Gram Worthy Picks
A prompt to encourage your practice of creativity this week from Riversider and local author Larry Burns.
A prompt to encourage your practice of creativity this week from Riversider and local author Larry Burns.
Do you need a low stress way to include seven minutes of creative contemplation into your week? Consider this your helpful nudge towards a slightly more creative life. If it helps, come back every week for a quick hit of creative contemplation. Each week I’ll share a new nudge. It will include a Thing (T), a Place (P), and a Sense(S) for your focus, a TPS creative nudge.
Welcome back, fellow creatives! Last week, we turned our gaze inward, exploring the creative potential of our own collarbones. Did you find yourself tapping out a rhythm on your clavicle or perhaps adorning it with a temporary tattoo that expressed your inner artist? You may have even discovered a newfound appreciation for the subtle movements and sensations of this often-overlooked part of your body.
This week, we’re shifting our focus from the bony structures beneath our skin to a kitchen staple that’s both practical and playfully frustrating: plastic wrap. That clingy, crinkly roll that seems to have a mind of its own is about to become our muse for a tactile exploration of creativity.
Remember those moments of wrestling with a roll of plastic wrap, trying to tear off a perfect sheet without it sticking to itself or everything else but the object of your desire? Those few times I’ve risen to the occasion have really stuck with me! Within those challenges lies a playful energy that can fuel our creativity.
Ready for several minutes of creative contemplation fueled by a little frustration? Great, grab a roll of plastic wrap (and maybe a few snacks to protect), let your fingers do the exploring, and see how this everyday item can inspire us to think creatively and embrace the playful side of any situation:
As we engage with these creative exercises, let’s appreciate the plastic wrap’s ability to both protect and reveal. It’s a testament to human ingenuity, born from a need to preserve and safeguard. Just as we carefully wrap leftovers to savor them later, we can also use creativity to protect our inner spark, preserving moments of joy and wonder.
So, the next time you find yourself wrestling with a roll of plastic wrap, take a moment to appreciate its paradoxical nature—both frustrating and fascinating. Embrace the challenge, find the joy in the struggle, and let it inspire you to create something uniquely your own.
Creative types like us should always try new things, which is why this week’s column was written with the assistance of Google’s Gemini Advanced.
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