The Creative Path: making a real life in a world of so-called realities

Disclaimer: some may find the following post and opinions controversial, so let me say it's all based heavily on my own experiences, opinions and conjecture. Feel free to disagree. There is no comment section, so there’s no need to trouble yourself composing a carefully worded response. Haha.

“Hansel & Gretel” acrylic on canvas board from 24-piece illustration series by NG Swett. Image includes a wooded pathway on the left hand side, two teens/young adults, a dog, a sun hat with tray and cupcakes, a driveway, a farm house and barn. Classic fairy tale archetypes are alive and well today in real life. Here, a neighborly old woman in a colorful sun hat offers two children a cool drink and some cupcakes. The children may have just come from the dark path pictured in the far left side of the canvas. Their parents are unavailable, and the children may be hungry indeed. Out in the real world, away from home, what might the neighbor’s intentions be? In the classic fairy tale, the old witch lures Hansel & Gretel with her candy-covered cottage, jails them, tries to fatten them up to eat them! Luckily, the children escape and find their way home. They find their father never wanted to go along with the wicked and selfish mother, but he was a feckless and weak man. In my novel, I use this fairytale and two other classics as the very backbone of the story. ~ Nan

I’m Nan, a fellow traveler on a modern journey of discovery, a seeker among our living cohort of world citizens. I’m not a guru, expert or even especially successful (yet) according to certain metrics. So feel free to disregard!

I don’t know why today I wanted to talk about creative paths, metrics and pearls of wisdom for fellow travelers, but let’s just go with it.

U-Pick anything you find useful and leave the rest.

To begin, in my opinion, and I stress that it’s only my own opinion, we’re all mixed up about reality.

On top the usual human realities, we now have realities galore:

• virtual realities dictated by algorithms and games

• alternate realities fueled by news silos

• the warped delusional realities pedaled by so-called influencers

• new science that tells us that people can’t truly grasp reality

Okay.

Yet, even with all that’s going on “out there,” the individual must choose a path.

Confusion, Depression, Anxiety

No wonder we’re in a state! Data show “unprecedented” levels of mental health problems lately, and it’s hard to pinpoint when and how it started because there’s so much to point to.

Also, let me ask you. What are all of these realities like?

It’s hard to relax. Because when you relax, you feel you must be forgetting something. Or there’s something else you should be doing (and maybe there is).

Plus, why do we really want to relax so much? Too much relaxing gets old fast, am I right?

Hey you

How ya doin?

All the realities are trying to get our attention at the same time that’s for sure. Flashing things, easy click-y things, moody moving things, passing news chyrons, limited time offers, new products, looming things, scary people, delicious things, heavenly things, horrific things.

Hello. I’m low key trying to get your attention (thank you very much by the way).

Born This Way

As Lady Gaga says, I was born this way, with the weird creative bug.

I perceive things, I roll them through the Nan-Gen Bobber over my shoulders, and I send things out with my bare hands. Poor dear, I can’t help it!

And you? Do you have a -Gen Bobber, too?

The Path?

So now. Our path. A few notes…

The right path can be hard to find. It’s not always easy. And there’s prickers and bloodsucking ticks and fallen twigs ‘n shit. And I mean that literally and metaphorically.

Recently on social media, someone who disagreed with me told me to take a hike.

Ouchie! — Wait. I love hiking!

Sometimes there’s already a path to take, but other times you have to make one yourself.

It’s easy to take the wrong path, so don’t beat yourself up. You may not realize it for a while — or God forbid — ever. Better late than never!

Maybe someone else is telling you what you have to do, or else.

Sometimes you take the wrong path and have to backtrack to the place where you were standing on solid ground. Maybe you tried something, and at one point you realize you’ve made a mistake. Go back.

Sometimes it’s just you all alone! Maybe there are other unicorns like you out in the world, but damned if you know a single one of them from where you’re sitting.

What is the right path? Ah, that truly is the question.

The Right Metrics

Use the right metrics. What we measure and how we measure brings clarity.

Sometimes, I will tell you, for myself, sometimes there are things that are not being measured anywhere by anyone, but since I feel they are important, I put them through my “Triple M” Marbles Motivation Method. A full bowl of marbles means progress toward things that really matter to me. (Read my blog post about my marbles method here.)

The world is full of metrics and data. Choose carefully! Things are not always as they seem.

• What metrics are real to you?

• What matters to you?

• Who matters most to you?

• What do you want? What do you need?

This is not a one-and-done question. It can change constantly. Be aware of what you want and need. It’s easy to let everyone’s else’s needs take over, after all, we’re social creatures, and let’s face it: the needs are vast.

Writing things down by hand not only helps us think but helps bring things into being. Well it helps me. It’s kind of magical and mysterious. As hip hop star Erykah Badu says, “Write it down on real paper with a real pencil. And watch shit get real.”

It also helps to talk with a trustworthy, wise and smart friend or family member, if you’re lucky enough to have people like that in your life. If you don’t, you can get some.

Connect with people doing sort of what you have in mind. I’ve met many, many wonderful people that way. There are good people willing to help, willing to sign onto your project, willing to support others. And then you can turn around and help others once you’ve made a pathway.

“One” here is part of a 24-piece series of mini acrylic paintings illustrating The Clerk and the Ink Drinker In the Outer Lands (working title), my first novel. Here, a man in a white leisure suit and black ankle boots sits casually on a golden chair. Behind him are picture windows through which we can see a bridge at night. Under One’s foot is a rug in the shape of the Outer Lands Archipelago.

String of 24 Pearls of Wisdom for Path Seekers

Many people are on the lookout for a path in life, whether it’s a new path, a do-over, a remake, an exploration, an adventure, or a wild experiment.

Why now? The pandemic, tech, climate, politics, new generations, and maybe the stars are throwing everything into the air and shifting the ground underneath.

Something is has shifted. Something feels different. Things are changing very fast. Everything feels like it’s in motion. Right?

It’s a like a wave of history that hits every half century or so. Grab your surfboard, dudes and dudettes!

Old public domain image of a line of beach bums on a sunny beach in the Outer Lands.

When surfing, it’s best to get in front of the wave a bit.

IMHO, the trending key words that describe elements of a successful path into the near future include this long beaded string of 24 pearls:

Mobility, adaptability, agility, authenticity, simplicity, friendship, ownership, alertness, wisdom, courage, information, decision making, capability, action, long-term, short-term, persistence, endurance, patience, hope, joy, love, self care, peace

But what do I know. What do you think?

Add your own signature pendant(s) to the string!

U-Pick! Timeless Advice from the Outer Lands

Don’t like that string of pearls?

Someone may find the Friendship pearl controversial. Maybe it sounds “socialist.” For some people, the real world is dog-eat-dog, eat-or-be-eaten, the golden rule, etc.

Someone else may object to the Ownership pearl as “capitalist.” Maybe the American dream is a trap, a scam, a first class ruse.

The following three adages were said by someone once, and now they’re Universal. U-Pick what you like:

1. “Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can.”

2. “Do something, blame no one, expect nothing.”

3. “KISS: keep it simple stupid.”

Mission Creep

This is a short vertical video carrying a scratchy dark noir island dispatch from Nan in which she’s graphically and symbolically dressed in an unofficial but also official pilot’s hat. This video was uploaded to 4seasonshelf channels/profiles on multiple social media platforms with audio added in from each platform. The video itself was created in Canva using a mobile video template selected for its mood and aesthetic.

When you begin, there’s the idea, an inspiration, a fluttering of the heart?

Then a path appears, so you take it.

Next thing you know, you’re signaling to merge onto a superhighway.

How did that happen?

It might be mission creep.

Nan, what are you talking about?

Mission creep. Wow will you look at that view!

Poetry of Love?

As Canadian wildfire smoke turned skies orange way down here in the Outer Lands Archipelago, I wrote love poems…

TikTok video of Stolen Moment, one of the first poems
in the poetry collection Hold Me Tight.

Why A Poem?

At our wedding, our best man advised us to follow the KISS principle: keep it simple stupid — the shortest speech in the history of weddings. Now that we’ve had a lot of time to think about it, that was darn good advice for a twenty-something guy to give.

And now, what could be simpler than a poem?

And did you know, poetry is alive and well? So I thought I’d give it the old college girl try.

Immediately yes! I loved it. I’m a pen and paper note taker, a list writer, a scrapper, a note hoarder. My entire career thus far has been about making stuff up, fitting it into impossibly small spaces, and broadcasting it.

More Love

You’ve probably heard some version of the Cherokee legend in which an elder uses a story of two wolves to explain to a child how to choose a course of action. One wolf is FEAR and the other LOVE, the one we feed is the one that will survive.

In that vein, I started a new project early in the summer of 2023 — a series of love poems — to be dedicated to my husband of more than three decades. I carried around a notebook almost everywhere I went. When I got an idea, I jotted it down. When time allowed, I worked poems out like word puzzles.

I kept the poems short to make them easier to read and share.

Before long, there were a dozen poems. I started setting them up as a collection of love poems in a 6x9” book format using Canva. I created a black and white photo collage illustration for each poem. Each poem got its own two-page spread.

As I finished poems, I added them to the book. By Labor Day weekend, I had 36 poems. That was a good place to stop, I decided. When you’re the decider, you can decide anything!

With the world burning, I wanted to give love more oxygen in my life.

I played around with the title, subtitle, description, and cover design. I researched key words and categories. I added the dedication to Cary and a copyright page, the inside title pages and the acknowledgements — and a couple of About pages.

Cover reveal

So here is the final cover:

Can you spot the typographical error?… I’ve decided to keep it there lol, at least for now. And also to give my inner perfectionist a chance to relax.

Going Wide, Going Global

I purchased a bundle of ISBNs (International Standard Book Numbers) from Bowker and published the book as a paperback on Amazon, as a hard cover on Ingram Spark (which offers it to independent bookstores, libraries, and other retailers), and as an ebook on Draft2Digital.

The book is now available on a wide range of platforms all around the world. That’s cause for a celebration right there! No?

Draft2Digital offers a nice thing called a Universal Book Link on its sister platform Books2Read. Using one link, you can direct readers to get the book in all of its formats wherever they get books around the world. I’m slowly building those links… Here is the UBL for my book of love poems, Hold Me Tight.

Time & Money

This little poetry collection took six months to conceive and bring to this point. It’s been a labor of love! The main investment was my time and focus, which I borrowed from my loved ones a day at a time.

How Print on Demand Works

Print-on-demand publishing is free for authors who can create, edit and produce their own books and upload them. Only when someone orders the book is it printed/produced. The author sets the book’s price and receives royalties from any sales. There is no up front print cost.

Sharing Poetry

I’ve definitely been dragging my feet about sharing the book, even though I feel pretty good about its contents. As the lion in The Wizard of Oz said, “C-c-courage!”

Final Thoughts for Today

Though published, the book is still a work in progress.

I’ve barely touched the promo work that would have to be done for readers and the book to find each other.

I’ve learned so much, and there’s still a lot to learn.

Writing a love poem can lead to the permanent existence of a book of love poems for posterity, what’s left of it.

~ Nan

P.S. I made 4You a FREE pdf sampler of the poems in the book. Click here!

Nan’s “Triple M” Marbles Motivation Method

If you’re ever feeling lost or ungrounded, unproductive or stuck, burnt out or unmotivated, here’s what you can do:

Find your marbles*

*It doesn’t have to be marbles, it can be any collection of small things

How I found my marbles

I found the old marbles collection in a storage closet.

They’re just as pretty as ever!

Let’s use them to take action.

Put the marbles near your workspace.

Find a nice receptacle; I had this nice glass bowl that makes a nice clinking sound when I drop a marble into it.

Put the marbles and the receptacle in a central but personal location.

Here’s the formula: one thing equals one marble. Big thing equals big marble?

For example, in doing my morning routine, I pick out a marble and put it in the glass bowl for each small task.

Why???

To work on my bad morning habit. Over the years, I’ve tended to dive head first into my projects without taking care of life and limb first. Water, coffee, healthy food, washing, brushing, dressing, admin, and prepping for the day.

Yes, it can take this level of self help at times to make progress!

Having a solid morning routine moves me from getting out of bed to getting things done even on the days when I friggin don’t want to, on the days when I only have 40%, on the sunny days, on the rainy days. By the time I get through the routine, in my mind I’m ready to work.

The idea is to build small good habits and discontinue bad ones.

Sometimes I reward myself with a marble if I do NOT do something, e.g., if I’m trying to END a bad habit. This one can be a little tricky. It requires you to notice what isn’t there…

Tackling the to-do list.

Throughout the day, each task done gets a marble. Positive reinforcement works. You may be surprised to find what a little thing like a marble can do for you.

Before you know it, the bowl fills up!

What progress looks like?

What?? No marbles? What else might work

Use what you’ve got. Coins? Blocks? Hardware? Buttons? Friggin pasta? Things that build something? Things that clink when they drop? It doesn’t have to be a gazillion of them, either, just a few of something works. You can use a small bowl.

Here’s a 20-second mobile (vertical) video I posted on social media about my simple marbles formula. (Swanky jazz music added on each platform.)

Using this method has helped me work through countless projects, be on my game around the house, and take care of things generally.

It has also helped quiet my inner critic and be nicer to my inner child, who does well when she’s doing well. If that makes sense.

Heck, sometimes I walk by and pick out a marble and drop it in the bowl just because I need a little pick me up, dammit. I’ll think of something I did (or didn’t do) that deserves a marble.

Morning Sunshine: Blueberry Pancakes

Morning Sunshine video: Nan makes blueberry pancakes

I don’t always make breakfast, but when I do, I seem to want to make a video about it and set it to music haha!

This morning, it was blueberry pancakes.

How I made the video

While I was standing around, I took some quick pix and vids.

I sat down at the dining room table with my Motorola smartphone and logged into Canva to made a 20-sec mobile video (vertical short format for social media). I picked a cool mobile video template, uploaded a few of my own images and very short video segments, cropped and trimmed things up, and once happy with it, downloaded it to my phone.

One video segment of me having a bite of pancake took several takes, and even then I had to run it through an Instagram filter and download that. I was wearing no makeup and was basically still in my PJs…

I downloaded the video from Canva to my phone and then uploaded it to multiple platforms. In each platform, I added the same music: The Devil Went Down To Georgia by the Charlie Daniels Band. (Can you guess why I used that song?) I found the right fiddle section of the song and adjusted the soundtrack accordingly.

I added in some hashtags by the seat of my pants, such as #morningroutine #blueberrytiktok but hashtags is definitely an area I could spend more time on researching for optimal discovery.

What am I trying to accomplish with this video?

I don’t know! Somebody please tell me haha!

No seriously, I’m trying to learn to make videos quickly and easily so that I can do it on the fly. In general, videos are great for SEO (search engine optimization) and engagement. Making pancakes tells a little story, and storytelling is great.

Put something out there and see what happens, that’s good feedback.

Specifically with this video, the idea is (1) to give viewers some inspiration for making a yummy quick breakfast with just a couple of ingredients, (2) to show my natural habitat so that people can get to know me, and (3) to put another video out there to see what works.

So how’s the video doing?

It varies by platform. It got immediate attention on TikTok. It’s also on YouTube and Instagram.

Sometimes it takes a while for a video’s views to shape up, but sometimes it takes off right away — or dies a quick but painful death lol. It’s good to see what works and what doesn’t.

So far, the people are liking blueberry pancakes, bagels with opera, poetry, how to start a fire, how to make a seasonal wreath, daylight savings time, St. Patrick’s Day parade, plein air painting, and promotional videos for my books.