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| Kathmandu, Nepal |
Here you are: October 8, 2014. Proof of life. I'm still walking the earth.
I just finished reading the article provided thoughtfully below by Maria Popova (writer of the inimitable Brain Pickings blog) where she casually mentions how she used to work until midnight writing and perfecting three articles per day. When she cut back, she was still writing two articles, whereas I have been on internet hiatus and otherwise loafing about in Southeast Asia.
Here's some articles until I can get my act together:
Here is someone who works to please herself first, and then for others, as a pleasant afterthought. That is my ideal, or one of them at least. That attitude indicates an inner resilience, that underlying mental foundation that has been built up over time and is key, I believe, to doing good work.
You know what your own process is like, that weird fugue state, possibly frenzied, possibly miserable, but it's interesting to get into the heads of other people - preferably someone who is articulate - how others experience this unique process of creation.
So the theme this week is people who have the strength to follow their vision in the face of blatant adversity. Douglas Tomkins, the founder of Esprit and The North Face is building national parks. All by himself. The locals revile him for it, because he is not using the land. But Tomkins is laying the groundwork for when he believes his work will be appreciated - ten years down the line. That is his vision, and that sustains him. Do you have the same degree of unshakeable faith in your work?
Apparently location matters to creativity. This is probably not the first time you've heard this bit of advice, but with all the other advice out there, maybe this will stick.
This is not about Emu. I don't use it and I don't care. What intrigues me is the writing style of this article. It's unique, whimsical, playful. I don't know how this works in longer bursts, but for this length, her voice stands out.
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