Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert

Big Magic is part self-help, part-fable, an attempt at presenting an alternate view of creativity. You may not agree with all that she says; I didn’t, for one. Many of the good quotes and ideas in the book are from existing literature, stories and people, quoted in detail; parts which’ve made what should be a blog into a book. 

She contends that ideas have a life-form, a consciousness, and move from person to person. She shares some anecdotes which I just can’t believe. When I reached this part, I suspended reading the book for a couple of months. She has no clear and final views; she travels through thoughts and presents all that she feels, so it’s unclear what she wanted to convey. 

Some good ideas in the book include 

1. Don’t expect your creativity to support you financially (easier said, but I agree with the thought); 

2. Don’t fetishize suffering; art doesn’t have to be achieved through suffering; 

3. Art is paradoxically meaningless and meaningful, a paradox you should comfortably inhabit (got me thinking); 

4. Treat your creative pursuit like a passionate extramarital affair, not an old marriage; pursue it while no one is watching; 

5. Question is not what would you do if you knew you could not fail? Question is what would you do even if you knew you would fail? 

In all, a quick read, with some food for thought and some takeaways.

The Whole Earth Catalog

The Whole Earth Catalog was published by Stewart Brand from 1968 to 1972, with the purpose of creating a catalog of everything. His intent, in his own words' was to provide education and access to tools, so a reader could find his own inspiration, shape his own environment, and share his adventure with whoever is interested'. Steve Jobs called it the 'google' of his time. Kevin Kelly called it a blogosphere of user-generated content. The phrase 'Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish' was the farewell message placed on the back cover of the last issue in 1974. 

The website gives pdf versions of most of their publications. 

Good Will Hunting

Sean Maguire to Will Hunting in one the best lines from the movie Good Will Hunting; Sean hits back at Will's reluctance and arrogance, and Will begins taking Sean seriously and opens up.

You're just a kid, you don't have the faintest idea what you're talkin' about.

It's all right. You've never been out of Boston.

So if I asked you about art, you'd probably give me the skinny on every art book ever written. Michelangelo, you know a lot about him. Life's work, political aspirations, him and the pope, sexual orientations, the whole works, right? But I'll bet you can't tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel. You've never actually stood there and looked up at that beautiful ceiling; seen that.

If I ask you about women, you'd probably give me a syllabus about your personal favorites. You may have even been laid a few times. But you can't tell me what it feels like to wake up next to a woman and feel truly happy. You're a tough kid.
And I'd ask you about war, you'd probably throw Shakespeare at me, right, "once more unto the breach dear friends." But you've never been near one. You've never held your best friend's head in your lap, watch him gasp his last breath looking to you for help.

I'd ask you about love, you'd probably quote me a sonnet. But you've never looked at a woman and been totally vulnerable. Known someone that could level you with her eyes, feeling like God put an angel on earth just for you. Who could rescue you from the depths of hell.

And you wouldn't know what it's like to be her angel, to have that love for her, be there forever, through anything, through cancer. And you wouldn't know about sleeping sitting up in the hospital room for two months, holding her hand, because the doctors could see in your eyes, that the terms "visiting hours" don't apply to you. You don't know about real loss, 'cause it only occurs when you've loved something more than you love yourself.

And I doubt you've ever dared to love anybody that much. And look at you... I don't see an intelligent, confident man... I see a cocky, scared shitless kid.

But you're a genius Will. No one denies that. No one could possibly understand the depths of you. But you presume to know everything about me because you saw a painting of mine, and you ripped my fuckin life apart. You're an orphan right?

You think I know the first thing about how hard your life has been, how you feel, who you are, because I read Oliver Twist? Does that encapsulate you? Personally... I don't give a shit about all that, because you know what, I can't learn anything from you, I can't read in some fuckin' book. Unless you want to talk about you, who you are. Then I'm fascinated. I'm in. But you don't want to do that do you sport? You're terrified of what you might say. Your move, chief.

Poems, Prayers, Promises

And talk of poems and prayers and promises
And things that we believe in
How sweet it is to love someone
How right it is to care

How long it’s been since yesterday
And what about tomorrow
And what about our dreams
And all the memories we share