend it taking myself so seriously 24/7. So I allow myself to play. I give myself permission to be as happy as a child.