Go, Create, Write

Posted on January 17, 2013 by Pearson Sharp

“There’s a natural human tendency to lean on and repeat that which we do well. This is okay if we’re cranking out donuts or widgets. But as self-anointed creative artists, our daily joy and progress rest on our ability to jump beyond our safety. Look steadily and imaginatively at the blah in front of you. Given time and contemplation, your new level will stealthily appear. When “So what?” strikes, we ask ourselves “What now?” ~ Robert Genn

Robert Genn strikes again. In this post he talks about how to overcome the “so what?” factor that plagues so many writers, including myself.

Hemingway at Pamplona, contemplating his passion

Often I get the feeling that what I’m writing is good, but, so what? Who cares? And it’s a big deal, because if you can’t answer “so what?”, then you’re usually stuck with “why bother?”

But that’s not the point. The “so what” factor isn’t relevant to us as writers. That’s not up to us. Sure, we should be aware of it, but like one of my old heroes Frank Herbert once said, “You don’t write for success. That takes part of your attention away from the writing. If you’re really doing it, that’s all you’re doing: writing.”

And he’s right! You aren’t writing for “so what”, you’re writing because you have to. Hemingway said you just sit down at the typewriter and bleed. That’s what you do. You’re doing this for you, not anyone else. So there is your “so what”, there is your raison d’etre, your meaning of life. Do it for you, because you must, because you love it. If you approach it from a business standpoint, then yeah, “so what” matters a lot more, and that passion and enthusiasm that ought to be filling your work will be cold and lifeless. No one ever read For Whom the Bell Tolls and said, “so what?” It’s passion, as all art must be. If not for passion, then why?

Breathe and write, all else comes second.

Art and obsession

Posted on January 16, 2013 by Pearson Sharp

Art and obsession.

Cristian Mihai posted an article about art and obsession. It’s an interesting read, and a paragraph at the end really grabbed my attention.

“I like the idea that the only theme in art is the question, “Who am I?” That all art is a journey of self-discovery. Artists make art because they want to find out who they really are, and the audience “consumes” that art because they want to know they’re not as alone as they thought. Because they want to find particular truths they wouldn’t have been able to find otherwise.”

It’s a thought I’ve had myself for probably as long as I’ve been writing. Who am I? Does anyone care? But we all want to know, and we all want to share. That’s what pretty much everything is about. Figuring that out, and not being alone.

So let’s share.

The Meat and Potatoes of Stars

Posted on January 15, 2013 by Pearson Sharp

I came across another enlightening post by the wonderful artist Robert Genn. He’s a Canadian painter with an incredible talent for observation that I find very inspiring. You can check out his website here, along with his posts that he updates with questions and thoughts he gets from readers.

In his article I read today, he talks about what it takes to fire the spark of creativity. Some people are born with a natural creative bent, with a talent towards the fantastic, but for others it’s more challenging. Genn proposes that this talent needn’t be something you’re born with, that it can be learned. I definitely agree.

the meat and potatoes of stars

He suggests in his post that the fire we feel when we create is something that can be drawn out, provoked in a word. The secret to this lies simply in observation. You can’t fuel your imagination on an empty mind, so to speak. The mind needs input to create, it craves it. “Knowledge breeds knowledge, as gold gold,” as Edgar Allan Poe once said. So feed your mind!

This goes beyond simply reading books and exposing yourself to art. This involves seeing the world around you, experiencing it with open eyes, like you did when you were a child, as Genn says. Absorb everything, pay attention to what is happening around you. Don’t take things for granted.

One of my lifelong adages is simply, “Look up”. When I was a freshman at university, I lived on the fourth floor of my dormitory. I took out the window screens and would open the windows wide, and I would sit there, sometimes for hours, just watching everything below. I noticed something though. People would walk around, reading books or looking at their phones or simply walk past with their hands in their pockets, heads down, oblivious to the world. But no one ever saw me sitting there in the window. No one looked up.

I thought that was sad, and very telling of our condition as humans and creatures of familiarity and habit. So I always remind myself to simply “look up”. See what’s around, take stock of your environment, ask questions. Don’t take anything for granted, as much as it’s possible. Robert Genn says to approach the world agnostically, see everything fresh and try to believe that there’s something more than what you see.

Just be aware. There’s another one of my favourite zen koans that tells a story about a monk who visits a famous zen teacher. When he arrives at his house it’s raining outside, so he removes his shoes and umbrella and leaves them at the door. When he sits down inside with the zen teacher, the teacher asks him on which side of the door he left his umbrella and shoes. The monk realises he cannot answer, and his teacher tells him he must practise his “every minute zen”—his every minute awareness of what he is doing.

It’s a wonderful lesson. Practise your every minute zen, as a writer or painter or musician—just as a conscious, living, breathing human. That’s where inspiration begins—when you look closely, even stars are driven by the tiniest of movements. Yet those movements build to astronomical scales, and so does our work. Be always aware of what is happening around you, and you will find that you are constantly inspired by all the strange things that happen every day, every minute in our world.

Stalker

Posted on September 13, 2012 by Pearson Sharp

“A man writes because he is tormented, because he doubts. He needs to constantly prove to himself and the others that he’s worth something. And if I know for sure that I’m a genius? Why write then? What the hell for?” – Stalker

Stalker was a 1979 movie by Andrey Tarkovskiy that really stretches conventions in its portrayal of three men lost in Soviet era Russia. It’s a bizarre tale, but has some really poignant moments, and I highly recommend watching it some afternoon when you don’t have anything else to do. It’s powerful, if mysterious, and has some interesting things to say about humans and our (in)humanity.

It isn’t hard to smile

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Pearson Sharp

I found this on another blog. It made me smile as I was reading it. I think there are so many things we do daily to sabotage ourselves. This little list is just that–a list. It will probably sound cliche, if you choose to read it that way. For me it represents some genuine, absolutely fantastic ways to improve your life, in such small and subtle ways that you won’t even know it at first. But when these tips become habit, and you take a step back to look at them all together, you might be surprised at the effect those little changes have made.

Really, when it comes down to it, happiness is what matters. And it’s so easy to achieve when you can just smile and say to yourself, “Such is life!” It’s the only one we’ve got, and it’s really pretty wonderful.

Have a firm handshake.
Look people in the eye.
Sing in the shower.
Own a great stereo system.
If in a fight, hit first and hit hard.
Keep secrets.
Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen everyday.
Always accept an outstretched hand.
Be brave. Even if you’re not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.
Whistle.
Avoid sarcastic remarks.
Choose your life’s mate carefully. From this one decision will come 90 per cent of all your happiness or misery.
Make it a habit to do nice things for people who will never find out.
Lend only those books you never care to see again.
Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all that they have.
When playing games with ! children, let them win.
Give people a second chance, but not a third.
Be romantic.
Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
Loosen up. Relax. Except for rare life-and-death matters, nothing is as important as it first seems.
Don’t allow the phone to interrupt important moments. It’s there for our convenience, not the caller’s.
Be a good loser.
Be a good winner.
Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret.
When someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go.
Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born.
Keep it simple.
Beware of the person who has nothing to lose.
Don’t burn bridges. You’ll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river.
Live your life so that your epitaph could read, No Regrets
Be bold and courageous. When you look back on life, you’ll regret the
things you didn’t do more than the one’s you did.
Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.
Remember no one makes it alone. Have a grateful heart and be quick to acknowledge those who helped you.
Take charge of your attitude. Don’t let someone else choose it for you.
Visit friends and relatives when they are in hospital; you need only stay a few minutes.
Begin each day with some of your favorite music.
Once in a while, take the scenic route.
Send a lot of Valentine cards. Sign them, ‘Someone who thinks you’re terrific.’
Answer the phone with enthusiasm and energy in your voice.
Keep a note pad and pencil on your bed-side table. Million-dollar ideas sometimes strike at 3 a.m.
Show respect for everyone who works for a living, regardless of how trivial their job.
Send your loved ones flowers. Think of a reason later.
Make someone’s day by paying the toll for the person in the car behind you.
Become someone’s hero.
Marry only for love.
Count your blessings.
Compliment the meal when you’re a guest in someone’s home.
Wave at the children on a school bus.
Remember that 80 per cent of the success in any job is based on your ability to deal with people.
Don’t expect life to be fair.

Living La Vida Jolla

Posted on March 10, 2012 by Pearson Sharp

I’ve lived in a lot of places in my life: China, England, even Canada for a little while. All across the US, as well, from Ohio to Arizona, Colorado, California. Right now I’m living in La Jolla, California, about five minutes away from the beach. I’ve been here since August, and I have to say, my world view and disposition have significantly improved every day I’ve been here. The average January day is 60 degrees, and right now, early March, we’re sitting pretty with 75 the past few days. I wake up with palm trees and blue skies every day, and drive past the ocean on my way to work every single morning.

Last night I headed down to the beach to catch the sunset with Mary. We went to Black’s Beach, which is famous for being a nudist beach. Of course, the nudists are never the people you’d like them to be, but I’m happy seeing people out there enjoying themselves anyways. You’ll never catch me in my birthday suit out there, but hey, I’m down for whatever makes you happy baby. Just, you know. Dangle your fish bait over there.

If you’re not familiar with the area, Black’s is situated at the base of an enormous sandstone cliff. There are some pretty impressive views from the top, along with some pretty impressive real estate. We were feeling adventurous so we climbed down the long flight of natural and man-made steps to reach the bottom. The sun was just beginning to set, and we got some gorgeous photos before it peeked below the horizon on its way to Australia. It glimmered red for a long time after it actually set, I’m sure it was an optical illusion based on the curvature of the earth and reflection on the ocean and what-not.

In any case, it was well appreciated. After a hearty climb back up, we put the top down in her car, and drove down the coast for a ways, just enjoying the evening. It’s times like these that it really strikes me: all things human are of little importance. Plato said that, and I have to agree. I don’t know what it is about the beach and the ocean that turns everyone philosophic, but it works every time.

Out of all the places I’ve lived, I have to say it’s honestly pretty hard to have a depressing day here. Everything is just as it should be, day after day, and I can’t help but smile when I wake up in the morning. Maybe it’s just me, but I feel pretty grateful to be living here.