Tag Archives: Writing

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 5:13 pm on May 6, 2020
Tags: artistic, , , , hobbies, , Writing   

Finding Writing Amidst the COVID-19 Health Crisis

To find something insinuates that you’ve lost something. Now, I’m not sure that I ever lost writing, however, I am sure that writing is back in my life in a way it was not previously.

Throughout my day I reflect upon the writing I’m now engaged with, and find myself grateful for the time the COVID-19 health crisis has provided me. Not grateful for the health crisis, mind you, grateful for the space provided to slow down, take in all that is surrounding me, and engage with things I enjoy.

It started with a conversation I had with my oldest son just prior to the shelter-in-place order being put in place. We were talking about the additional time people would have, being removed from their daily routines, and that with that extra time people might begin to imagine and create new things to do. I believe my son actual said something like, we will probably look back on this time as one of the most creative times ever. I agree.

I’ve noticed a lot more creativity in the world, from people creating new routines to keep themselves busy, new hobbies and activities to stay fit and healthy, new business models to engage shoppers in new ways, and much more.

I created a site called covid-19creativity.com as a place to warehouse my own creativity during the health crisis, and beyond. I just added the4catalysts.com website, and one other on youth development, to covid-19creativity.com so that all of my creativity is in one location.

Writing is pure creativity. As pure, I think, as any other artistic medium. It is a space created intentionally to communicate through language to both the intellectual and emotional parts of ourselves. In fact, I think the best writing is that which addresses both the head (intellect) and the heart (emotions). Not an easy task.

I never did lose writing, then. It was simply laying dormant within me awaiting the right time to reemerge. And, that time is now. So, if there is something you like to do, and you’ve had that inkling to give a try, do so. Take that first step, and see what happens. You might be surprised at what you get back. I sure was.

#artistic, #business, #covid-19, #creativity, #hobbies, #intention, #writing

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 7:21 pm on May 2, 2020
Tags: , , , thinking and feeling, Writing   

Writing from the Head and the Heart

There is a difference for me in thinking about something and actually doing that something. I’ve been thinking about writing my whole life, and have only actually written during a very short period of it.

A couple of years ago I read the book by Stephen King, called On Writing. A great book, by the way. In that book King asks you to practice writing by imagining a situation taking place in a house, and you have to write the character, yourself I think, out of that situation. Out of the house. I did that, and have started several other stories, including the one on this site, yet have, to date, finished none. So far.

Yes, I wrote in college, and even completed a thesis. Yet, that is not the kind of writing I’m talking about. Writing a thesis or a dissertation is about thinking. I’m talking about the kind of writing that comes from the heart. The kind of writing that moves, touches, and inspires people. Maybe even puts people into action in their life.

Now, I am not insinuating that the book I am now working on will do that. Yet, in the book I am now working on I get to write from both the head and the heart, which is also distinct.

The difference, for me at least, is that I get to let go of the way I normally think, and get in touch with a totally different aspect of myself. Maybe this is a normal experience for those that write often. I would not know. It is, however, an experience that I like quite a bit.

As for writing, I don’t think I like it all that much. Especially the editing process. Difficult. Yet, there is a very real release in writing, which is quite intoxicating. And, it does provide that outlet for the realease of ideas, which I do have many.

For me the distinction on writing from the head and the heart is where you create from – are you creating from that thinking part of yourself, where you are analyzing every aspect of the paper or book to ensure it is reliable and valid. Or, are you writing to write. Writing from the heart, which only really requires that you can stick with it until you have all of the ideas out of you.

Both forms of writing serve a purpose. Both are needed. For me, I have just realized in the last couple of years, that while I do enjoy reading both kinds of books, from the head and the heart, I much more enjoy writing from the heart.

#creativity, #head, #head-and-heart, #thinking-and-feeling, #writing

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 8:08 pm on April 23, 2020
Tags: , , , , , Writing   

Creativity this week

I’ve been writing again, since the COVID-19 outbreak. The writing is one of the things that has “come back” with the extra time. It is interesting to examine human nature. We work very hard to stay as busy as possible, and yet inside of business, there is little space for creativity. Yes, you can be creative while leading a busy life. Yet, you can be even more creative when you stop to pause, ponder, and wonder.

So, then, this is the companion blog that I created this week as an outlet for the writing. No idea if it will go anywhere. And, really, the writing is not about it going somewhere. It is about taking that creative action, realizing that outlet, or manifesting that output. However you say it, matters less than taking those steps to do something different. Or, do something that you’ve not done in some time.

For instance, last week I played golf, while of course adhering to the social distancing order, for the first time in 3 or 4 years. That felt good. I played really bad. Again, that is not the point. The point, for me anyway, was taking the action, doing something.

Well, that is it from me for now. Before I go a question for you.

What did you create this week?

And, if you didn’t create anything, which I know you did, even if you don’t consider it a creation, what will you create next week?

Reply and let the world know.

Until next time…

#action, #blog, #covid-19, #creativity, #human-nature, #writing

Unknown's avatar Jeff Flesch 4:20 pm on April 23, 2020
Tags: , , , , narrative, Writing   

VERY Rough Chapter 1

The Catalysts

Catalyst – a person or thing that precipitates an event.

Change – the act or instance of making or becoming different.

Chaos – complete disorder and confusion.

Seed – the cause or latent beginning of a feeling, process, or condition.

Introduction

They were catalysts, and didn’t know it. How could they? When life is full of change that you precipitate, it all seems the same. Change is only seen as occurring differently when there is a normal by which you measure such change. Normal is not a word, or a way of being, that they knew. No, change is what they knew, constant and ever present. Their normal, their every day.

Chaos, then, is what they knew well. Chaos is everywhere in the world, yet humans believe there is an order to things. Time is a good example of a seemingly ordered set of principles, and people rely on it immensely. Yet, time is not ordered. Time is, in fact, very chaotic. Time changes, and precipitates events, and also creates disorder and confusion, hence chaos. We put stability on time, time is not stable. And, this they knew.

They were seeds, and this everyone knew. Seeds of chaos and seeds of change, hence the catalysts.

Known – recognized, familiar, or within the scope of knowledge.

Being – the nature or essence of a person.

BOOK I

Part 1

1

“The power of a bold idea uttered publicly in defiance of dominant opinion cannot be easily measured. Those special people who speak out in such a way as to shake up not only the self-assurance of their enemies, but the complacency of their friends, are precious catalysts for change.”

Howard Zinn

It was a day like any other day, chaotic, and ever changing, yet they knew it not, as normal was equal to change in every way and in every part. The winds change, the tides change, the moon changes, yet people believe they are static – for the sun is in the sky surely it is static, not moving – not true. True to them, was the every day occurrence of defying the traditional societal model. Pushing back on the status quo. This was their work. Their life work, in fact.


There were four of them. One in the east, one in the west, one in the south, and one in the north. Connected by a deep inner knowing, not by physicality, not by geography, but by a knowing. Knowing, familiar, recognizable, and within their sense of being.

Their being was their calling. Their mere existence was catalyst enough. No action necessary, though in action were all four, always. People, events, even ideas were attracted to them. And, inside of each of these people, events, and ideas even, were the seeds of change. Seeds that were drawn out and exercised by the four. One person, event, and idea at a time. And sometimes, on rare occasions, a person, event, and idea coalesced in such a way, that the confluence of which created change across the globe.

The East

Was where Sheldon was located, atop a mighty castle stretching to the very bounds of the heavens, in the nether regions of the continent, tucked away in a hidden forest overgrown with hundreds of years of growth. Trees and bushes dripping with dew from the continuous rain showers that plagued this area of the globe. These forests were also home to many small tribes, all of which paid homage to the heaven stretched castle known as the Castalistidom – the catalyst.

One such tribe, the Wiki, were sworn to care for the Eastern catalyst and had been doing so for thousands of year, generations upon generations. Nestled within the forest all around the Castle, they tended the crops, raised the cattle, traded and barded with neighboring tribes, and of course, took care of the Castle grounds and Sheldon’s estate.

Within the Castle there were several Wiki, some cleaned the Castle, some prepared and cooked meals, some counseled Sheldon on affairs of the estate and neighboring lands, and one Wiki in particular, Quara was always with Sheldon, whether at home or afar. Quara was old, very old, and had been serving at Castalistidom their whole life. Generations of Quara’s family served in this same capacity, and though difficult, Quara would not have it any other way, for Castalistidom was the way of life, the only one, that Quara, and their people, knew of.

Sheldon was in their room, which was at the very center of the Castle, below the main floor, where it was often dark, just like Sheldon liked it. For it was in this darkness that Sheldon found the light. The light that was inside of the meditative practice, Sheldon’s Art, the gift given so many generations ago. Given by whom, no one knows. No one dare asks, for it was given at a time of great upheaval in the world, an upheaval not seen since.

Generally, peace was the tome of the day across the globe, yet that was about to change.

#catalyst, #change, #fantasy, #fiction, #narrative, #writing