On creativity

My pal Eric brought my attention this video....
Says Lifehacker:

Ira Glass, host of National Public Radio's This American Life, knows a thing or two about turning the creative process into a polished, finished product—but he also remembers turning out work he didn't necessarily want to put his stamp on. This video, part of an interview series on story telling, features some great advice about working through those first few attempts—or even years—where your product doesn't quite meet your standards, as well as Glass pulling out some honestly awkward examples from his own portfolio.

I LOVED watching this. A four-part interview, this section deals with the plight of a young artist.... having great taste, and knowing that his early efforts are not great. The key, says Glass, is to push on, and substitute quantity for quality, knowing that it is only experience and failure that brings us on to greatness.

This is a common theme in creativity advice. And thus ... a new goal for Tara:

15 Stupid Ideas Before Bed

I am going to make it my goal, for the next 30 days, to come up with 15 stupid ideas. I am going to try to focus on 15 stupid ideas that relate to directing opera, but I may have to branch out. Ah, the stupid ideas are already flowing, even as I type!!

Here is a beautiful example of a stupid idea leading to greatness:

One of the scenes I was given to direct for Central City was the opening of Magic Flute. I just directed a complete production of Magic Flute with great actors and felt pressure (from myself) to come up with something different. I also knew the scene would take place in a very small space. How would I handle the serpent that is chasing Tamino at the top of the scene??? Such a small space... cripes there is not room for much more than a sock puppet. SOCK PUPPET!!? maybe Tamino is insane. the sock puppet is on his own hand. the 3 ladies are actually orderlies at a psych ward.

Alright, this idea is a little out there. but it lead to this...

So the 3 ladies rip off the sock and begin to unravel it..... unravel.... yarn.... ladies taking care of a handsome young man. maybe they are 3 OLD ladies. VERY old. with knitting in their purses, and canes, and lace hankies...and maybe the serpent is actually a sexy young hussy trying to seduce the youth. ahhhh...

Still silly, but much less so (in my mind!)....and very doable in our space. plus the fact that a summer theatre audience is invariably filled with dozens of sweet little old ladies, often talking loudly to one another, opening their mints, etc. Rife with comedic opportunity.

And thus a scene was born. yay.

I see tiny people

this is kind of amazing. this guy sets up tiny little scenarios around London, photographs them, then leaves them for others to find. how freaking surreal. i love it.

See more here: Little People-a tiny street art project.

I'm dreamin of a green vespa...

first the airstream... now this..... who knew i was such a gadget gal?
purple would do too...

My 2nd Treasury!

Hot dig!!! I got another Treasury!
"I'd sell my SOUL for COFFEE: a study in cream and brown."

Ginger kitty love

I try to keep the cute animal pics to a minimum on this blog, but sometimes it just can't be helped.

Observe a "cute" trifecta:

1. ginger Kittens
2. baby bunny
3. inter-species love

link o rama

I am always finding interesting stuff online (and about) so today I thought I would share some links with you! Happy Thursday!

• Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo has written the most hilarious article for NY Magazine... interviewing kids who run lemonade stands around NYC. Read it here: Working the Squeeze.
• My pal Tony Barrese is a guest panelist on Opera Now! podcast/blog. Big topic in this podcast: New opera "The Fly" based on the movie of the same name, opens in LA this September. Great interview with the leading man.

• The Selby. New discovery for me...an incredible blog that shows pics of the insides of wildly interesting NY apartments. Really speaks to the part of me that stalks around the streets of NY at night, hoping people will leave their lights on and their blinds up. Ps. these are rooms that people live in. as in, not perfectly clean and staged for photos.
• Amazing bento boxes anyone? A flickr set

My Pile o' Books

Well the 30 day challenge was not my best effort. :)
My only excuse is this: I am awash in good reading material!
Good books, good magazines... good dvd (not reading, but equally absorbing)... there is not enough time in the day!

On the floor next to bed right now: (ps. I am going to copy some book descriptions from Amazon. Because I am lazy.)

1. Care of the Soul : A Guide for Cultivating Depth and Sacredness in Everyday Life, by Thomas Moore.

Therapist and religious historian Moore's invigorating guide to a "soulful" life poses a radical challenge to contemporary psychotherapy. ...a path-breaking lifestyle handbook that shows how to add spirituality, depth, and meaning to modern-day life by nurturing the soul.

I am reading this slowly, and trying to soak it all in. So far I am really really loving it.

2. O, The Oprah Magazine (new issue). Alright, I admit it: I love this magazine. Yes, I wish they would find a new cover model on occasion, but the content cannot be beat. GREAT articles.

3. The Accidental Tourist. An "oldie" but a goodie. This is actually my first read of the Anne Tyler novel.

From Library Journal
Scarred by grief after their 12-year-old son's senseless murder (he was shot by a holdup man in a Burger Bonanza), Macon and Sarah Leary are losing their marriage too. Macon is unable to cope when she leaves him, so he settles down ``safe among the people he'd started out with,'' moving back home with two divorced brothers and spinster sister Rose. Author of a series of guidebooks called "Accidental Tourist'' for businessmen who hate to travel, Macon is Tyler's focus here, as she gently chronicles his journey from lonely self-absorption to an "accidental'' new life with brassy Muriel, a dog trainer from the Meow Bow Animal Hospital, who renews and claims his heart. Not a character, including Macon's dog Edward, is untouched by delightful eccentricity in this charming story, full of surprises and wisdom.

4. Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant. I have been devouring this one from the moment I found it. hehe. Man, do I love good food writing. And this one is especially great as it compiles essays from all sorts of great writers.

From Publishers Weekly
A mishmash of foodie writers dispute, humorously or more self-seriously, the pros and cons of cooking and dining alone

5. Cloth Paper Scissors. Another magazine. This one is expensive so I don't allow myself to get it very often and then when I do, I pore over every page like the freaking holy grail.

Cloth Paper Scissors covers many types of fiber arts and collage work, including mixed media, assemblage, altered books, art dolls, visual art journals, rubber stamping, creative embroidery, and book arts. Each issue comes loaded with inspiration and practical how-tos, with a good balance between emerging and professional artists and techniques.

To tell you the truth, there is even more in the stack. Quite a bit more actually, but the fact is that I have to start my day. And get some reading done.

To Do List

I am inspired by so many blogs I read! I've really been impressed with Little Miss Bossy's Ultimate To Do List. You should see it.

Anyway, I have been inspired to write an Ultimate To Do List of my own. Several of the items are stolen directly from LMB, but give me time... I am developing my own flavor!

1. Own a Vespa.
2. Foster kittens for the Humane Society
3. Spend a weekend at a mountain lodge with a fireplace and good conversation
4. Fall in love for keeps
5. Learn to paint
6. Have a meaningful conversation in italian (that does not have to do with stage directions)
7. Pet a tiger. Live to tell about it.
8. Make 50 sales on etsy
9. Do a double bill production of dido & aeneas and acteon.
10. Have a desk with everything in its place, beautifully labeled.
11. Live in a cottage with ivy and rambling roses.
12. Be debt-free
13. Direct or design an opera that causes someone to say to me: "It took my breath away."
14. Eat a meal at The French Laundry.
15. Go horseback riding.
16. Make a bike my primary transport for a whole month.
17. Grow tomatoes
18. Go kayaking.
19. Become a regular postcard correspondent.
20. Work as a florist.

More to follow, I promise. Feel free to offer suggestions or post your ultimate to do list in the comments!!

Day 27: Persuasion

This is the face of Captain Wentworth. His mom calls him Ciaran Hinds, but he will always be Captain Wentworth to me. He is the male protagonist in the movie version of one of my favorite Jane Austen novels.... Persuasion.

I most recently read the book while I was in Italy this winter. I was healing a heartbreak, and geez, Miss Austen understands the soul of a woman.
Persuasion is the story of Anne Elliott, a woman of advanced years (she is 28!) who had turned down the great love of her life as a girl on the advise of a family friend because he had no money and no connections. Fast forward to her late 20s.... she has never loved another and is living a fairly bleak existence with her insipid family... and the young man has come back to town, all grown up and quite wealthy due to his efforts in the navy. Plus he wears a hot sailor getup all this time. (swoon). As is the case in all Austen novels, there is a lot of angst and politeness and things not said and just when you think the worst... true love conquers all.

The movie is awesome. ALMOST as good as the A&E Pride & Prejudice with Colin Firth. If Persuasion were 6 hours long like the P&P, then maybe they would tie. Also, don't be fooled by the new Persuasion movie that came out fairly recently. If it doesn't have Ciaran Hinds, then it is a cheap imitation. Trust me.

Day 25: my first treasury!

Today, after lurking and trying half-heartedly for months, I got my first treasury on Etsy!! See it here: Pink Lemonade is for Girls.

an actual screen shot of the lovely thing....

So, what the heck does this even mean, you might ask. Well, here's the deal: on Etsy, the online craft community where I have a little shop, the treasury is a place where you can curate your own little gallery. I have made sample treasuries in the past, that I displayed on this blog, but I have yet to garner a spot on the Etsy site. The spots are hard to come by... you must wait until enough lists expire that there are only 333 current lists, and then hope you are one of the first few to grab an open spot. Right this moment, for instance, there are 624 lists, so it will be days before any available spots even open up. This is all very complicated, but trust me, it is a thrill to be able to post my very own list. And if I keep my fingers crossed and am very good and very lucky, my list may be chosen for the front page of Etsy.... so it would be the first thing visitors see when they come to the shop. This is probably a pipe dream, but a girl can hope, right? hehe

Anyway, get thee over there and check it out!.