I haven’t and now I really have to look into it! I grew up with a cherry tree in our yard, but the rock doves always ransacked the tree and we never got any 😂
Love this. Only recently came across the concept of third spaces and yes. So necessary. For me it's creating, as well, for no good reason other than it's fun and I never have to be great at it. I take pictures for me, pottery classes for me and eat from my very wonky bowls with great pleasure. I've rediscovered drawing, not to be an artiste, but just for the connection to the world on a different level than words. I used to cook, and someone once suggested I cater. No, I said, that will just take the joy out of cooking for me. What I lack is the community. I've found it to a degree on Substack. The writing community, but we don't "write" together, and I don't enjoy that. Photography meet ups are fun, but I'm an outspoken introvert. I'm loud and boisterous when I'm, there but I don't want to take any of those conversations to another level, outside of that space. For right now, I have, as they say, a lot of spinning plates on my plate, but I get it. You know what I really miss? Reading, strictly for pleasure, not with a pencil in my hand noticing how this writer did this or that, but getting completely lost in the world the author created....
Pleasure on Thursday nights during grad school in the late 1990s was relegated to one sacred hour... watching ER on t.v. at 9:00 p.m. because there was no way to record it or watch at a different time! No grading papers, no teaching prep, no reading, no writing, no research, no phone calls, no kids (always a mom).... just Noah Wylie and the rest of the gang. After I defended my dissertation, I took a Life Journey Necklace (beading) workshop, made collages, wrote poetry, etc. Creativity for pure enjoyment must be preserved.
I felt like I was looking in the mirror while reading this. Life, crap, commitments, literal obstacles block what used to be. It’s difficult to recreate that third space. Thank you for writing this.
Everything! It’s paralyzing at times. So I eat. Sometimes I wish I was just focused on one creative outlet. Having many, as you know, and write about can be too much for one’s brain. Your writing is very relatable.
Nice.
Have you tried picking cherries in an orchard? It's a unique and fun experience and the best cherries you'll ever taste.
I did this when living in LA. One time I found a bird nest on the ground and took it into my K-1 classroom.....
I haven’t and now I really have to look into it! I grew up with a cherry tree in our yard, but the rock doves always ransacked the tree and we never got any 😂
When I lived in Ames, IA in sixth grade, an old lady next door had a cherry tree, but scared us away when we tried to pick hers.....
Anyway, if you don't mind going up on a ladder, it's fun to spend time in the country.
Find an open Mic Athena! Do it! (And ps I feel exactly the same way about improv...)
I need to!
Get thee back to an Open Mic!
I need to ASAP!
Love this. Only recently came across the concept of third spaces and yes. So necessary. For me it's creating, as well, for no good reason other than it's fun and I never have to be great at it. I take pictures for me, pottery classes for me and eat from my very wonky bowls with great pleasure. I've rediscovered drawing, not to be an artiste, but just for the connection to the world on a different level than words. I used to cook, and someone once suggested I cater. No, I said, that will just take the joy out of cooking for me. What I lack is the community. I've found it to a degree on Substack. The writing community, but we don't "write" together, and I don't enjoy that. Photography meet ups are fun, but I'm an outspoken introvert. I'm loud and boisterous when I'm, there but I don't want to take any of those conversations to another level, outside of that space. For right now, I have, as they say, a lot of spinning plates on my plate, but I get it. You know what I really miss? Reading, strictly for pleasure, not with a pencil in my hand noticing how this writer did this or that, but getting completely lost in the world the author created....
Yes! One of the best things I did in recent years was reading whatever I wanted for whatever reason and not strictly as a craft study.
Pleasure on Thursday nights during grad school in the late 1990s was relegated to one sacred hour... watching ER on t.v. at 9:00 p.m. because there was no way to record it or watch at a different time! No grading papers, no teaching prep, no reading, no writing, no research, no phone calls, no kids (always a mom).... just Noah Wylie and the rest of the gang. After I defended my dissertation, I took a Life Journey Necklace (beading) workshop, made collages, wrote poetry, etc. Creativity for pure enjoyment must be preserved.
I agree! I’m still searching.
I felt like I was looking in the mirror while reading this. Life, crap, commitments, literal obstacles block what used to be. It’s difficult to recreate that third space. Thank you for writing this.
It’s like everything is in the way!
Everything! It’s paralyzing at times. So I eat. Sometimes I wish I was just focused on one creative outlet. Having many, as you know, and write about can be too much for one’s brain. Your writing is very relatable.