Field of Streams

Inspired by a listicle in Rolling Stone magazine's "The 200 Greatest Singers of all Time", I got to thinking about what being The Best actually means? The Best by whose standards? What are you The Best at? Is that the point of making things? Hmm...Let's talk about being The Bestest.  The Rolling Stone 200 Greatest Singers List https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/best...

Difficult emotions, if left neglected, can take on a life of their own and cause all sorts of mischief. Similar to the Japanese myth of tsukumogami , where simple tools such as umbrellas and lamps can develop and spirit after 100 years of life and come back to haunt you, these emotions can play tricks on you. In this episode, I argue for the value of these difficult emotions. They are still tools...

The things we make - our art, our poems, our preciousprecious things that I call in this episode "Glitter Spuds" - are special to us. Special and nutritious and sparkly. But people will only see that if we SHARE our Glitter Spuds with the world. It's possible someone will turn our glitter spud to mash, but that fear should not hold you back. Take a chance. Share your precious spuds!...

We've all been in a meeting or conversation where someone just rolls on in and takes over, flattening the whole experience, killing conversations, and sharing (often) unwanted and wrong opinions. Don't be that person!  This is an audio reading of the post "Putting the role in steamroller" , originally published on December 12, 2022. Additional creative inspirations can be found...

It's the little things - the things that bring us joy - that can remind us in a moment of experience that we are alive. Things like full fat ice cream, or the smile of a friend. Don't deny yourself the full fat of life.  This is an audio reading of the post "Proof of Life" originally published on November 14, 2022. Additional creative inspirations can be found at that link. htt...

Are you an Adventure Capitalist, aka someone who lives a curious and adventurous life with a curious and adventurous soul? Forget about investing in the markets, invest in yourself! Let's talk the basic principles and practices of the field of Adventure Capitalism.  Want to dive deeper into it? Go watch the behind the scenes and themes of this episode here: https://www.jumpinthestream.com/adv...

Have you ever heard of the science of Optography? It is the study of the last thing a person sees at the moment of their death, which posits that your retina captures on final image as an imprint burned in, like a photograph. This imprint that can be used to identify criminals! Or so they theorized. I did a whole video on this, which you can watch at this link :  https://www.jumpinthestream.com/be...

Inspired by a Newsweek headline that read: “Woman Gave 'Russian Astronaut' $30,000 so He Could Pay Earth Landing Fees”, I remind us all that when it comes to creative projects, you do not need permission to land your ideas.  Related links: Newsweek story  This is an audio reading of the post “You do not need Permission to Land” originally published on November 7 , 2022.Additional creativ...

Why does the vision of what I want to draw - the one that's so clear in my head - not come fully formed out of the end of my pencil and onto the paper? In this episode, I talk about skill deficit when it comes to the vision of what you're trying to create.  Related reading: "How many Van Gogh's is one earth worth?" - Vox article https://www.vox.com/culture/23414590/just-st...

The number everyone throws around is 10,000 hours. That's the time you need to spend doing something to master it. But is that a hard and fast rule? Let's talk practice.  Related links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uB5PUpGzeY <-- Malcolm Gladwel l talking about how people misunderstand his 10,000 hours rule. This is an audio reading of the post “Practice makes practice” originally...

Inspired by something Patti Smith said in a post about poetry (“If you don’t understand a poem, sit in it and let it wash,”) this episode encourages you to do the same when attempting to understand influences, relationships, and  experiences.  This is an audio reading of the post " Burn before needing” originally published on May 8, 2023. Additional creative inspirations can be found at that...

Do you ever withdraw from other people’s timelines to make yourself unavailable, declining invites and hang outs to work on your creative projects? It’s the equivalent of “playing dead” socially to get things done. I do it—do you? Let’s talk about playing dead.   Go behind the scenes and themes of this episode with a video and related links here , including opossums and sneks : https://janeenmccra...

You're heard of pet influencers on instagram - famous cats and dogs and hedgehogs and the like? What about Verminfluencers? In case you didn't know, there's a whole niche for rats, rodents, and vermin out there, and in today's episode, you'll discover the raccoons are sniffing around and eager to get in on the action.  This is an audio reading of the post “Raccoons Under t...

Did you know that we’re taller in the morning? Gravity and lying down overnight has a lot do with it. Along with being taller, I am also more creative in the morning. It is my “creative tall” time. When do you feel like you are at the height of your creative powers? And when is it OK to be small? Let’s talk about it.  Go behind the scenes and themes of this episode with a video and related links h...

Just because you think you have nothing - no ideas or creative inspiration - doesn't mean you do. We've all been there, but you can Turn nothing into something. This little missive is designed to keep you going on days when you open the brain pantry and it appears to be empty.  This is an audio reading of the post "For Days When You Have Nothing." originally published on Octobe...

“Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.” David Lynch said that. He was a director, filmmaker, artist, painter, and I think above all else, a dreamer. R.I.P. David Lynch.  Listen to the 1973 Kmart Reel-to-Reel here Go behind the scenes of this episode (and get more David Lynch inspiration) with Behind the Streams: https://www.jumpinthestream.com/behind-the-streams-david-lynch/ Today’s epis...

What do you feel when you look at art? What do you feel when you... feel? Let's talk about it. Related post: "Happy is a list of things felt strongly by this body." This is an audio reading of the post “Just Feel It” originally published on September 26, 2022. Additional creative inspirations can be found at that link.  https://www.jumpinthestream.com/feel/ Support the show About Fi...

“Squirrels don’t find 80% of the nuts they hide.” This was the headline that inspired this week’s episode. In it, I equate collecting inspiration for your art as akin to a squirrel collection nuts. Art is nuts, and to make it, you must be a little but nutty, too. Welcome to Squirrel Math. Look for it at a university near you.  Go behind the scenes of this episode as I discuss the themes and the su...

“A mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.” That’s a line from Carl Sagan’s famous Pale Blue Dot text talking about Earth in the universe. This episode riffs of that, positing that we are, in a way, motes upon a mote. Seemingly insignificant, yet complex and full of potential—capable of so much. Listen in... This is an audio reading of the post “Mote Work” originally published on September 19, 2022....

What does it mean to be happy? Where do you feel it in the body? Can you recognize it when you are happy? Let’s talk about the importance of being able to call back to happy when you need it. Smile lines are badges of honor! Go behind the scenes of this episode and talk happiness with this BTS video, here : https://www.jumpinthestream.com/behind-the-streams-happy/ This is an audio reading of the p...

Did you know that purple does not exist? It is a non-spectral color—not visible on the light spectrum—and so is invented on the spot by your brain. “Red plus blue but not green.” Today, we talk about how amazing your brain is, and that if it can invent a color out of thin air, just imagine what else you can make it do.  Related Links Watch the Behind the Scenes video on this post where I talk abou...

Feel like you're on the wrong path in life? Is it too late to change direction? In this episode, I talk about how the concept of ‘desire paths’ can be applied to life.  Want to learn more about desire paths? Go behind-the-scenes of this episode here. https://www.jumpinthestream.com/behind-the-streams-desire-paths/ Desire Path Reddit Group https://www.reddit.com/r/DesirePath/ This is an audio...

Roosters are the absolute kings of self-promotion. We could learn a lot from them. If only there were some kind of seminar that we could attend where a rooster – nature’s megaphone – would share his secrets? Welcome to the rooster equivalent to a Ted Talk on how to promote yourself using. Go Behind the Scenes of this episode in this video. https://www.jumpinthestream.com/behind-the-streams-rooster...

You are the newly crowned King or Queen of your creative realm. It is ordered by royal decree (which I will now read to you so that you are familiar with your Royal Creative Duties.) "Cash, stamps and flags: how royal symbols will change" - The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/sep/08/queen-death-cash-stamps-flags Here is a link to a video about my Grandma. A eulogy of so...

Can AI make art? Can ChatGPT be a poet? Time for me to tackle this question, since my livelihood as a writer and copywriter is already being affected by it. Watch me in this Behind the Scenes video talking about protest art, propaganda, and asking the question: what is dangerous art anyway? https://www.jumpinthestream.com/behind-the-streams-artificial/ This is an audio reading of the post "Is...