how to be creative

Wow, what a visually pleasing and thought provoking ten minute video about creativity. All of the speakers had wonderful insights and wisdom to share. For whatever reason, it was the computer scientist that really sparked some ideas for me. Ramsey Nasser, Computer Scientist http://nas.sr/ speaks on the topic of  "transcending the lone creator" at the 4:10 mark. I was really encouraged by this PBS film in the same way that I was encouraged by the Ira Glass piece that you can find here. I tell you what, nothing inspires the soul like few words of wisdom. 

"Good healthy collaboration will always make a creative process better."-Ramsey Nasser

"I think any endeavor or any discipline that requires you to create something novel and new, is going to benefit from collaboration. It's almost like the members of a collaborative group make up a single meta-artist that is the sum of all their skills and the sum of all of their perspectives, in a way that you really couldn't possibly do as a single person. It's the conversations that are really the results of additional ideas that are more than just the sums of the individual people. But, there is a creative maturity that you need to take very seriously and that you need to stand by. This is that your ideas are not you, and criticism of your idea are not criticisms of you. You also need to not be married to your ideas; you need to be ready to let go. I've benefitted from working with people with very different views. If you are working with someone who is a carbon-copy of yourself, you may as well be working alone. I think it is very difficult to be working without trust. A healthy collaborative process will only amplify your voice and the voices of your teammates. Certainly when you work alone, there is this sense of pride that you made this thing all by yourself, with you own hands and that's a great feeling. But when you work in a group, it's rewarding in that generally what you made is a lot grander. And there is a different sense in pride of like, "i cant believe i was part of something this big". It's just a beautiful way to connect with other human beings, to make something together." 
-Ramsey Nasser

Redemption Wednesday

"Flood Damage" illustrated by Derek Hess

"We are too much haunted by ourselves, projecting the central shadow of self on everything around us. And then comes the Gospel to rescue us from this selfishness. Redemption is this, to forget self in God."

-Frederick W. Robertson 

Redemption Wednesday

"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of 'disaster,' I remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers - so many caring people in this world."

- Mister Rogers