Field of Streams

What's the secret ingredient in your creative cereal? Is it shrimp tails? Cinnamon Crunch Shrimp Tail Story This is an audio reading of the post " Small Minds Brainstorming Shrimpy Ideas” originally published on November 1, 2021. Additional creative inspirations can be found at that link.  https://www.jumpinthestream.com/shrimp/ Support the show About Field of Streams This podcast provid...

This is a pep talk for anyone hiding their creative work from the world because they're too shy to share it. Get it out and away from you - these things need to breathe. The article mentioned in the intro: “Hundreds of three-eyed 'dinosaur shrimp' emerge after Arizona monsoon” This is an audio reading of the post "Don’t bury your creativity underground" originally publishe...

We all know about energy vampires, but there is another danger out there - the mood succubus. Here's an episode about how to identify the different types you may encounter in your work or social life. It's an episode inspired by the King of Energy Vampires, Colin Robinson. Familiarize yourself with his drain, here . This is an audio reading of the post "Some People Just Suck (Your E...

Don't hold on to your creative butterflies - release their beauty to the world immediately. This week's episode was inspired by a story about murderous milkweed butterflies, which you can read here: "Milkweed Butterflies are More Murderous Than They Look" This is an audio reading of the post "How to Utter Bye to Your Butterfly" originally published on October 11, 2021...

The world is full of bad news, and it seems to be coming at you 24/7. If only there were some kind of escape portal to take you to another world. Newsflash: There are plenty and they’re all around you—books, songs, art, film, and so many more. Use all the creative portals at your disposal to escape from reality so that you can come back, refreshed, reinspired, and ready to make something of your o...

You cannot own a creative niche, even if you think you were there first. Everyone is free to dabble and you do not 'own the moon!'  Copyright moon strike story: UMG Seems to Think It Copyrighted the Moon This is an audio reading of the post "You Cannot Gatekeep the Moon" originally published on June 7, 2021. Additional creative inspirations can be found at that link   Support t...

Walking around with a head full of sand - it's not an insult. You can make a lot of things with sand. Sand is one of the best tools, and toys, out there. There's a reason it's a National Toy Hall of Famer! " Sand among finalists for National Toy Hall of Fame" story link: This is an audio reading of the post "When in doubt, build a sandcastle" originally published...

Newsflash for ya: All first drafts are sh*t. It’s what you do after you finish the first draft that matters and I say, get that rich fertilizer you just made with your very own brain working for you! The Roomba story: "iRobot built over 100 models of dog poop to train Roomba's visual AI" Cat Scat Coffee: "Why Travelers Should Avoid Drinking Cat Poo Coffee" This is an audio...

Your brain is a machine. Does it sometimes feel like it's broken? Today we explore why the feeling of it being broken and producing sometimes imperfect things is a feature, not a bug. The story that inspired this post was about the McFlurry machines always being broken at McDonalds. Here is the link This is an audio reading of the post "Why is the Machine is Always Broken?" original...

Ever feel like you’re invisible? In this episode, we dive into the frustration of being constantly overlooked even though you’re standing RIGHT THERE, and why it doesn’t matter – it’s the work that counts. The Huffpost story: “Woman Wore Same Hawaiian Shirt To 264 Zoom Meetings — And No One Noticed” This is an audio reading of the post " Aloha, Is It Me You’re Looking For?" originally pu...

Have you ever stumbled upon a word you’ve never seen before, one that makes you think: “How do I not know this word?” You, a fully grown, long-ago educated adult who thinks their vocabulary is top-notch? In this episode, we explore what that’s like and why the unknown word is a great gift. Lyz Lenz : Men Yell at Me (Dingus of the Week is in the nav) This is an audio reading of the post "Derec...

Ever get frustrated with your brain's ability to fix a creative problem, and the more you work at it the worse it gets? In this episode, I explore the value of mental resets—aka stepping away from a project—as a way of making a derelict mind house habitable once more. The article mentioned in the episode was: “Photographer Accidentally Captures Amazing Shot of a Shooting Star Over an Erupting...

Cats love boxes - it’s a fact. Brains love boxes too because they’re safe. This week, I bob around on the cerebral sea with my brain. What does it mean? Who knows, but it’s nice and short! If I fits, I sits study at this article: “Scientists Have Studied the Mysterious Behavior of Cats Sitting on Squares” This is an audio reading of the post "If I fits, I sits. Meow." originally publishe...

Have you ever heard of birds taking an ant bath? It’s called ‘anting’ and this week, we look at our willingness – or lack of willingness - to allow the ants of criticism to crawl and nibble at our work. Should we invite them in?     Anting Story: “Photographer Captures Rare Sight of Crow Taking an Ant Bath” This is an audio reading of the post "Anting: It’s Not Just for the Birds" origin...

Have you stopped listening to new music? Today’s episode was inspired by an article that stated we stop discovering new music past the age of 30. Not only do I object, I think we can do better. Listen to new music! Feed your brain for all your life! Article: “We stop discovering new music at age 30” This is an audio reading of the post " Song Snacks for Curious Brains " originally publis...

Did you know there’s a piece of a supercontinent beneath New Zealand? Did you know there’s a supercontinent beneath you? Let’s talk about it. Article about Zealandia “ Chunk of Ancient Supercontinent Discovered Under New Zealand ” This is an audio reading of the post "Canary in an Idea Mine" originally published on July 26, 2021. Additional creative inspirations can be found at that link...

What is legacy? Is it what you leave behind in the form of works and deeds? Or does sending your DNA to the moon make more sense? Let’s get into it. Here is a link to the service that sends your DNA to the moon. This is an audio reading of the post " Don’t Leave Your Legacy on the Moon ", originally published on July 12, 2021. Additional creative inspirations and ephemera can be found at...

Is it an impulse to make art? Instinct maybe? And if you stop, do you stop being an artist? In this episode, I explore the idea of the artist’s DNA, so to speak, and come to the conclusion that just like fish, we cannot stop swimming. It was inspired by this article: “DNA Test Fails to Find Any Tuna in Subway Tuna Sandwiches” This is an audio reading of the post "All Swim, No Sink Found in Ar...

Would you pay $18,000 USD for an invisible sculpture? Do you question the sanity of anyone who would? Today, we dive into the idea of value and if it's cool to devalue what others love just because you don't like it.    Invisible Sculpture Story: “It’s Made Literally of Nothing” This is an audio reading of the post "An Evaluation of the Value of Value" originally published on J...

You've heard the term "hostile architecture"? It exists in people too. The hostile architecture I’m talking about in this is all the defenses you put up as a creative person to shield yourself from feedback and criticism, and why sometimes you should really open yourself up to it.   Link: 15 Examples of Hostile Architecture Around the World This is an audio reading of the post &quot...

It's tough when you lose your job, but just because you've been ejected from that particular make and model of vehicle, doesn't mean you are rejected by all moving forward. Find another one and keep on driving. You can read the story about the dog who went missing after a car accident and was found two days later herding sheep, here . This is an audio reading of the post " Ejec...

Being alone is not the same as being lonely. In this episode, I make the case for why enjoying the pleasure of one's own company is a superpower. If you'd like to read the Marginalian story that I mention in the intro,  here it is: “ Artist Louise Bourgeois on How Solitude Enriches Creative Work ” This is an audio reading of the post " The Power of Solitude, as Told by a Solo Banana...

Are you someone who takes time to think? Do people get frustrated with you because they think you're moving too slowly because of it? Don't worry - you're just a Zombie thinker. You still get things done on time, you just have a very special way of going about it.  Nick Cave's Red Hand Files Zombie Fires story This is an audio reading of the post " Productivity: The Zombie...

Being a creative person often means you have to talk about your work, but it also means you may have to talk a bit about yourself. As terrifying as that may sound, I'm here to tell you, if you can talk about your work, you can talk about the other half of the equation - you.  The story about the disastrous miscommunication that lead to half a house being built instead of the whole thing, is r...

It can be hard to find your true voice as an artist. I don't claim to know how you will find yours, all I can say is don't stifle it.  The story about people taping their mouths shut to stop snoring is here . This is an audio reading of the post " From Dysphonia to Utopia " originally published on May 17, 2021. Additional creative inspirations can be found at that link. Support...