I want to be Dr. Frank-n-Furter when I grow up. There’s nothing better than Tim Curry in lingerie. NOTHING.
I suggest you check your local theatre listings. There’s likely to be a midnight showing in your town/city, especially at Halloween time.
Put on some thigh-highs and head out into the night….
For the Rocky Horror virgin, here’s what you’ll need, from the geniuses at Rookie Mag:
Remember kids: don’t dream it, be it.
XOXO
I can sum up my week in three sentences:
GAME OF THRONE!
GAME OF THRONES!
GAME OF THRONES!
I have a serious crush on Peter Dinklage. Did you know he was born in New Jersey? I’m going to pretend I don’t know that and go back to thinking his accent is real.
Black cat auditions in Hollywood circa 1961. Mort-Mort could out sass all of those cats. Evidence:
Pictures of Victorians smiling. It’s weird. They look like us…
Tres, tres creative ideas for storing and preparing food.
An inspiring story about not succumbing to your backup plan.
Deviled Cadbury Creme Egg anyone?
Good advice for writers. Simple. Effective. Common Sense. I love writers who describe their craft as “showing up for work everyday.” I never trust a writer who talks in esoteric terms about The Muse. I believe in The Muse. I believe the more you write, the more likely you are to bump into Her.
If your day was a demonic shit storm, you should read this NOW.
A hotel room made out of an old airplane. I shall check in tomorrow.
This office looks like something out of a modern re-telling of Grimm’s fairy tales.
Tim Hortons donuts were an “item of the day” on Hello Giggles. Take that L.A.!
And there you have it.
Oh, and this video of Rufus Wainwright and Helena Bonham Carter which is pretty fucking fantastic:
This is what my personality would look like if it was a person.
The following conversation occurred at 8pm on a boring Saturday night:
Me: What are you up to?
Fiancé: I’m playing this video game. The graphics are awesome. You can totally see this guy’s brains being blown out when I shoot him.
Me: WTF?! That’s fucking disturbing! Why would anyone want to see that shit? What’s wrong with you???!!!
Fiancé: Uh….. What are you up to?
Me: Watching “Piranha 3D.”
*Fiancé looks less than amused*
This, darling readers, is an excellent example of what we call hypocrisy.
The next conversation happened while we were waiting for the elevator at 12:45am on a random Tuesday (so that we could do laundry in the basement without running into any weirdo neighbours)
Me: If there was an all-girl Supertramp cover band, they’d be called “Supercramp”
Fiancé: And they’d sing songs about menstruation.
Me: NO! They’d sing Supertramp songs because they’re a Supertramp cover band!!!
*pause*
Me: Bleeeeeeeeder! Nothing but a bleeeeeeeeeder!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(sung loudly and off-key to the tune of “Dreamer”……… obviously)
See how fun it is to live with me?
1. “Redemption Song” by Bob Marley – Good for days when you want to give up because it doesn’t matter anyway…
This song soothes my psyche and calms my blood pressure. I especially like:
Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds…
2. “On the Radio” by Regina Spektor – Good for those times when you’re so lost you don’t even remember who you are.
Regina Spektor has a direct line to my heart. I love her so, so much. I especially like:
This is how it works:
You’re young until you’re not,
You love until you don’t,
You try until you can’t,
You laugh until you cry,
You cry until you laugh,
And everyone must breathe,
Until their dying breath.
Honourable Mention: “The Sailor Song” which is great when you’re pissed at someone you really love. Particularly the line “Does it matter that our anger couldn’t even reach the bottom of a bathtub?”
Additional Honourable Mention: “Human of the Year” for those days when humanity sucks but you still have hope:
Outside the cars are beeping,
Out a song just in your honor.
And though they do not know it,
All mankind are now your brothers.
Honorable Mention: “Accidental Babies” listen to this when you’re deeply depressed because your ex is dating someone else or if you’re cheating on your partner or if the person you love is married. Check out the song and lyrics here.
4. “You Belong to Me” as sung by Carla Bruni – Good for lonely stretches of time without your husband/girlfriend/life partner/pet chinchilla…
This song was written in 1952, but I like Carla Bruni’s version best. I freaking adore her. She has the most gorgeous voice AND she’s the first lady of France AND she’s a tres belle femme. It’s all about letting the person you love go off in search of themselves. Voila:
See the marketplace in old Angiers,
Send me photographs and souvenirs,
Just remember til your dream appears,
You belong to me.
This is one of my favourite songs EVER; it’s a love letter from her ex-boyfriend set to music:
5. “Personal Jesus” as sung by Marilyn Manson – Good for those “what does it all mean?” moments. Side note: The answer to “what does it all mean?” is to listen to loud music and drink another margarita. Take that brain… (I’m only half joking. I think too much and sometimes need to smother my brain waves.)
I’m partial to Marylin Mason. I think he’s sexy. Stop judging me. He’s also super smart and articulate with very good opinions on things like violence and the media. I digress… the Depeche Mode original is obviously awesome as well. I enjoy this part:
Feeling unknown,
And you’re all alone,
Flesh and bone,
By the telephone,
Lift up the receiver,
I’ll make you a believer.
Sorry………..
Valerie Morrison Photography
I’m a big time procrastinator, so the fact that I get anything written at all is due to the numerous tricks I diabolically employ. For those of you who are slogging along on creative projects or struggling to get a sentence written, here are a few of my tricks:
1. Get an app. There are TONS of free content-blocking apps that you can download. These programs block any distracting websites you want, for any length of time you desire. Block social media sites, blogs and other time wasters for a few minutes or an entire day. I use Self Control.
2. Get Inspiration. Read books/articles/poetry, watch Youtube videos/movies/tv, walk over to the coffee shop, wander about in the country, draw something. If you’re struggling to get your work done, it might be that you’re feeling uninspired. Discover new ideas. Get your brain moving. Get your body moving. Stop staring at the blank page or empty computer screen.
3. Read. Get some great books on creativity and writing. Some of the most highly recommended books are:
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamontt is THE book writers recommend most.
Zen and the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury who wrote “The Halloween Tree”
On Writing Well by William Zinsser is for all you non-fiction writers
On Writing is by some guy named Stephen King. It’s one of my favourite books. I read it once a year.
4. Press pause. Leave your iPod at home. Take off the headphones. The people on the bus or in the grocery store are a goldmine. Instead of blocking them out, listen to the people around you. How do they talk? What are they saying? Sometimes dialogue for your story can be lifted from the mouths of random strangers.
5. Masters of their craft. Not Shakespeare, although he could probably help, but your own personal masters. Who do you admire? What artists/directors/writers/dancers/etc. do you consider to be masters of their craft? I like to watch movies with amazing dialogue (according to me) like “High Fidelity” and “Good Will Hunting” but I consider directors Darren Aronofsky and Cameron Crowe to be masters of their craft. Frida Kahlo is my vote for a master of painting (and lipstick.) I often look to Elizabeth Gilbert as a writing coach. What can you learn from your idols? How have they mastered their craft?
6. Daily Tips. Many blogs offer daily writing tips or articles on productivity. If you can’t seem to get going in the morning, read one of the articles from these sites:
Write to Done has tons of articles on writing of all styles.
Daily Writing Tips is exactly what it sounds like. You’ll also find grammar and punctuation advice.
Dumb Little Man is great for productivity and motivation advice.
Daily Pep Talk is great for vagina-centric people who need a little confidence boost.
7. Scrivener. It’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. Scrivener is a program designed by writers, for writers. It lets you break down a huge book into manageable chapters and sub-topics. There are also templates for screenplays and other format-specific writing projects. It costs about $50 but you can try it free for a month here. It’s very easy to use and there are several tutorial videos on the site.
Now go. Sit. Type.
Advice on productivity and organization is typically written by left brainers, for left brainers. Which is great for our logical, detail oriented mathematician friends, but excludes people like us. A creative person doesn’t think in a logical, linear pattern. Instead, we’re ruled by emotion, feeling our way through the world based on intuition. Creative types are often visual learners, preferring colour images to verbal directions. We also like to daydream and contemplate abstract theories. We’ve mastered the art of simultaneous novel-writing-coffee-brewing-Simpsons-watching and sometimes we can do all that while brushing our teeth. This is what people love about us. This is what we love about ourselves.
Unfortunately, this means our workspaces often resemble a natural disaster. Scribbled notes written on paper napkins and a pile of month-old coffee mugs are telltale signs of a creative mind at work. It’s not that we’re innately messy, it’s that standard systems of organization do not work for us. A creative person might have several foot-high stacks of paper on her desk, but if you ask her for one specific document she’ll be able to find it in a second. This is a result of our well developed visual memory. This is also why left-brained organizational plans don’t work for us. If you look up organizaion or productivity tips, you’ll find that every article mentions the same things:
1. Put every document into a file. Organize files alphabetically or numerically so you can easily find things.
2. Keep clutter to a minimum. Put everything away in boxes with lids, creating a non-distracting workspace.
3. Set a timer for 20 or 30 minutes and work at your desk, leaving only when the timer goes off. Set a rigid work schedule.
4. Have a quiet area where you can work without interruptions.
5. Focus on one thing at a time.
These are great tips for the business minded, but doesn’t all of that sound like a nightmare? Those tips would make my day unbearably boring. I simply could not accomplish anything worthwhile in that environment, nor could most creative people. These kinds of tips can be found in magazines, on personal development blogs and in every HR office. Sadly, these kinds of productivity and organization practices squash creative potential and foster stress in a right-brain person. If you are creative, if you think with your right brain, THESE TIPS WILL NOT WORK FOR YOU. Here is an alternative list of tips, made specifically for creative types, that I’ve developed myself after researching several sites:
1. Everything needs to be visible. We are the living embodiment of “out of sight, out of mind” so when items go into drawers they cease to exist. Organize paperwork by month and throw it into a tray on top of your desk. Group books together by color. Place pens and other writing utensils in coffee mugs or purchase see-through containers without lids. Make sure your desk is large enough to accommodate several books, a sketch pad and pencils, a computer and your lunch. Organization means being able to see everything laid out before you.
2. Have a beautiful work space. Creative people have very particular aesthetic styles. Your space needs to feel like you in order to be comfortable. Consider paint or wallpaper. Decorate with knick-knacks and mementos. Fasten a clothesline-esque string across the wall. You can hang inspirational images from the line with clothespins. Cut out and print off any photo or artwork you come across that inspires you to keep working or is related to your project. Change them out with each new project, but glue the old pictures into a book as a visual journal of your work.
3. Give up. If something is making you less than ecstatic, if you’re not completely obsessed, drop it. Creative people can’t commit to something they don’t love. You’ll be wasting your time on a project that doesn’t excite you from the beginning. No amount of willpower or money can make you change your mind. If your heart’s not in it, your work will suffer. Move on to a better idea.
4. Be stimulated. Surround yourself with interesting things. Create amazing playlists or get a DVD set of your favourite show to play in the background. Have something close by that you can toss around (I have a Frida doll and a plush Hello Kitty.) Use a fitness ball instead of a chair. Frame pictures of your favourite artists or tape interesting quotes to the wall. Light scented candles. Creative types need background noise and visual stimulation. If you’re feeling unmotivated, you’re probably just bored. Put you’re multi-tasking skills to good use. When I paint, I like to have Sex and the City DVD’s playing on mute while I listen to podcasts and drink coffee.
5. Variety is the spice of work. Change up your work environment at least once a week. This could mean taking your laptop to a coffee shop, reading in the park or taking a day trip to another town. A change of scenery is essential for creativity. This is true for creative pursuits and for creative people in traditional jobs. Your work will suffer if you spend 8 hours a day staring at bare cubicle walls. Ask your boss if you can work from a different office or outside at a picnic table once a week. Ask about working from home, even just half of a day. If you work in retail, ask about taking shifts at a sister-store or a different chain owned by the same company. Anything you can do to vary your routine will foster productivity and give you new ideas.
Those, my right-side friends, are your tips. Our productivity is determined by freedom and individuality. We organize based on aesthetics and visual memory. This is completely opposite to left brainers who work best in the orderly, routine environments suggested by most productivity guides. Keep this in mind the next time you’re ripping your hair out in frustration or wondering why you can’t get anything done. Stimulate your senses with colour and music and watch your creative visions come to life. Still don’t believe me? Here’s a real-life example:
Google gives their employees 20% creative time. That’s one day per work week. During this time, employees are allowed to work on any project they want. They can develop items for personal use. They can create something fun. They can do anything they want, provided it’s not what they work on during the rest of the week. This creative time is essential for Google’s success. It is during this creative time that employees came up with the ideas for AdSense, G-mail and Google News. Furthermore, these ideas did not come from high-level employees, but from average workers. Google doesn’t track hours on a 9-5 basis, doesn’t believe in hierarchy and allows employees to work on pet projects, yet Google is a very successful business with very happy workers.
Think about it.
“In the forest, there was a crooked tree and a straight tree. Every day, the straight tree would say to the crooked tree, ‘Look at me…I’m tall, and I’m straight, and I’m handsome. Look at you…you’re all crooked and bent over. No one wants to look at you.’ And they grew up in that forest together. And then one day the loggers came, and they saw the crooked tree and the straight tree, and they said, “Just cut the straight trees and leave the rest.” So the loggers turned all the straight trees into lumber and toothpicks and paper. And the crooked tree is still there, growing stronger and stranger every day.”
— Tom Waits
