A Thing or Two

My journey down the short story road came to a milestone a day or so ago when I completed my latest work of fiction. It will be published this Thursday on my Ideasnmoreblog and, most likely, on other media outlets appropriate for these things.

It has been a rather lengthy journey, at least for me, taking over several months to write it. Since I started my fiction writing last year, this is the longest it has taken me to complete a story. I didn’t expect that to happen. Among other things, depression, lack of interest, lack of focus, an anything-but-constructive-attitude all contributed to my delay in getting this thing completed.

As a writer, I’ve become very familiar with all aspects of feeling stuck. There were times I’d sit down ready to create and absolutely nothing would seep out of my mind. Then, I’d write an idea, few words or so and struggle to emit a paragraph or three. Sometimes, that would be enough to open the floodgates.

During this process I would at times hear a voice inside my head as if directing me what to write down next. It could be a thought, an actual phrase or just a word. That would then translate into another paragraph, then another until I’d amass a certain word count to guide me into how lengthy I really want this piece of literary magic to become.

“The Shadows” is my latest. I hope you enjoy it!

 

Beware of Carcinomas

The last time I visited the dermatologist, she did a full body scan to detect suspicious growths or spots that may indicate symptoms of skin cancer. This process is also sometimes called “skin cancer screening” and is essential for detecting and treating skin cancer early on.  As it had been several years since I last had one, we both thought it about time for an update.

Glad I took part. The scan turned up negative except for one small area at the very top of my head. Called a squamous cell carcinoma, its diameter is smaller than a penny. It’s the second most common form of skin cancer and is easily treated.

I’ll have to have it removed, of course, but the treatment should be considerably easier and less invasive than the first area I encountered some years ago, on my nose. That one was quite deep and went down to the bone. Before they could complete the operation, they had to perform a skin graph from my forehead. When it was over, all was fine, although I looked like I had been in a fight. But, they removed all the cancer!

Whenever you detect an odd area on you body, please have the skin checked out. A full body scan does not hurt and you owe it to yourself to do it. The rewards outweigh the potential risks.

Hopefully making a ruckus, one blog post at a time!

Be sure to check out my other blog, Ideasnmoreblog, for a different kind of playground for creativity, innovation and inspiring stuff.

Today and Maybe Even Tomorrow

A friend sent me the little poem below in hopes that it would help soothe my soul. I’m sharing with you for the same reason.

I’ve rarely taken a day off in recent years. Seems like there’s always something afoot about which needs my attention. That may not be true but it feels that way.

Depression doesn’t take a day off. Neither do life’s challenges and worries.

This week is Christmas here in the States. It’s a time for sharing, for family, for good times and being in good spirits. Some of us won’t celebrate. Some of us won’t have family near us. And, yes, some of us won’t experience good spirits.

Maybe all we will do is, in some way, nurture our soul; take the day off, whichever day that is. For whatever happens, our soul must remain intact, protected from life’s ills.

If it’s possible to take a day off or a few days off this holiday season, do it. Or maybe, just take off a few hours. You need it; we all do!

Have a restful holiday and may Peace sustain us.

 

Today I’m flying low and I’m

not saying a word

I’m letting all the voodoos of ambition sleep.

The world goes on as it must,

the bees in the garden rumbling a little,

the fish leaping, the gnats getting eaten.

And so forth.

But I’m taking the day off.

Quiet as a feather.

I hardly move though really I’m traveling

a terrific distance.

Stillness. One of the doors

into the temple.

( MARY OLIVER )

 

Hopefully making a ruckus, one blog post at a time!

Be sure to check out my other blog, Ideasnmoreblog, for a different kind of playground for creativity, innovation and inspiring stuff.

Creativity: The Rx for Depression? If so, are we all creative?

Originally, I had planned to offer up this post on the ideasnmoreblog site but in thinking more about it, the gist of the post really applies personally and professionally.

I try and think positively and creatively every day. Realistically though, there are days, and parts of days, where I just can’t get it together. I really don’t give a damn, either!

Now I realize that mood and circumstances are at play. Medicines are, too. I can’t stay off my “depression” med for more than a week or so or else I start to crater in emotions. The latest descent has to do with my wife and her recent diagnosis of colon cancer which has spread to her liver. That’s in addition to the ulcer doctors found late last year. Alas, cancer trumps ulcer.

I’m in hopes of getting a second or even third opinion as to what treatment is best so we can at least try to beat it or deal with it. The initial parlay from the doctors was that chemo was recommended but my wife was too weak and treatment probably wouldn’t be worth it.

I realize that my wife and I have two different types of cancer; hers being colon and mine being leukemia. However, there may be an alternate treatment out there. Meanwhile, I’m trying to get into the frame of mind to do more of the tasks my wife was doing before all this medical crap came cascading down upon us.

Colorful Imagination – A colorful illustration definitely raises one’s spirit.

It’s overwhelming, to say the least. Plus, I’m not the picture of health myself. I’ve been undergoing one life transition after another for the past several years. First, the cancer, then my back. I’ve beaten cancer thus far but I still have back issues. Thirdly, my wife had a stroke and has dealt with that since 2014. Now she has an ulcer and advanced colon cancer. Where does it all end?

There still remain a few sharp objects scattered about the apartment but the spattering of blood would get on everything, so I’ve pretty much abandoned that idea.

I mentioned positive thinking and creativity earlier. I need to adopt the old axiom of “physician, heal thyself,” even though I’m not a physician (I didn’t even stay at a Holiday Inn last night! Sorry, that’s the smart-ass advertising side of me coming out).

Therapeutically speaking, writing is like a medicine to me, sharing thoughts and ideas about a variety of things. I had a cousin who loved to cook as her therapy. Yet, when depression hits me and I become overwhelmed, it’s tough to climb back out of my doldrums into the land of creativity and positive thought. However, depression can open opportunities for a different creative perspective one should explore. That’s what I keep telling myself anyway!

But what if one is not in some profession which is typically understood to be “creative?” During some of my years in the “ad biz” I became familiar with and gave workshops on creative thought, idea generation and speed thinking. People from all walks of life would attend. There’s more than one way to ask a question, and there are, after all, more ways one can skin that creativity cat.

Recently, I came across an article about a workshop dealing with graphic recording and visual note taking as new ways to interact with content. One does not need to be an artist to benefit from these strategies.

In this particular workshop, participants talked and casually discussed education topics while graphic recorder Jane Harvey visually depicted the session with colorful words and images on a large sheet of butcher paper affixed to the classroom wall.

Teachers were invited to add their ideas to the “portrait of a highly creative student” that Jane visually guided the group to create together.  They chose colors and formed interesting fonts for the words they contributed.  At the end of the workshop, most teachers stopped to snap a photo of the illustration as a learning takeaway.

So, is everyone creative? I’d say yes! All of us have a creativity gene inside. Some of us explore with it a bit more than others while some don’t even feel they have it, but they do. Various aspects of creativity can certainly be taught, refined and practiced. Our best, most dependable computer helps guide us through complex problems each day in search of a solution. That would be our brain, our mind.

Think STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering, Math. Historically, we as a society have seldom thought of these fields as creative. Yet, they are. How do you think breakthroughs are achieved? What about the creation and building of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco? How about the Astrodome in Houston? Creativity abounds in these and many more iconic projects.

Be proud of your creativity. Share it. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re not creative. Remember, some are more creative than others, but we all have the gene.

Express yourself, and, as Seth would say, go raise a ruckus!