“I thrive in structure. I drown in chaos.”
― Anna Kendrick
I am, generally, a structured person. I started this Friday series in order to add some structure and deadlines into this blogging experiment. I have found through the experiment that while I really do enjoy the structure of a set post and the openness of the "five things I am interested in" outline - I want to try to add in more variability.
I have found myself super busy recently and I don't want this to be a chore - it's supposed to be fun! Lately these posts have amounted to over five pages per week (single spaced!) of writing so I'm not going to shoot for five long researched interesting things each week - just things I'm thinking about - leave the longform for their own posts when I have the time and desire. And of course, this could change - maybe next Friday :) That's the cool thing about this experiment - it is mine. It is literally my name and I can make it whatever I want it to be. So here are some of the things I really love this week.
This Place
I was going through some old files this week and stumbled upon a brochure I picked up at Ghost Ranch a couple of years ago. Since then, I have basically been thinking non stop about it. Ghost Ranch was one of Georgia O'Keeffe's homes in New Mexico, and is now a retreat center where you can visit overnight or just on a day trip.
It's no secret I love Georgia (read below for more evidence) and the desert. I could live in this picture. The smells, the sounds, the color, heck - even the dirt - I love it all.
Ghost Ranch (and New Mexico in general) is a magical place that I highly recommend visiting. Find more info here.
And read more about my adventures in New Mexico here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.
This Article
The Brooklyn Museum just opened an exhibit on Georgia O'Keeffe - but not just her paintings, an exhibit featuring her style. Her persona. Anyone who is an O'Keeffe fan has no doubt been inspired by her sartorial choices, her words, and her attitude. The exhibit has paintings, as well as some of her clothing, and a retrospective of the many photographs taken of her. She is an icon in all three areas - and now I have a great reason to get back to Brooklyn to check it out. It runs from today through July 23.
More information on the exhibit here.
More information on O'Keeffe's here and here.
This Quote
I love a good inspirational quote and I've been coming back to this one a lot this week:
"We don't see things as they are - we see things as we are." - Anaïs Nin
Life is so much easier (i.e. less annoying) when I remember this. So often (like, um, always) we assign judgement to others and their actions based on our own values. While I don't think it's realistic to refrain from any judgement, it's important to remember that it's all subjective.
This seems super obvious, but the older I get the more I realize that the "obvious" things in life seem to be the easiest to forget. I have to constantly remind myself of these seemingly simple things. And it's not for others - sure, it's better for them if I don't judge them based on my own values - but remembering this is for me. My life is infinitely better when I stop assigning value judgments. Or, when I do, realizing that I have and remembering this quote.
What are some of your favorite "obvious" quotes/sentiments?
This Thought
I always say that rather than thinking, creating, being etc.. "outside the box" that I just want a bigger box. I've been thinking about this a lot - I even wrote about it here. Structure is so important. Even if that structure is super limited. I need an expectation or a goal in order to succeed. I think many of us do. Creativity testing has actually found that people are more creative when they encounter more obstacles, not when they are given total freedom.
I really like a lot in this article. Here are some excerpts:
"The box itself has always represented limits, but why are those limits bad? And why can’t you simply expand those limits rather than ignoring them? Having limits provides an anchor or catalyst for your thinking, not a constraint. It’s actually how you go about thinking through the solutions that can be the real limit."
"Starting with the box, however, the sides give you concrete limits and useful details you can anchor your thinking around. But they don’t have to be the fixed limits everyone thinks they are. By examining those supposed limits, which are represented by the sides of the box, you can actually expand them to make your box bigger. And your “box” doesn’t have to be square. Add sides if needed to represent your specific situation."
What do you think? Do you work best inside a box? Outside? Within a bigger box?
This Media
Y'all! Are you listening to this podcast?? It is so good. If you don't know the background, Richard Simmons hasn't been seen in public for over three years now. The podcast features interviews and narrations by his friends in order to come to some sort of conclusion of what the heck happened. Of course, the premise itself is a bit icky, but it doesn't feel toooo exploitative or gross due to the hosts - who is a friend of Richards - genuine concern.
Anyways, only three 30-minute podcasts have been released so far, but it's already been called "like Serial but better" - the highest possible podcast praise. I am hooked and I'm sure you will be too - listen here.
And read more about Simmons and his public disappearance here and here.