And so I come to the main topic of this post: Inspiration.
What does a creative person do when they are wholly uninspired to create? Inspiration seems to come in waves for me. I'll hit a few months where I have a crazy amount of ideas and want to tackle so many different projects, but then I eventually sink into a lull when life gets busy or my muse (so to speak) leaves me. Unfortunately, this current lull seems to be lasting far longer than usual. However, I am bound and determined to get myself out of it before the new school year starts. I refuse to go into September as an uninspired and unmotivated teacher; I can't claim burn-out only a week into the school year!
Thus begins my thirty day quest to get my mojo back. I'm not really sure where to start, as forcing any kind of creativity is frustrating to say the least, but I thought maybe I could at least explore the people, places, and things (NOUNS!) that have inspired me in the past. [Note: I do not usually get that excited about nouns, but it's not everyday I accidentally drop a parts of speech definition into my writing. The English nerd in me could not be contained]
People, Places, and Things That Inspire:
Sara Bareilles-I've recently decided in my years long love affair with this amazingly talented artist that I would very much like her to be my best friend. Every album she puts out always finds a way to say exactly the things I wish I could say. I listen to her songs, and think, "This girl is me. I am her." She is insanely talented, and is probably my favorite female vocalist, but the reason that she inspires me is because she's kind of an "everygirl". She swears a lot and has a nutty sense of humor, and she's not some overly made-up pop princess. She's like your next-door neighbor or your college roommate; you just can't help root for her and want advice from and just generally want to hang out with her all the time. She makes me think that if she can do it (be successful, be creative), then maybe the rest of us can too.
Sutton Foster-If you are not a Broadway buff, you're probably thinking, "umm...who?". Let me explain the awesomeness that is Sutton Foster. She's kind of a Broadway darling, a true triple threat with talent spilling out of her every orifice. [See below video] She's starred in things like Thoroughly Modern Millie, Anything Goes, Shrek the Musical (she was Fiona), or most recently that new show Bunheads. I'm not sure what it is about her that I find inspirational, but mostly I just love her and wanted to sing her praises a little. I guess she makes me want to practice and practice and practice whatever creative thing I choose to do, because it's clearly evident that she didn't get to where she is by smiling and being pretty.
The Olympics-As I type this, I'm watching the USA girls gymnastic team do their thing, and it's hard not to be in awe of them, or any of the athletes for that matter. It's been well-established that no one in their right mind would ever call me an athlete, however what I find inspiring about the Olympics is the dedication that it takes these people to get here. I can't say that I've ever worked that hard at anything in my life, and it makes me want to start putting in half the commitment they do to something I love. Maybe that's teaching, maybe that's a hobby (like writing or music or whatever), but clearly I could use some more passion in my life. These athletes have a goal and go after it so whole-heartedly; how can I not be inspired by that?
Traveling-I've only been abroad once, but if I could afford it, I would travel all the time. In high school I went to England for a choir tour, and I don't think I'll ever be able to put into words the things I felt being in that environment. Europe fascinates me with it's juxtaposition of old and new, and there was something about knowing the history of a place, all the things that had come before me and stood where I was standing, that instantly made me want to write or draw or sing or connect in some way to that place. I think that's what art and creativity is all about. We want to make a connection with people, we want to understand the world that surrounds us. Maybe being in those places, like England or the other U.S. cities I've been to, give me a fresh look at life I don't tend to find whilst sitting around in my apartment. I think I need to get out more :)
And just for kicks and giggles...
People, Places, and Things That Suck The Inspiration Right Out of You:
Facebook-You want to totally send yourself into a wicked shame spiral? Go onto your Facebook feed, read about all the cool stuff your "friends" are doing, and subsequently compare yourself and all the cool stuff you're not doing to them. Does it inspire you to go create something? No. Does it inspire you to go sit on your couch, watch a cheesy rom-com, and cry over a pint of frozen yogurt? Unfortunately.
Small Town, U.S.A.-This is so not meant to be a slight on people who love living in a small town, or even the character and charm that many small towns have to offer, but after living in a small town for three years now, I can unequivocally say it is not for me. I don't find the quaintness of this place inspiring. I like my inspiration to come from walking down busy city streets, and feeling the hustle and bustle all around me. I'm not so inclined to create when the most exciting place I go all week is Wal-mart.
Reality TV Personas-Nothing quite makes you feel like throwing up your hands in creative defeat when you think about the number of people who have gained their claim to fame for doing absolutely zilch. The fact that Snooki, Jwow, and Kardashian are in our national vocabulary makes me sad, but definitely is the reason why so few of the teens I teach actually value creativity, handwork, and thinking for themselves. They know all they have to do is get preggers at sixteen, drink a lot and live on the Jersey Shore, or enter some reality competition and they'll have their fifteen minutes of fame and quite a bit of cash to boot. So especially when in comes to creativity in lesson plans, sometimes it's hard to get motivated when I know that a lot of the kids really won't value it anyway.
In case you've made it all the way to the bottom here, I've decided to share the last somewhat creative thing I did. Granted, it's not my own song by any means, but you know, it's something. Below is a cover I did of a song by Sara Bareilles (speak of the devil). The song is from the most recent album she did (which is freaking awesome, btw). A few things to note before you listen: 1) Please pardon the out of tune piano and the less than spectacular piano playing; I'm a little rusty. 2)Also, can we pretend this is a studio quality recording and not done on my MacBook Pro? K, thanks. 3)I don't normally share these kinds of things, but I guess I was feeling brave tonight.
Bright Lights and Cityscapes (Sara Bareilles Cover) by eparrish12
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