I’ve known for months now this post was coming. These past few weeks I’ve made excuses not to write it, but I can’t stall forever. This is my 500th original post for this blog. I’ve been writing Bursts of Brilliance for a Creative Life for 10 years and 11 months. I’ve written more than 244,000...
This post originally ran on July 2, 2022 and is reprinted here in honor of Thanksgiving Week I’ve been reading a book called Real: The Inside-Out Guide to Being Yourself by Clare Diamond. In Part One, Diamond deconstructs “self” by telling us all the things we are not. We are not our thoughts, emotions, beliefs,...
It’s time to write my blog post (tick) But I can’t think of a single thing to say this week (tick) It’s probably just the foggy brain from this sinus infection (tick) Oh, what does it matter anyway? The world does not need another blog post (tick) But you usually enjoy writing your blog posts....
I’m sorry to admit, Halloween has never been my favorite holiday. But I give it due credit for being one of our most creative holidays. Witness all the clever yard displays in your neighborhood, or the variety of spooky or adorable appetizers popping up on your social media feeds, or the myriad Halloween-themed crafts you...
As a creative soul, I love digging deep into the paradoxes of modern existence. Here are a few I’ve identified for myself and circle back to all the time. Can you relate: To ask people to avoid saying a derogatory word, you must first say the word. To let people know you’re taking a break...
When I was young and listening in as the adults talked, I heard a common refrain, “Nothing surprises me anymore.” Usually, it referred to any type of behavior or trends with which they disagreed. As a kid, though, I found the expression kind of sad. I mean, surprises were the best thing ever. In my...
They say with age comes wisdom. Which is why we so often like to brag about the advice we’d give our younger selves. But lately, I’ve been wishing I could have lunch with my 22-year-old self not to lecture her, but to connect over shared concerns and longings. I think my 22-year-old self (let’s call...
Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” Ah, Eleanor, nothing will ever knock you off your perch as my hero, but I’ve got to challenge you for a moment on this one . . . I’m convinced even great minds occasionally discuss events. I’m sure, for...
This post originally ran on May 27, 2023 “I paint to let my soul know I am listening.” That’s a comment a friend posted on one of my social media pages in response to one of my blog posts. I’ve seen her work, and its beautiful and unique. It brings me joy just looking at...
This Fourth of July, I got to thinking about the Founders of this country and their respective arts, and why so few people know that many of them considered their artistic pursuits to be passions, just as many of us do today. Many of the male Founders were well-trained tradesmen, farmers, or scientists. Some were...