I see a lot of Facebook posts these days about being yourself.

You quirky individual you.

The message holds truth: There is no one like you (Thank god?). Well, hey, what if you don’t like being you? Painfully quiet? Thrill seeker playing it safe? Anxious? Depressed? Who are you anyways? Maybe you’re still figuring that out.

Sure, you’re more complex than that. I know “be yourself” is supposed to be a positive message, but I can’t stop thinking about that other stuff. Maybe some of you do to.

I am reading through Edward de Bono’s “Six Thinking Hats” now and I can’t help but recall some of the tools I used together with clients in my past work in the field of Mental Health. Turns out that being someone else (at least for a little while) might be just what you need.

I remember trying to help someone think of ways to handle a situation differently. We could come up with a few answers, but it felt like we hit a roadblock, until I asked this person to try and imagine what a friend might do in their place. By imagining things from a different perspective, this person was free to explore different options, options that suddenly were possibilities for them.

We come will all kinds of beliefs about ourselves, how we should behave, who we might be and where we are headed. If you have a hard time thinking about that, try thinking of how you wouldn’t behave, who you are not and where you’re not headed. It’s a little easier and illustrates bit more that box we put ourselves in.

To be sure, what makes us unique should be embraced. It could indeed be foolish to spend time on something you don’t like or is a distraction from what you’ve already gained some expertise in. It might be a waste of time to do something out of character… but it might not be.

In de Bono’s thinking hats, he advocates we practice putting on different kinds of hats to allow us to be more open in specific ways. For example, when we put on a yellow hat, it gives us license to be optimistic about possible outcomes. It asks that we rack our brains for positive results. A parallel here might be that instead of putting on a hat, you might ask yourself, what would your friend Ryan say about a certain subject, as he is more optimistic than you. Being Ryan for a while helps you open  up.

But pretending to be someone else doesn’t just help in the thinking department, it also plays a role in the doing and feeling department.

It’s been shown to be helpful when some are depressed, they benefit from practicing small smiles. Smiling even though they don’t feel like it. Believe it or not, the act of doing that repetitively has increased some people’s mood.

Consider how some big screen actors find that acting a certain role has an impact on their mood when they are off screen.

When you’re looking to break a pattern, being someone else might give you the license to do just that. Think of it as an experiment. While you should be careful about labeling your first set of outcomes as conclusive, you could find that the preliminary results are surprisingly positive. Maybe people reacted a little differently than you imagined when you spoke your mind, while harnessing aunt Marie’s outspoken dinner table antiques. Maybe kickboxing was fun when you channeled your outgoing friend Donnie.

So the next time you are looking for an answer or wanting to broaden your horizons, use the tool of pretend. Be someone else. It could help you find out more about yourself.

- Josh

Part of 'The Place Beyond the Pine's appeal is the soundtrack. In particular, what peeked my interest is "The Snow Angel" piece played in the second half of the trailer. It plays with such emotion and power that it really gets my creative juices going. Click below for a listen (it's an extended version found on Youtube):

What kinds of writing could you use this song with? What comes to mind when you hear it?

Mike Patton produced the Soundtrack for "The Place Beyond the Pines" and it can be purchased now on iTunes. 

If you write anything using this song, don't forget to share. I'd love to read it.

- Josh 

So I’ve had this obsession with playing the song “Like Shadows in an Empty Cathedral” when writing lately.  I’ve tapped it out though and so I thought I’d go searching for more like it.

I stopped by my local record shop in search of music like “From the Mouth of the Sun.” The guy there thinks a sec and points out Loscil’s “Endless Falls” and Rafael Anton Irisarri’s “Reverie.” In passing he comments, “you kind of know what you’re in for by just looking at the cover.” No kidding.  Especially in the case of “Reverie,” but I want to talk about Loscil this time.

I mean, just think about what kind of tone for mystery, the strange, or tension this could enhance:

And don't forget to check out the eerily hypnotic “Estuarine” :

“Loscil is the electronic/ambient music project of Scott Morgan, from Vancouver, BC. The name Loscil is taken from the "looping oscillator" function (loscil) in Csound.” –From Wiki.

To Check out Loscil’s website, click here: http://www.loscil.ca/
The rest of "Endless Falls" is worth checking out. As is Loscil's discography.
- Josh 

I came across Myuu’s work while scouring the Internet for creepy pasta narrators. In certain videos I noticed something in the background noise that was beyond creepy and complimentary to the storyteller’s voice. What I found was captivating. No doubt the result of Myuu’s hard work. It was hardly a discovery however, with his already solid fan base and a close relationship with productive collaborator, Mr. Creepy Pasta (A talented online creepy pasta narrator). 

The musician and composer, also known as Myuuji (Youtube), has a multitude of works, many of them available through creative commons. They range from haunting originals to resonating remixes. Take a listen for yourself:

What kind of images does that produce for you? It could be just the thing to get your creative juices going.

I was so impressed by the sound; I wanted to work with a piece in a reading of my own creation. The product is a synergy I really love. Take a listen. The only song there is Myuuji’s “Disintegrating”:

For more great songs, please visit his Youtube Channel by Clicking HERE
And make sure to head on through and ‘Like’ his Facebook page HERE

New to The Dark Opera? Begin Exploring by Clicking HERE

- Josh

"The only thing that interferes with my learning is my education" Albert Einstein

With education and mastery comes familiarity and often times rigidity of thought about the way things work. To be clear, education on its own is valuable and necessary. Trouble is, that setting into familiarity and rigidity likely stems breakthrough creative ideas that result in important change.   

Paula Scher, A graphic designer speaking at the Art Center Design Conference (2008), talks about the kind of important breakthrough creative ideas above. She calls it ‘serious play’.

Scher talks  about key points in her life where she produced ‘serious play’. 

On the subject of her early career and designs resulting from her hatred for Helvetica and the discovery of overseas fonts, she states:

Later she adds

The full TED talk is here:

In Steve Martin’s book “Born Standing up: A Comic’s Life” he says: 

From  Jonah Lehrer’s book “Imagine”: As per Dean Simonton, a psychologist at UC-Davis, Simonton “…has shown that physicists tend to make their most important discoveries early in their careers, typically before the age of thirty: The only field that peaks before physics is poetry.”

But Simonton also brings up mathematician, Paul Erdos, who had seen steady important productivity throughout his career and points to his having had the ability to explore his discipline in working with different people and problems to maintain the viewpoint of the outsider. 

Turns out continuing education and mastery may not be where creativity goes to die after all. That is, if we can be creative about keeping things fresh and be mindful about finding ways to keep our minds open.

Lehrer summarizes, “…Outsider creativity isn’t a phase of life – it’s a state of mind” 

- Josh

There's a creative challenge making its way through social networking sites that's getting some attention. Have you seen it?

This and Facebook status updates like it have been challenging the community to get the creative gears turning in a fun exchange that stands to be a great time. Creative pay it forward groups are sprouting up too. But how successful will the effort be? Will only those who already write and/or bake, and/or sow or engage in whatever creative endeavour take part? How keen will those who aren't the 'creative type'  be in stepping out of their comfort zone to tap the creativity we all possess? How apt will people be to play into getting an interesting creative treat from someone and have others accept the challenge from them? It's a great idea, but will it work?

Take the above quote and paste it into the status of whichever social networking system you use to see for yourself! Have fun with it!

- Josh

Those who are in touch with their creative side are a little different - changed by their openess. Sometimes the reminder that you’re different and that those qualities are important and need to come out in their own way is what "creative people" need to recharge. Those who are in tune with their creativity can shake off the challenges of seeing things through a different lens by spending a little time in your creative element, with others. In the right atmosphere (There’s no no, that’s not right. no need to be on the defensive. It’s all about building upon ideas and having a laugh), it could be just what the doctor ordered.

Sometimes a good TED talk or inspiring Youtube video with a flavour of creativity can give you the boost you need. I recently stumbled upon this speech by John Cleese on Creativity. It’s a long watch at 36 mins, but it's worth it. Really is. It has a lot of the important information about what you need to know about creativity. The key is keeping Cleese's ideas at the heart of visiting your creative element, with like minded others. For those not in tune with their creativity or not as in tune as you'd like to be, the video's a start point. The doing comes next. 

The only thing is. You’ll have to be ‘open’ to see how the ideas in the video and the positive effects of creativity can apply to just about everything in life.    


If anyone wants to chat up creativity. Send me an e-mail. 

Stay Healthy

- Josh

Remember the last time you really had fun? What did you do? Cut a rug on the dance floor? Go for an impromptu swim via cannon ball? Ins't the degree to which you had fun proportionate to how self conscious you were?

Being creative has a high likelihood in resulting in fun. That is if you can quiet the critical voices in your head long enough to lose yourself in a project.  In this case, take a lesson from kids: explore something new, eyes wide and with excitement, as though this next project will be a blast. There's a reason why kids can approach creative activities like that... And it's because the critical voices haven't yet found home in their minds. Simply thinking about how you would approach something if you were a kid has shown to make a positive impact on creativity. That's because a kid gets permission to explore, to be new at something, to enjoy themselves - Adults rarely do. Somewhere along the way, someone says "you don't dance great", "your art is silly", "your voice isn't suited for singing", "if you haven't read as a kid, you can never be a writer", "if you're not great at something or if you can't make money off of it, then it isn't worth it"

Not true!

All those creative avenues and more are activities through which  you can find happiness, meaning, self esteem, balance, and a sense of belonging, but only if you can have fun with it.

Here are a few things to watch out for:

• Studies suggest that critical remarks aimed at creativity often times inhibit it. This is true especially if the criticism comes from close social support (like a partner). Keep in mind that much of that criticism comes from unfair comparison between your work and the professional work of others. As well from the mindset that things have to be done to eventually make money or meet some standard. In contrast, the viewpoint outlined here is that you are doing something that is meaningful to you and makes you feel good. Forget money and standards for now! Suggestion here is to have a discussion about viewpoints with your social support network. You can also build capacity of that network by adding people with the same interests as well.

• Monitor your own inner dialogue. If you're feeling resistant to a creative project, stop and ask yourself why? Does it seem daunting? why? Often times what seemed to be a good idea to begin with seems silly halfway in. Why is that? Instead of abandoning the project, how can you inject some more fun into it? How do you let go? You may find it helpful to track beliefs about yourself that really obstruct creativity. Often times, you'll find that there's a theme to obstructive thoughts. Identifying it decreases its power over you.

• When brainstorming and getting into creativity, think about things you enjoyed in the past. Take a look at the ideas for getting creative below and use it as a springboard to find something you like. Don't like anything? That could be your mind throwing up a blockade. Challenge your thoughts by getting into something anyways. Do something all the way through and evaluate based on how you felt doing it and not your appraisal of the end product's worth. 

• Set a goal and congratulate yourself when you've accomplished it. Knowing that creative ventures have a significant positive impact, set aside time for yourself to create (kind of like how you would for the gym, yoga, or a movie... That kind of thing). Just think about all that time spent Facebooking or on Reddit or the like (There's some free time you can designate as creativity time). Scheduling a time in can be helpful. Start small. You may find 15 mins over three days is easier to pull off than 45 mins on one day. Don't forget to evaluate your mood throughout.

Need some ideas to Start you off? How about these:


1. Scrap booking

2. Cooking (Use spices you haven't used before. Try things outside the recipe where you can. Dress your product up a little.

3. Painting (On different mediums and with different mediums)

4. Writing ( Write a short story, a poem, micro or flash fiction. Google for more!)

5. Design a Mandala (Don't know what it is? Google " how to draw a mandala". Click on the first link.)

6. Do some sowing or knitting 

7. Play around with an instrument ( Belt out the chorus to a favourite song, change the tone, embellish wherever you like. Make up some words to the rhythm of another tune)

8. Rearrange the room for a new look

9. Revisit items awaiting summer yard sales to see if you can use pieces or change them to make something different. 

10. Make up a dance, or add moves to a dance you already know. 

11. Get some clay and make something. Make a decoration. 

12. The next time you run, mix it up by going off your running trail. Add some random exercises. Create a fun new routine. 

13. Drawing ( on paper or make a stencil to decorate a wall)


You don't have to show anyone what you've been up to on the creative front. Your creative experiment can be just for you: a gift to your health. Happy creating!

- Josh

Ray Bradbury was quoted as once having said:

“If you stuff yourself full of poems, essays, plays, stories, novels, films, comic strips, magazines, music, you automatically explode every morning like Old Faithful. I have never had a dry spell in my life, mainly because I feed myself well, to the point of bursting. I wake early and hear my morning voices leaping around in my head like jumping beans. I get out of bed to trap them before they escape.”

I won’t get into what it is you should be feeding your creativity, because that’s a whole other future post and discussion. I’ll say that Bradbury above seems to cover everything, but other famous creative types would encourage a diet for your creativity based on media of substance (see H.R. Giger’s Frequently Asked Questions section on his website and scroll down to the letter addressed “Dear Aspiring Artist” under “When Should fans contact Giger’s agent” for an example). Shelve that for now…

But isn’t the title to this article misleading then?  No. That’s because the answer to the title question is yes. You have been feeding you’re creativity with all the things Ray mentioned above.

The part that’s worth highlighting in the paragraph is about the “waking up early to catch the beans” bit.  Because your Old faithful’s been producing. It just needs to be tapped.  Getting to the point where you feel like you can “Leap” out of bed to catch the jumping beans takes some practice and confidence. Trapping them too takes some skill. All the same, the morning voices are there, if you spend the time to listen to them.

Have you been creative today?
How can you be creative?

- Josh

I’ve always been a fan of Nine Inch Nails (NIN). Not much so for the lyrics, but for the sound. While some could name any number of Trent Reznor’s NIN albums that could be used as a backdrop for creating, I’ll only suggest one today: Ghosts I-IV. Ever heard of it?

This entry is bursting at the seams with creativity! First, listen to the haunting Youtube video below.

The piano’s a bit heavy and somber up front, but the electronic hum at 0:49 is just plain awesome, culminating in a mournful hiss at 1:49.

According to Trent Reznor via the Ghosts website,

“This collection of music is the result of working from a very visual perspective - dressing imagined locations and scenarios with sound and texture; a soundtrack for daydreams”

On creating the entry, Reznor explains, “The rules were as follows: 10 weeks, no clear agenda, no overthinking, everything driven by impulse. Whatever happens during that time gets released as… something”

So, not only is Ghosts I-IV a great backdrop for creativity but is also a creative experiment. Did I mention that it’s DRM (Digital Rights management) Free! (means you can share and remix the work (while making sure to attribute the work appropriately, not using it for commercial purposes, and distributing the work under the same or similar license)).

Also, there was a Reznor organized Youtube film festival, “an experiment in collaboration and a chance for us to interact beyond the typical one-way artist-to-fan relationship.” (source: Wiki)

You can pick up a copy of the CD at the Ghosts website here:

http://ghosts.nin.com/main/order_options

Have fun. Now get creating!

- Josh