Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Kevin Griffith on June 30, 2007 at 9:46am

Absolutely!

Whatever we do - whether it's teaching, shelving books, listening, or anything else - we must choose whether we are going to be fully present and engaged as we do it or merely and minimally present (it seems to me that we can choose to see each moment as an opportunity for creating abundance or as an opportunity for creating scarcity). Teaching has so much creative potential because it is, of necessity, about sharing abundance; you're giving something away, which means you have to have enough of something to share. Teaching most certainly is an act of creation. I'm sure we can all think of teachers in our lives who inspired us through their efforts.

Thankfully, librarianship is moving enthusiastically towards the model of abundance and away from the model of scarcity that has been a bit of a tradition for us. (Sometimes we even go so far as to to be creative!)

I think the following quote (which I recently used in another context) illuminates what's at the heart of creativity: the expression of our individuality. I think it applies equally to teaching, shelving books, listening, and anything and everything else we might do.

There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening, that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost. - Martha Graham

Permalink Reply by Jillian1969 on July 5, 2007 at 1:28pm

I disagree. You know how everyone says to give every effort 100% ? Somedays I give about 20. Honestly, you can't run around giving everything 100% especially doing tasks like shelving! In a past life as a paraprofessional, I had one job, 20 hours a week, where I did nothing but shelving. If you are not a Buddhist monk or have any other claim to spiritual clarity, it's going to be difficult to find anything but tedium in a job like that. Most people have a variety of tasks to do, and I am certainly not talking about teaching, but being fully engaged in stupid,repetitive tasks is a lot to ask for.

Permalink Reply by Bob Kosovsky on July 6, 2007 at 8:58am

I think "creativity" might be thought of as a goal. Sure, you may be in a repetitive-task job like shelving (which indeed, I once did), but you could be thinking of the next stage in your career development.

Additionally, a creative person will find ways to make repetitive tasks more interesting, such as looking at the books, or making mental observations about them. There is always something one can do. That's not to say that one must or should do it 100% of the time, but....I feel that a creative person will always find a way.

Permalink Reply by Kevin Griffith on July 18, 2007 at 10:48am

What makes you think tedium isn't "spiritual"? Could it be that the tedium is an open door for your creativity? The task itself may seem uninteresting, but as Bob suggests, the uninteresting task may allow the opportunity for something else.

Permalink Reply by Paul Stonebridge on July 21, 2007 at 11:08am

If nothing else, you can use tedium time to contemplate everything from the greater universe to your own navel. I often play mental games while I am doing something repetitive. I figure that I might as well do something with the ol' noggin instead of just powering down completely.

Permalink Reply by Jillian1969 on August 15, 2007 at 12:29am

On not following my bliss

My second major in college was in Studio Art. I learned then that “creating on demand” was entirely more stressful to me than reading for class or studying for a test, showing up for class or competing academically. I was having panic attacks, talking myself into staying for an excruciating four hour studio session, while mixing paints and /or preparing a canvas. My art did not look like anyone else’s and my profs didn’t like it. I chose the wrong examples for my portfolio. I was totally trashed by my peers in front of class after class in what was called something like “peer review,” that felt like the electric chair.

My art still doesn’t look like anyone else’s. It never will. Fifteen years later, I would rather take a job at the Post Office rather than “follow my bliss” or “make a living at what I do best.” This is why I have a day job. This is one reason I am a Librarian. This is why I now really enjoy painting and singing and quilting and writing and designing websites at home,and love using my graphic design talent to make signs that say that the Library is Closed Early on January 29th.

Anyone else with me?

Permalink Reply by Kevin Griffith on August 15, 2007 at 11:02am

Absoluetly, Jillian! One of the reasons I never got a degree in Art was because I hated, absolutely hated, the performance aspect of it. It always felt like I was betraying some deep secret part of myself by exposing my artwork to others on demand. If it happened on my terms, in my time, then I didn't mind so much. Working on a deadline always made me feel like I was selling my soul when I was doing "my" artwork. Now, if I'm doing work for hire, that's a whole different thing. It's not as truly mine, so I don't mind performing to someone else's standards. Especially for money! :D

Following my bliss? Although I've found that my attempts at Art really do tap into my deepest self in a way that not much else can, bliss is only one small aspect of the experience for me. For me, the most common - and most profound - part of the creative experience is the sense of deep connection to EVERYTHING I have when I create; bliss is certainly a part of that, but a sense of exactly how small I am in relation to all the creativity that has happened before me, around me, and is yet to happen is the other side of that coin (and I find that to be very intimidating and very comforting at the same time). So, I'm actually doing a LOT more than following my bliss when I create; I'm also participating in "the big everything else" in a way that's nearly impossible to do in any other way. Does any of that make sense? I'd really like to hear what everyone else has to say about "following their bliss", too.

I also firmly believe that there are parts - the deepest and most valuable parts - of us that truly deserve to be protected and preserved and (for the most part) do not need to
be put on public display. I think Dignity is a good word to describe what I'm trying to convey here. As we mature and become responsible adults, I think we get better and better at honoring our dignity and the dignity of others. (At least that's how it should be, IMHO.) It sounds to me that that's exactly what you're doing by opting to honor your inner voice regarding revealing your artwork. I think Modesty is a good word to describe what I see from you in this instance. It's too bad that words like dignity and modesty, words that are so useful when we talk about the deepest parts of ourselves, seem to be so antiquated. Sometimes what we do best - and what is best about us - is not meant for public display and would be rendered "common" by mere exposure. I'm just sayin'.