UNLOCKING THE CREATIVE POTENTIAL WITHIN ORDINARY LIVES
Traveler, there is no road;
only a ship’s wake on the sea.
Antonio Machado
Book review: the myth of the modern career
In this age of technology, when machines are supposedly replacing mindless jobs, shouldn’t we have more time to spend the way we wish, to dream, to be free? Why then does it feel like we’re busier and more married to our careers than ever before? The book How to Be Idle: A Loafer’s Manifesto and…
Prioritizing joy in the classroom
As teachers, we often get so caught up in covering content and teaching skills that we forget that what students most need is a clue for how to live in the world and some idea of what to value. Lately, in my own life, I’m trying to prioritize joy, and since teaching remains a central…
Resisting the algorithm
“I know for sure that what we dwell on is what we become… as a woman thinks, so she is.” — Oprah Winfrey Lately I’ve been thinking that at least as important to my development as an artist is not what did I get done today, but what did I pay attention to? I’m less…
Modern lessons of ancient, anonymous artists
“I find no consolation even in pride. What reason have I to be proud if I am not the creator of myself?” — Fernando Pessoa, The Book of Disquiet As an American traveling through southern Europe, I am constantly aware of the long sweep of history woven into the fabric of everyday life here: the…
Haikus of Italy
Napoli / Naples Napoli, prima ora Le strade piene di moto. Cornicelli ci proteggono. Naples, first hour The streets busy with motorcycles. Red pepper charms protect us. ____ La stazione della metro Scale scendono al centro della terra. Non viene mai. Station of the metro The long stairs descend to the center of the earth.…
When learning requires unlearning
We tend to take for granted that school is good for us, and on balance I believe it to be true. But as a language teacher who recently turned student again, I have come to realize just how much of my own education I need to undo in order to make the kind of progress…
Rewriting the recipe
As predicted in my previous post, Daniel did, in fact, find the enormous American flag cake that I was planning to make for the 4th of July completely absurd. The truth is that I agreed with him from the start. How can I seriously celebrate the American promise of equality within a week of the…
Puzzles and the art of detachment
My parents, both retired, are lately into puzzles. They work on them together, but separately. My father will watch some cooking show that doesn’t interest my mother, so she will plug away at the puzzle until the show is over. Or she will leave for a class in the morning, and he will spend a…
Letting go of mastery
teacher. writer. pianist. traveler. friend. daughter. sister. partner. dancer, runner, yogi, chef. interpreter. tutor. language student. salsa flamenco samba aficionada. taco fanatic. and mother of cats. As of today, these are the roles I take seriously in life, and I hereby declare myself master of none of them. It’s a widely acknowledged fact that in order…
Taking stock
Hello, world, and welcome to my brand new blog! In a nutshell, I’m here to explore the ins and outs of the creative life. This is a space to reflect on my own creativity and to admire its expression in others; to reflect in writing on what inspires me; to problem solve the age-old tension…
Photo credit: Alexandra Johnson.
The Incoherent Self 