Interesting times indeed.

[SaggyBalls]

So! Lately I've been having quite an interesting time. I've done a lot of soul searching and understanding of myself. recently people have affirmed things to me that I always knew but never really thought were apparent...things like the fact that i march to the beat of my own drum among other things that don't need to be repeated as this isn't a note to pat myself on the back.

For those that don't really know me too well, I'd hate to mislead you and keep you under the assumption that I'm still IN Peterborough. I moved back home to the rural Ottawa area around Christmas, affirming my need for a serious focused change of perspective.

So understanding that I'm a bit more serious (for lack of a better word) than I have been in the past (I wouldn't change that for the world by the way) and that I'm filled with a sort of realistic optimism, perhaps somebody might be able to lend some direction into a dilemma...

I feel that I'm a very creative person. I wake up and start thinking. Of these, the most important are writing more music and written word.

Is there anybody around that might be able to point me in the direction of some sort of creative group? somewhere I can bounce my ideas and have ideas tossed at me>? I'm not looking for help with new ideas...

I'd like to share my work with people but also keep my personal work to myself.

I figure that I should put the vibes out there. I'm sure it'll happen when it's supposed to.

[jonyak]

are we talking in a musical sense?

cause if we are I would be interested in helping (be it on bass or guitar)

other things, possbly not due to my heavy school workload right now

[SaggyBalls]

yeah...i wasn't meaning a heavy serious focus on being creative with others...

be it music, writing, visual art, this, that, the other...whatever people get into and care to share and explore...i do this and that, but creativity for me isn't just in music.

and jon...aren't you supposed to get creative on my bass and amp shortly? i'm down for even a night of jams and beers...as that's creative in itself.

don't anybody think that it has to be heady artistic or down home good times exclusively. i just want to share in some way and be shared with.

no big thing unless somebody wants it to be.

[SaggyBalls]

I first started this thread when i was going bonkers about having my own space. lately I've been feeling like I need another place to write or just chill out when things get batty for me...sort of a cabin fever meets personal space issue and it turned into a 'let's share our ideas' sort of thing...

so does anybody know where i might be able to go and just chill out and be ignored? indoor gardens? museums where people can just go and take it easy/take it all in?

cool cafes? interesting places in general? mostly in Ottawa, but if i'm ever in Toronto (soon?) it's always nice to have a place to have some personal time...any suggestions?

[Velvet]

so you want to be a writer? by Charles Bukowski

if it doesn't come bursting out of you

in spite of everything,

don't do it.

unless it comes unasked out of your

heart and your mind and your mouth

and your gut,

don't do it.

if you have to sit for hours

staring at your computer screen

or hunched over your

typewriter

searching for words,

don't do it.

if you're doing it for money or

fame,

don't do it

if you're doing it because you want

women in your bed,

don't do it.

if you have to sit there and

rewrite it again and again,

don't do it.

if it's hard work just thinking about doing it,

don't do it.

if you're trying to write like somebody

else,

forget about it.

if you have to wait for it to roar out of

you,

then wait patiently.

if it never does roar out of you,

do something else.

if you first have to read it to your wife

or your girlfriend or your boyfriend

or your parents or to anybody at all,

you're not ready.

don't be like so many writers,

don't be like so many thousands of

people who call themselves writers,

don't be dull and boring and

pretentious, don't be consumed with self-

love.

the libraries of the world have

yawned themselves to

sleep

over your kind.

don't add to that.

don't do it.

unless it comes out of

your soul like a rocket,

unless being still would

drive you to madness or

suicide or murder,

don't do it.

unless the sun inside you is

burning your gut,

don't do it.

when it is truly time

and if you have been chosen,

it will do it by

itself and it will keep on doing it

until you die or it dies in

you.

there is no other way.

and there never was.

[paisley]

God bless Bukowski.

[Velvet]

Uh-huh.

[SaggyBalls]

well good thing i'm doin' it!

thanks for the thoughts, Todd! i get reassured every time I'm in a bit of a slump and someone from 'round these parts pipes up with something interesting to say.

I never have a hard time finding the words when i need to, and then in revision things get to be so much clearer.

in fact, the reason i take little breaks is to not be 'pretentious' and petty about what i put out. I know I don't read enough - but I don't feel that it's all that imperative to be studying when i should be creating. I think that lends itself to my creative personality.

now...i must say THIS: I really appreciate being able to bounce my ideas and thoughts off others from time to time - musically, it's in the jams and ideas. I don't write much more than a sort of 'poetry' or the posts on this board and an email or 2 from time to time. if anybody EVER wondered why i'm a bit longwinded that's why. I've always noticed that when I had a concern, question, or thought, that there'd be somebody around me that was going in the same direction. I might be dead wrong this time, but if i'm not then there's probably a few people that are going through a bit of a creative spell...and might want to find a new place to get inspired or a couple of people to voice some ideas...if not that's fine. I easily keep to myself just like the rest of 'em.

[paisley]

Uh-huh.

and god bless the damn Velvet

thank you for your tales of peru and your general unique wisdom (and phenomenal driving skills (yes... skills))

some almost worthwhile enough girl is going to realize its all incredibly beautiful

[Velvet]

She did once, then she became a lesbian.