Same job, different uniform.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Aspirations of creativity, part I



This will be the first in what will (hopefully) be a series of posts. But they will not be a series trying to convince you not to vote someone. Unless that someone is Hillary Clinton.

Ha.

Now to the heart of the matter ("I think it's about...forgiveness. Even if, even if..."...I am too easily distracted). Lately I've been thinking a lot about what I want out of life. Things like how I will make the money to keep a roof over my head and follow my dreams. I know, such a cliché line, I felt a little sick just writing it. But dreams are a reality, however strange that may sound. And I'm trying to figure out exactly what mine are. Maybe "aspirations" is a better word for them.

aspire:
1. to long, aim, or seek ambitiously; be eagerly desirous, esp. for something great or of high value
2. Archaic. to rise up; soar; mount; tower.


"Eagerly desirous." Are you eagerly desirous for anything? I especially like that second definition. When will I rise up? What struggles do I want to learn to tower over? How does one soar?

I have had what I feel is an extremely productive semester. It was not the semester I anticipated it be as I once again found myself as solely an Austin Community College student. Up until now I had considered the school a side interest in my life. I enjoyed my classes, but had yet to be enriched by my experience there. Then this semester I had the time to explore new classes.

I am currently in the school's Sign Language Interpreting Preparation Program. This semester I took my second course American Sign Language (ASL) Linguistics and my first semester of Interpreting. I have been in the program part-time since 2005 and this semester I really began to feel like it's all "clicking." I also took a Public Speaking class required for the major, and I basically ate that up. I really like being in front of an audience, which made the Acting class I was also in all the more enjoyable.

I am 15 hours shy of receiving my B.S. in Advertising at the University of Texas, and in the ongoing process of figuring out how to get back into the school (and to pay for it once I do) so I can FINALLY finish my degree. The most important lesson I've taken away from the Advertising program at UT is that creativity is something that can be trained. Of course it can be something you're born with, something that naturally oozes from you. But I believe that the drive to be creative is sometimes all it takes to achieve it. I have been able to use the knowledge gained from the process of creating advertising and apply it to a variety of other artistic outlets. I have written speeches with it; I have brought characters from print to stage with it; I have written numerous stories and poems with it; I have entertained children with it (Yes. This is truly an art).

So my theory is that creativity is just an energy, and tapping into it exposes you to the fact that the outlets for it are boundless. So this series will be delving into harnessing that energy, and finding new ways of utilizing it. And maybe along the way I'll figure out just what the h-e-double-hockey-sticks I'm doing with my life. And how I'll do it all creatively.


SHARE THIS: Facebook | Stumble It! | Del.icio.us | DiggIt! | Technorati

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...




The vein about creativity is very seminal. I propose that all humans are creative by endowment from their creator who made them in His image. One has to learn the craft of one's " " [insert a/need or b/desire depending on the amount of freedom in the circumstance] But the creativity will naturally flow out if the perseverance channels it.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

 
Blogger Unknown said...




aspire:
1. to long, aim, or seek ambitiously; be eagerly desirous, esp. for something great or of high value
2. Archaic. to rise up; soar; mount; tower.

"Eagerly desirous." Are you eagerly desirous for anything? I especially like that second definition. When will I rise up? What struggles do I want to learn to tower over? How does one soar?

I've been eagerly desirous of an end to genocide. I hope to aspire; to rise up and accomplish something great or of high value.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

 
Anonymous Anonymous said...




I respectfully submit that one cannot aspire to do something which does not fall under one's personal domain. Therefore I cannot aspire to end genocide as a whole, although I might aspire to end the genocide which is happening in neighborhood, unless it is through prayer.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

 
Blogger Unknown said...




Yes, we are limited to influencing matters that are under our control. A hymn from my childhood reminds us to "let there be peace on earth, and let it begin with me" As a mom, I certainly aspired for peace in my family.

Monday, May 12, 2008

 
Blogger elphaba said...




Ahhh, yes. Living in a way that utilizes your creativity and actually produces opportunities to grow more creativity in you: Challenge #1
I wish you luck on this quest.
You would be very fortunate to: figure out what cranks your tractor, be able to earn a living doing that AND find ways to make the mundane things in life bearable and even more than bearable.

Monday, May 12, 2008

 

Post a Comment

<< Home