Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Creative Writing

I love the school carpool lane and I don't even have a kid. I mean, I'm picking up a kid when I'm in the carpool lane, but he's not "my" kid. He's my godson and pick up days in the carpool lane are the best days of the week for me-- On two counts.

First of all, this kid hangs the moon in my mind. I feel in love with him when he was three days old and now at 12 years of age, I'm still crazy about him. He cracks me up every single time we're together and he actually likes hanging out with me. At least I'm pretty sure he does.

The second reason I like carpool days is that I'm a bit of a punctuality freak. School is only 20 minutes away from my house but I leave 90 minutes early in case our usually bad Los Angeles traffic is bumper-to-bumper. Sitting in traffic is stressful for me so leaving plenty of drive time eliminates anxiety.

Leaving early also means I usually arrive way ahead of schedule so I park in a shady spot in the carpool lane and enjoy being "disconnected" from my computer, email, and telephones. I'm not a cell phone kind of girl and the only person who ever calls me on my cell is my godson-- who's in school-- without his phone, so it's often an hour of uninterrupted "me" time.

And I get so much accomplished!

I call my family and friends on the East coast and talk with them while they drive home (hands-free of course) from work. I read a lot too-- Magazines, books, the newspaper. And I write-- long hand. For some reason, I can crank out blog posts pretty fast sitting in my car, in the shade, waiting for the school bell to ring.

It's a mystery to me as to why my home office has become my least creative space for writing. Sure I plow through paperwork, pay bills, and make calls; heck I even sew, scrapbook, and read for hours on end in my office. It's one of my favorite spots in our home. But for writing-- Not so much. I'd rather be in my car. Same goes for my kitchen, my patio or my yard. I can be completely alone and disconnected from electronics in those areas but not get nearly as much writing accomplished as I do in the carpool lane.

For the record, I'm not a car freak. I drive a Honda for crying out loud, not a Bentley. There's nothing special about my car whatsoever and I don't particularly like to drive! Come to think of it, I'm just as productive writing in rental cars, when mine is in for service, as long as I'm in the carpool lane.

There was a time, not so long ago, that I did my most creative work sitting in an old wooden rocking chair in my office-- A rocker that belonged to Mrs. Smith. For 15 years I sat in her chair for hours and came up with great advertising campaigns, if I do say so myself. How my creativity switched from the rocking chair in my office to my Honda in the carpool lane is a mystery.

And so you know, it's only when I'm in the carpool lane that my writing flows. Just last week I tried sitting in my car, in the garage-- I. Got. Nothin'. Not one word!

So what is it about the carpool lane that flips my creative switch? I have absolutely no idea. All I know is that it's been a great summer but a struggle to write blog posts. So I'm looking forward to life back in the carpool lane starting the second week of September. I hope having a routine and some quiet time again will prove to be just as creative as it was last year.

Where do you do you find your creativity?
Welcome to The Fifty Factor - Joanna

38 comments:

  1. Maybe you're feeling close the a learning environment that brings you back in time....I do my best thinking in the shower.

    I'm very clean.

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  2. I think the buzzing of the aliens that live in all electronic devices is interfering with your writing waves...and so when you're not near them, your waves become more direct and clear.

    From now on, please, you must wear your aluminum hat. I need for you to listen to me, not them, do not listen to the voices in the electronics. Just don't.

    I have to go now, they hear me and they're on to me.

    Snarky Sister East

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  3. I write in longhand, too. Almost all of my first drafts are done longhand. I prefer to be outside, but I find I can write anywhere when the mood hits. SOMEtimes even at the computer, like I'm supposed to. But usually in a notebook...

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  4. I'm so with you on the creativity spurts. For the most part, creativity comes when I'm laying in bed, trying to sleep or when I'm sitting at the piano or playing in the dirt outside or taking a walk or baking or drawing or playing Wii. I feel like I'm creative when I'm being creative. (If that makes any sense?)

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  5. I hear you too. I write when I can't. Plain and simple.

    The other thing that gets my juices flowing is reading. When I am in the middle of great book, I can always write. When I struggle for days on end, I have to find myself another novel.

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  6. I think I'm creative during 'me' time, when I can be focussed, yet relaxed. It sounded like you have great 'me' time in the car pool lane, maybe that's the secret!

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  7. coffee shops and libraries...surrounded by life... can't do it on my own you know... need my inspiration... and the coffee helps on the especially tough days. smiles.

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  8. Creativity? Me? I'll let you know when I find some.
    :)

    Hugs!!

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  9. "...this kid hangs the moon in my mind"
    I think I understand that but I have not heard that one before.

    You really sat in the car in the garage?
    I do get some ideas in the shower. I mean writing/blogging ideas of course.

    good post - cool godson

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  10. I have my best thoughts during long teacher meetings. Or, when I am trapped at a 3 hour swim meet!! Being trapped away from distractions like the tv, phone, internet.... always brings out some great ideas for me too.

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  11. well, here's to finding your place in the sun, so to speak!!

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  12. Maybe its a particularly happy and relaxed time for you when you are waiting for your godson who you clearly love. I must admit I feel relaxed when in my car too. Perhaps being in the car you are focused. Nto much else to do to distract you. And thank your godson for us, because given you ahve to collect him form school we get to enjoy your wonderful posts!

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  13. Wonderful post and you have a lucky godson! Creative hummm not in a car cause I'm currently without. But I know what you mean about carpool lane. Probably anywhere you are totally relaxed. Have a great day!

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  14. this was so cute to read, and what a wonderful relationship you have with your godson!

    seems just the right atmosphere to pull it all together to be inspired to write when you are waiting in the carpool lane

    I always enjoyed reading (this was years ago before Internet and cell phones, etc) while waiting in that lane. It was such joy to see the kids come tumbling out at the end of their school days even if those kids necessarily weren't mine

    betty

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  15. I find my creativity in bed. Let me explain that...sometimes an idea for a blog will wake me up and then I can't go back to sleep for thinking about it. There have even been a FEW times that I would get up and start my writing in MS Word so I didn't forget what it was. I knew if I didn't do that, I wouldn't get back to sleep at all!

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  16. First of all, I like the graphic. I am a visual person and I look for graphics just to find them and save them for some other time. My favorite creative time is when I am alone at the computer. When hubby is at an appointment or out mowing the lawn or working on his music. I like to have at least one hour of quiet undisturbed time and then it all flows.

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  17. "Just last week I tried sitting in my car, in the garage"

    Got a huge chuckle from that!!

    I used to put out some great blogs (seems like years ago), but now they seem few and far between. Either my creativity has dried up, or I'm just not seeing anything around me worth blogging about.

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  18. You gotta find it where you can get it I say! lol I love your creative writing space! Some of my best ideas come to me while in the car! lol

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  19. The car pool lane reconnects you to a simpler time of child-like wonder, curiosity, and trust. It opens the synapses of your creative mind through a sense of wellbeing and reinforces the quiet intimate and blissful memories forged between you and your nephew.

    {Are you buying any of this bullshit?}

    Who knows why your words flow when you're in the car pool lane. Just enjoy and go with it.

    PS: Your blog continues to rock my world.

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  20. It's the atmosphere you've created around what you're doing when in the carpool lane - it has to be.

    You have one purpose only in that situation, to collect your godson. You wouldn't break that for anything, so nothing can truly distract you - BUT - you're also early, so there's no pressure and you're happy and contented if only for that hour or so. Do you really go that early to be "ontime"? or is it because you like being there and the calm that comes over you.

    Wish I had a few more carpool lane moments in my life :)

    Oh and I'm with Alix - it's a great blog you write.

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  21. Creativity comes blindly to me, like being sideswiped by a truck. If I don't write it down, it's lost. Sometimes I don't even have an idea at all, but I'm suddenly in motion and the result will be something beautiful. It's weird like that, starting on something that even I don't know what it is until the end. Good thing I'm not driving a car when that happens.

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  22. I got a Kindle and last year when I was picking up my granddaughter from Jr Hi I went early and sat an read. I never seem to find time to read at home so I really enjoyed that. The only bad thing was there was no shade.
    Years ago when I had a wood craft business (along with my full time job) I did my most creative in my art room amongst the paint and sawdust.

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  23. Wherever it might be, who cares, right? The main thing is that you´re having fun and we get to read it! :)

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  24. um, my creative comes from the never ending stream of chatter in my head.

    seriously, my muse, she never hushes.

    so.

    good. Yeah car time in the shade!!! :)

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  25. My home office is my least creative space too

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  26. Hello, Joanna! Great post! I've missed you while I've been on my "internet break"!

    I find that I do my best writing at the most inopportune time - a thought will strike while waiting in line at the grocery store, or while actually driving (not sitting, parked, in the car), or while I'm cleaning whatever oozing mess the kids have most recently dreamed up! And of course, I never have a pen and paper handy!

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  27. When I'm sitting in the car waiting for the kids to get out of school I read and, once in a while, fall asleep! Don't worry, though, I keep my sunglasses on so no one can tell I'm snoozing!

    My blog ideas come from anywhere and everywhere. I've always got some ridiculous idea banging around in my head!

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  28. I remember when I had to pick up my Mom from her school, which let out an hour later than my college one year. I would stay in the parking lot and write as well. It felt as though I was away from the world, inside a nice comfy place and yet, trees and nature around me, rather than work or home.

    We need those "spaces away" that "free time" that you created in order to feel differently about the world and get some creative thoughts going!

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  29. I'm most creative when I'm doing something mindless, like mopping floors or pulling weeds. I have to stop and write the ideas down before they evaporate (which they surely will). I think we all have our version of a carpool lane, where distractions are minimized and we can think freely. It's just a matter of finding them.

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  30. How awesome that you have that space and know that it's the right space. I can write just about anywhere, but I have always loved being in my car for reading and writing. At my last job, I would drive to where I had a view of the lake and just sit and enjoy my hour lunch...reading and writing. It was so peaceful. I could watch the squirrels romp around in the grass and race up the trees.

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  31. I take a little notebook everywhere with me and write whenever I feel inspired. I write at my desk at home all the time, too- I have to so I can email articles and assignments in time to meet deadlines. Met this week's 1ith about 13 seconds to spare!

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  32. This is so interesting...I wonder if it's because you're forced to leave everything else behind...think I need to go find me a car pool lane!

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  33. So I'm sitting here imagining you, in the car pool lane, writing away. But I'm imagining you DRIVING in the car pool lane. How do you write and drive at the same time?

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  34. Great post! Can't imagine anything worse than sitting in a car in a garage and trying to write.

    It's a well known fact that no one says: At work! if you ask them where they get their best ideas...

    I love being out in the woods and letting my mind wander free. I often get some good ideas there.

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  35. I tend to be at my most creative whilst at work. Sadly, it's also the period of my day where I have the least free time.

    Give me a weekend free of chores and packed with writing potential.... and I just clam up. Stick me at work with a telephone ringing and 200 deadlines approaching and it's the complete opposite!

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  36. I get my best ideas in the shower, when I am covered in shampoo and cannot possibly get out and scribble them into a notebook. But I DO keep a notebook in the bathroom sometimes! And I always tell my writing students to keep one in the car and in their purse, if they carry one!

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  37. I usually have great ideas for my blog when I'm supposed to be doing actual work. I've been out of commission the last week, laptop at my disposal 24/7. Not one creative drop has trickled my way. Blech.

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  38. This is very interesting : ) I don't know exactly where my ideas come from. I actually don't do that much writing and mostly just picture thoughts : ) so that makes it easy for me! Wherever you write, you do a fantastic job and I always love reading what you have to say : )

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