Still friggin' sick!!!
Well, this is just ridiculous. It's been over a week feeling like this. I bought a new camera and lens recently, and haven't had a healthy chance to use it once. I've had to come home early from work the last two days, and I just come home and sleep. Haven't had even one idea for a photo. My brain has shut down on me too, apparently.
edited 3 minutes later- I just came from Drawn!, where I read a post about Jillian Tamaki (you can read about her work there). She was mentioning what she listens to when she works, and I figured I may as well do the same and save this post from being a total waste of time for you guys, instead of-- waah, I'm sick, or whatever.
Anyway- Like Jillian, I also listen to This American Life, it's fantastic stuff. It's available on podcast Other than that, like Jillian, I listen to a lot of NPR, and BBC. Music-wise, I play everything from Rage Against the Machine, Beck, Johnny Cash, Feist, Pavarotti (got to see him several years ago. He was still great), U2, and many others. To get a range of ideas, I think it helps to listen to a wide range of music, listen to a wide range of people, study a wide range of art.
It seems many people stop trying out new things after they graduate. For example, their hairstyles are locked into place after high school. Any music that they listen to is the music of their youth. I do understand why this happens though. Everyday life, making a living, it takes effort, and many times there isn't enough energy to seek out, or experience something outside a persons norm. I understand the wonderful freedom a person feels by not having to keep up with the latest fashions, not feeling the peer pressure of classmates to do so. It's one of the many pleasures of being out of school, of being able to be more yourself and not dealing with the hierarchy of classmates or whoever. It's truly wonderful not worrying if you fit in enough to get a date on a Saturday night. To you who are still dealing with this in school, it will get better later in life for many of you. It did me anyway.
If I want to be lazy and wear my pajama pants to the video store, I do. My wife laughs at me, but there isn't anyone I need to impress there. On the other hand, I'm not blind to the different fashions going on. I like many of them. And as for music, art, cinema- give me new, new, new! Show me something that I haven't seen before! I'm hungry for surprise. Show me someone who is trying to think in ways that no one else is. Nothing makes me more excited.
In the end (When it comes to my work), if I need to get myself going, then I play some energetic music, drink some strong coffee (the caffeine buzz is very helpful), and maybe jump up and down a bit.
Have a good day, and hopefully I'll have something new for you to look at soon.
T
25 comments:
I hope you're feeling better soon. I hate being so sick that I have no energy for creativity. Here's my unsolicited advice: Rest. And if/when your wife tells you it's time to see the doctor, listen to her.
ellen
Thanks, Ellen.
Get better soon, Terry. Take your time, and see a doc if you need to!
Actually, having teenagers, if you have a good relationship with them, can truly broaden your horizons! I've learned that alternative music isn't always bad, there a many new authors worth reading, the internet isn't a dark realm of nothing, and that there's still a lot of curiousity left in an old fart!
there is a whole series in your art to explore... sick objects.
Hope you are feeling better soon. I need my bent fix.
Hmmm, sick objects! I like that idea Rattin Along. Terry, you should add it to your little black book to explore later.
I agree that music inspires and motivates creativity AND learning. It helps me with my work and my job's not even exciting. Take care of yourself and get better soon. Oh, I thought I was the only one who went to the store in pajama pants and slippers! lol
On with the blather
ooh yes! Tissue boxes!
sinus tablets
antibiotics!
IV tubes!
Ear Drops
anti vertigo pills!
cough suppressant
pillow
blankets
jammies
fuzzy socks
little single servings of apple sauce
"spit buckets"
hmm maybe it was just my recent sickness that I had to deal with all that!
I will keep you in my prayers!
Get well soon. I'll try to help you by recommending a band that I recently heard for the first time. The Black Keys are a great blues rock band. If you haven't heard of them then you might like them.
Thanks all, for the well wishes. I went to see the doctor today. She wasn't my usual, and could have been played by Linda Hunt. Not much in the way of personality either.
Thanks also for the ideas for "sick objects". I did take a green rubber glove when the doc wasn't in the room.
mamafrog- yes, indeed. kids will sure keep you feeling more informed.
Tatman- thanks, I'll check them out.
Terry, I've been trying tenaciously to keep trying/hearing/eating/feeling new things - I don't want to let post-graduation be post-life. Living in the city has definitely helped (how could you NOT go see the Asian New Year Festival at the university or listen to that new "sultry female singer" at a new restaurant?), but I find that literature is the hardest for me. At my new job, though, I think i'm getting out of this rut because i'm now around people who read ALL THE TIME! I'm in heaven.
As for music, i think that iTunes & myspace are my saving graces - I can listen to all sorts of different stuff from an artist I think I might like.
Anyway, the point of my response was, you should check out Josh Ritter for writing/photography/art inspiration. He's awesome. He's from idaho (maybe a series of potato vignettes?). And his lyrics are poetry, which it what I really dig. He might be the only music with lyrics that I can listen to and write something else at the same time.
Anywho, hope you're feeling better! Damn this weird flu season!!!!
(p.s. ditto on the sick items for inspiration for a series - let's see 'em!)
I'm sure you've heard of it, but if you're not familiar with the music site Pandora it's worth checking out.
It's an easy way to explore new (to you) artists with styles similar to your tastes. And since you have an eclectic mix of favorites you'll get a pretty funky playlist.
http://www.pandora.com/
Feel better!
Hope you feel better soon, Terry! I had an awful flu that lasted about 2 months including the relapse. I'm sure it was because I never took a day off work. Rest up!
I got into a musical rut after college, as people tend to do, and was listening to terrestrial radio which plays songs over and over again until they convince you that you like the songs. My taste went downhill. Then I forced myself to branch out, read music magazines, joined eMusic and downloaded random indie songs to see if I liked them. I felt a real musical renaissance.
Now I work for a site called Pandora dot com which is a music discovery site/online streaming radio for free. Just put in an artist you like and it will introduce you to a hundred artists you've never heard before. Over half the artists are indie. It's fantastic (I was a major fan before I ever got the job). You should check it out. I can't tell you how many artists I've discovered and love from listening to Pandora.
Josh Ritter is fabulous, I agree with big d. I discovered him on Pandora. Also check out The Decemberists if you haven't. I found them on my own and they're my favorite band ever now.
Sorry for the long post--you just hit on a hot spot for me! I love your work. Maybe you'll do some music-oriented objects?
thanks big d, cassandra, and alyssa for the heads up on some new listening material and other stuff! and don't feel bad about any long replies. as long as it's not spam, everyone feel free to talk your heads off. it's good to get different opinions and ideas.
and elena- i've done an image about motion sickness pills, and I'll dig it up and post it in the next few days.
NPR says that your window for trying new things closes at 24. After that you're WAY less likely to find something new that you like unless it's like something old that you like.
I love This American Life...one of the best hours of my week.
Did you ever see the televised version on Showtime? Amazing.
Justin, I'm sure that's the norm, the average, because of the reasons that I previously wrote about. It doesn't have to be that way if an individual is interested at all.
Never saw the version of This American Life on TV. I'm sure that it is great, but we cancelled cable several years ago. I, personally, don't even have a cell phone. Every once and a while, a group of Amish come by and ask if I want to help with a barn raising. I show them that we have internet service, and they move along.
I haven't seen TAL on Showtime, but I am addicted to the podcast. I have decided that one of my life goals is to go be an intern for them for 6 months. I am currently planning to do this when I turn 30, as this will give me ample time to work on my resume.
I just think working with them would be like heaven... well, a heaven with lots of smog and obscene rent costs, but heaven nonetheless.
As for canceling cable - I'm in transition right now (condo on the market, living in my brother's spare room), but in my new place, I am not going to have cable or internet. I'm thinking that TV on DVD and my iPhone will be quite enough, thank you. However, I refuse to give up my cell phone or hairdryer, so the Amish will have to pass me by, too.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE everything that is on NPR but especially "This American Life". I am a graphic artist and I listen to it all the time when I am at work (well I did until evil lord bossy face took my headphones away in a fit of tyranny). I find that any kind of auditory background makes things move together more easily and makes it much easier for me to concentrate on what I am working on. I also very much enjoy listening to audio books and my very favorite radio station from Rochester 90.5 WBER. They are the most innovative, indie station I have ever heard, and I have never found another station like it. They broadcast an online stream from their homepage http://wber.monroe.edu I highly recommend it as background for any kind of creative work.
Terry (or anyone out there in bentspace) if you wanna hear something really different i highly recommend the group
Apocalyptica
i'll just mention for the record they are 4 classically trained cellist who don't play classical music. There version of Hall of the Mountain King ROCKS!!
terry i hope you are feeling better soon, and they do say laughter is the best medicine, so maybe reviewing old posts that really made you laugh will help.
Cheers,
Annon in Ottawa
Annon in Ottawa--sounds like you might like Rasputina! Check them out. Two chicks with cellos, a guy with drums, a lot of great songs.
I get credit for any sick bent objects that Terry creates...unless they are not good...not that that would be the case!!
Terry, on a more serious note... maybe an A flat...
Anyway, do you have a name that describes your art? Something you can trademark or copyright?
I think that you may need to look into that legal issue as you become more famous and then we all can say we knew him when.
And bring up all your unbent objects to embarrass you on 60 Minutes.
Here's wishing you well.
Alyssa i'll definately keep an eye out for that :)
terry you have the bestest blog commenters in the world!
you feeling any better yet?
Cheers,
Annon in Ottawa
Ooh! How about Tin Cup Prophette (available on iTunes & directly from her www.tincupprophette.com). Her album Liar & the Thief is awesome. Amazing voice.
My $.02. :)
-Heather
Bent Objects does have the best visitors. No question.
Thanks for all the suggestions and well wishes.
Yes, I'm still sick, but I'm sitting here getting restless. I'm going to put in "the aquatic life of Steve z." and bend some wire. Wish me luck.
Terry, feel better. If you can, enjoy your down time.
I see you link to the Sneeze, so I am sure you are familiar with Cloud Cult's new album. I just got mine -- GREAT STUFF!
I have a 9-month-old. After he was born I shifted from finding new music to cultivating varried and wonderful playlists for him. Same thing with books -- I am amassing a FANTASTIC collection of children's books.
Now I find myself wondering, "Is this where I get off the hipster train?" And then I realize (if I am being honest with myself) I never was aboard the hipster train . . . but I had fun thinking I was.
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