Recommendations
On days like this, when I stare at my computer not sure what to write, I am forced to analyze my day and how I got here. Watching American Idol and reruns of America’s Funniest Home Videos was not stimulation. Neither was a work day full of frustrating challenges that didn’t quite work out like I’d hoped. There is not much I can do about the later, except quit my job, which would defeat a ton of purposes. But I definitely could have done something about the former.
For some reason I got wound up tight today, and instead of massaging it away with beauty — like dropping some Copeland in the system and melting into the couch as the sounds of an Appalachian Spring filled the room — I numbed it with useless entertainment.
All that to say I have no insight to offer tonight, on a night when I had plenty of time to offer insight.
What I do have to offer is some amazing recommendations …
Slumdog Millionaire
Last night I had the pleasure of experiencing one of the better films of the year. It truly lived up to all of the hype that has slowly built around it. Slumdog Millionaire was one of the most entertaining, touching, beautiful things I have had the pleasure of experiencing in a long time. I can not say enough good about it. I think the cliche is “a triumph of the human spirit”. If I was one of those critics they pay to give the one sentence praises they put on the DVD covers, that would be my unoriginal contribution. I would also say something about it “soaring”. At a time of my life when I am thinking about where to go artistically, it’s the type of film that is both inspiring and disheartening, because it almost seems pointless to try when such talent is already out there.
Matthew and Lizi
Today I got to hear a track off a new EP being produced by Matthew and Lizi Bailey. I get the opportunity to play with these two worship leaders at my church every few weeks, and I can honestly say I have enjoyed every minute. They are a joy to play with and a joy to hear. This latest track did not disappoint. In fact, I just listened to it six times in a row. Six times. In a row. I have a friend who listens to songs on repeat so he can fully injest each note. I can never do that, but I made an exception for Matt and Lizi’s latest track. I can’t really describe their style without insulting them … not because such comparisons are unfair, but because the tune was so uniquely Matt and Lizi that I would hate to make it sound like they are just carbon copies of some other band. That being said, the best I can do is to say they feel like the best of Coldplay, Feist, and Snow Patrol.
Other than that, my thoughts of late have been on the creative process, and what I can do to be more creative. I used to think I would love it if somehow I could just write all day and not have to worry about “work”. But now I wonder if I have the level of discipline necessary to do that. I feel like once I figure out how to do it the hard way, if the easy way comes, I’ll be able to fully embrace it. If I had it easy now, I would squander it.
The first step is to cultivate daily creativity, and to do that, I need to find quiet moments in beautiful places, be it with Copeland or walking around the neighborhood pond. Less Idol, more beauty. No offense to David Cook.
January 21st, 2009 at 6:57 pm
I know what you mean about feeling like why try when so many others are already so good and successful. Everything I do, I’m up against bigger and better people. Can’t let that stop you though, or you’ll end up doing nothing!