Field of Streams

Inspired by a story of a pilot crashing the same plane seven times in seven days, this episode tackles an age old dilemma: How do you survive when your creative projects keep crashing. How do you get back in the cockpit, let alone the air. Let's discuss. The crash story: "Seven Accidents in Seven Days"   https://generalaviationnews.com/2023/09/06/seven-accidents-in-seven-days/ Watch...

In this episode, I push the idea of eating planets. It's a metaphor of course, because that's what I deal in. But planets = influences. If you want to be an artist you will need to absorb as many influences as possible from the universe around you. If you want to write, read. If you want to paint, go look at art. If you want to be a film maker, watch a lot of films. And then look outside...

At the time of its release, a critic described Marcel Duchamp's painting, "Nude Descending a Staircase" as looking like "an explosion in a shingle factory", (which is a wicked and amazing burn that Duchamp loved.) To be nude in your work - to expose yourself to the public perception - leaves you vulnerable - open to being loved, hated, or worse, ignored. But to be an artis...

Everyone loves dandelions (if you don't, I don't wanna hear about it!) and yet, dandelions are weeds. Weeds are bad aren't they? There's a lot we can learn from weeds. To be as successful as a dandelion and make everyone love you, you have to be a tenacious as a weed. Survive and thrive - it is the weed mindset. Consider this your pep talk for the day. This is an audio reading...

...if Everest were a creative project. OK. A Neverest is a creative mountain to climb, whether it's your latest song, artwork, and book. You can die at every stage of climbing this mountain, but unlike climbing Everest the mountain, you will always respawn after ever attempt at conquering your creative project. Get in the Art Zone! Video: Ways you can die on Everest https://youtu.be/QT-VO1uRa...

In this episode, inspired by a story I read about flensing and articulating a whale to be installed in a lobby, I explore the importance and value of examining your completed work and celebrating its life. "Bones, Bones: How to Articulate a Whale" by Peter Wayne Moe (the story mentioned in the intro). https://longreads.com/2022/02/22/bones-bones-how-to-articulate-a-whale/ This is an audi...

Some people leave an imprint; some people leave a scar. What impression will you leave when you shuffle off this mortal coil? Let's dig into it.  Watch me talking about the inspirations and themes of this episode on Behind the Streams video, here: https://www.jumpinthestream.com/behind-the-streams-ep-16-final-impact/ This is an audio reading of the post "Brace Yourself for Final Impact&q...

This episode was inspired by Bob Odenkirk’s memoir, “Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama.” I love a good memoir, particularly those of creative people, but I always view them as a nice glimpse into a life and a particular person’s process, NOT as a blueprint for my own life. Nor should you. Yes, you can try the same things, but no book contains the plans for a successful creative life. Just keep on pluggin...

This episode pays homage to a bunch of musical riffs that you may or may not pick up on, but even if you don’t, it won’t matter.  Because it's not really about riffs. It's about what I'm calling the "riff raff" of you. The riff being the memorable thing about you, and the raff being all the stuff you try to find your riff. It might seem frivolous, but it's all importa...

If you've ever wondered: "Should I get a high horse? What do you feed a high horse? How often do I need to shovel out its stall?" then this is the episode for you. It's a phone call between someone attempting to purchase an animal matching the description of a high horse, and a seller of such fine equine beasts. Enjoy.  This is an audio reading of the post "Hello, I would...

Today’s episode was inspired by two things, nonce words and a book I love called the Meaning of Liff. It's an episode about making up words, which many of you will know is one of my favorite things to do. There are some made up words in the episode, which I explain at the end. Enjoy! Basic premise of this episode: Words. They do, in fact, come easy. Actually, that’s not right. Maybe it’s Fake...

There's always the threat of the hottest, next big thing making what we do irrelevant. Andy Warhol knew it, but he also believed all of us would be famous for 15 minutes. It's more like 15 seconds these days, but regardless, when we are given that 15... whatevers, we should make the most of them. Keep driving your creative car! In this episode, I effortlessly tie together a Tesla crashin...

This episode was inspired by two things - a question mark in space, photographed by the James Webb Telescope, and the Golden Record - the record sent to space on the outside of the Voyager craft that, when played, represented us as humans to aliens. It contains photographs, music, and more. It got me thinking about all the stuff we create. That's how we want to be seen by others, so WE are ou...

In this episode, a make the case that the period - or full stop, if that's what you call it - is like a portal to another world. This little punctuation mark is not just the declarative end to a sentence, but the potential beginning to, well, anything. Fall inside that little black dot with me and find whole universes to explore.  Get some more behind the scenes content about this episode, he...

“Mend carefully. / Think of mending the world at the same time." This episode was inspired by Yoko Ono's instructional artwork, Mend Piece, and the Japanese tradition of kintsugi . Take a listen and see how I managed to tie those two pieces into the idea that we are all broken people, but beautifully mended with our golden cracks visible. A piece on Mend Piece https://www.itsnicethat.com...

What do you actually need to get attention? What do you need to keep going? When you don’t get it, how do you keep going? Is it bad to constantly monitor your analytics when no one is picking up what you’re putting down? Do you need to create a gimmick – like mustard Skittles – to get all eyes and curiosity upon you? How do you achieve creative longevity when all the numbers – the analytics, the c...

The first draft is rarely the final draft. This episode, inspired by a story showing the many drafts of an Elizabeth Bishop poem, a villanelle called "One Art", takes a meandering walk down a draft of mine as a way of exploring the benefits of working at the drafts.  The Elizabeth Bishop draft story: 19 Lines That Turn Anguish Into Art https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/06/18/books...

Until 2022, I had never committed a New Year's Resolutions List to paper (digital or otherwise). This is the list I made that year. Old! I hear you say. Well, yes, but also worth revisiting. In this episode, I read that it out as a way of assessing if they're one-and-done items, or are things creative people - or people in general - should resolve to be and do for all time. At one point...

They say that for a story to be interesting it must have conflict. Is it the same with people? What if that conflict comes from within - the conflict of self? In this episode, it's Janeen vs. Janeen. Come on inside my brain, it's nice in there.  Watch me talking about the inspirations and themes of this episode on Behind the Streams video, here: https://www.jumpinthestream.com/behind-the...

In June 2023, after 20 years of living in the USA, I took my oath ceremony and became an American Citizen. The naturalization ceremony was - wait for it - a drive-thru affair - held in a parking lot in San Jose across from Costco. Here is the story of that day and some of the emotions I felt. The letter from the President https://www.instagram.com/p/Ct7L9_9vGWm/ Watch me talking about the inspirat...

Just because you've finished making something, doesn't mean there's no flavor to be found in the leftovers. This episode was inspired by people called 'sinkies' who eat leftovers over the sink. Your work can also be picked apart and eaten over the sink, to find additional flavors and inspirations. Take a listen and see what I mean when I say you should "Dine over the...

Forget PANTONE 13-1023 Peach Fuzz, the true Pantone color of the year is straight out of left field and will make you feel like a gadzillion bucks. Take a listen and find out this late entry and winner! As to the one the Pantone people chose... you can read about that here https://www.pantone.com/color-of-the-year/2024 This is an audio reading of the post "The Pantone Color of the Year (Revis...

Whether it's writer's block, creative block, or thought block, we all can get stuck during the process. The panic sets in. How do you move past it? Why does it happen? Should you throw it all in and give up? In this episode, I talk about obstruction being a necessary part of the process and how all kinds of jams can help you make better work. The ideas are there. The words are there. You...

Songs. I love them. But how on earth do you write one? Where do you start? This week, I dive into my various methods of attempting to figure out how to "catch" a song. You can follow the songwriter I mentioned in the episode - FogChaser - via his substack and Spotify , where he releases his music and insights for your listening pleasure. Thanks for your input on how to write a song and f...

This is a story about my melanoma diagnosis. Let me stop you there and say this was a while back and I am, and remain, fine. Skin checks every six months since the cancer was removed and all is good so far. Take a listen. It was an interesting time, to say the least. This is an audio reading of the post "Cut. Putting the wide in wide local incision" originally published on February 28, 2...