Chatting with a bunch of folks on the SF WoW mailing list on creativity- via programming, or crafts- and it led me to think in general that there are two buckets of creativity. On one hand- creating something whole, by yourself, from beginning to end, and on the other- group projects that have feedback. When I’m writing a novel, I can’t really watch movies or read books. I end up just curling up into a little ball of indecision and self-reflection. I like to meditate or exercise to work the other muscles in my brain. When working on my Business Idea, though, I love to watch TV and movies, and have had a hard time getting back into exercise & meditation. The difference? I think that since I’m sharing Biz Idea with lots of folks, and I have a ton of feedback, I’m prioritizing and making decisions constantly, as well as evaluating feedback and determining what to incorporate. It’s a social mosaic of work. So encountering movies and books (read a great book yesterday, Sherman Alexie Flight) is a pleasant delve into a complete entire world that is artfully whole. Oddly, I can’t crochet when I’m working on this Business Idea- just doesn’t feel like fun. Crocheting is too much like programming. Best Crochet Idea Ever: crocheting the hyperbolic plane (otherwise known in craft circles as a ruffle…).

Photo above is a baked-cake rendition of a scene from The Italian Job.