We’re entering Thanksgiving week.
I like holidays in theory, but I find them a nuisance as well. My work week will be well disrupted between people being home on days they aren’t usually, travel, more travel, recovering from travel, and trying to get back into the swing of things.
It’s also the time of year when everything is suddenly more expensive, and I start fretting over the fact. I get over it eventually, but this year I’m going to try and take a more active role in destressing.
Writing. Cheese. Little stickers on my laptop.
Yeah, we all have our little strategies.
Anyway. On to this week’s post.
What I’m Reading
I’ve been on a big Hugh MacLeod kick. I’m currently reading the third of the three books he wrote. This one is called Evil Plans, and it’s about taking charge of your creative life. He spends a lot of time challenging the reader to be braver—gutsier—when it comes to seizing upon ideas and plans and pushing forward.
These themes run through his other books, liberally interspersed with doodles MacLeod drew on the back of business cards and which launched his current career.
Inspirational stuff. Not always practical, but indeed inspirational.
I highly recommend everyone follow him on Instagram and Twitter (while Twitter lasts). Look for him by name (Hugh MacLeod) and his business (GapingVoid.com).
You won’t regret it.
What I’m Listening To
Funkadelic
And why the hell not?
I’ve been trying to expand my music appreciation boundaries this year. Ska was one of those boundaries I explored. Funk was another. Give me more George Clinton, Bootsy Collins, and others have been brightening my mornings.
If you don’t already listen to funk and are looking for something different, I highly recommend giving Funkadelic (and Parliament) a go. You won’t be sorry, and you’ll be grooving in a way that will cause immediate concern to your family.
Quote of the Week
“Anything can be a Christmas ornament if you put a little hook on it.” – Kurt Vonnegut
Okay, I don’t think this was anything Kurt Vonnegut ever said or was ever likely to have said. I don’t know who said it originally, as I came across the quote on an Instagram picture of some sign in an unnamed store.
I’m just curious if this comes up when someone searches for “Kurt Vonnegut quotes” on Google. He’s one of those folks who is often misquoted, and I can be a bit of a gremlin at times.
That said, I like the idea that anything can be a Christmas ornament. I’m not a huge decorating kind of guy. I tend to take part more for my wife’s and child’s sake than my own. Still, here are some things that could be Christmas ornaments if you put a hook on them but probably shouldn’t:
- Cigarette lighter
- Condom (used or unused)
- Electric bill
- Leftovers
- CVS receipt
- A body (living or dead)
- Similes (metaphors are okay)
- Social network passwords
- Cauliflower
The list could go on and on. Feel free to add your suggestions in the comments. Also, feel free to suggest things that could make good ornaments.
Seems like this year is as good as any for a ridiculous holiday season.
What I’m Watching
Not much this week, really. I’ve been busy working.
Worth mentioning, however, is the fine work being done over at Dropout.tv.
I’m a big fan of their shows “Um, Actually” and “Make Some Noise.” Fun stuff if you’re a nerd and are into geek culture
What I’m Working On
A bunch of things.
Much of what I’ve been working on is a continuation of last week’s work, although I did finish the first layout of a book on the late actor Marie Windsor. I also finished the book-length equivalent of a bunch of articles on industrial plastics. Dry stuff. In case you ever wondered who writes the internet…
It’s me. I write all that stuff.
Hey, it’s a living.
But I’m also writing for myself. I’m trying to finish up the final version of my book on tabletop roleplaying. (Cover presented here). And I have everything I need for a planned book on productivity. I just need to organize the chapters and give everything a solid, fresh editing.
So I’m keeping busy. I have goals. I’m inching toward them. Sometimes I backslide, but, for the most part, it’s forward momentum.
Interested In Busting Through Creative Blocks?
Check out my book, THE CREATIVE BREAKTHROUGH, available on Amazon or in the Kindle Unlimited library. I talk about overcoming creative blocks with several strategies that have worked wonders for me over the years.
Until next time…
