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1.
Capturing
that Burning Idea: by Edwin Rutsch |
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The topic for
this edition of the newsletter is,
Capturing
that Burning Idea. "Write while the heat is in you,"
advises
Henry David Thoreau. Don't wait around or that
inspiration and energy could be lost. There are many different ways of doing this, some people
I've talked to use scraps of paper or a cassette recorder when an idea strikes.
Others carry a journal, sketch pad, or camera, while others don't bother at all
and just enjoy the moment. Read on, maybe you'll get some new ideas...
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2. Quotes of the Day:
All about the Notebook |
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Henry David Thoreau |
Write while the heat is in you. The writer who postpones the
recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a
hole with. He cannot inflame the minds of his audience. |
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Piero
Ferrucci |
Inspiration comes
whenever it wants, even at the most unlikely times and in the most inappropriate
situations. Often it arrives bit by bit. Therefore it must be anchored, and this
is where a most valuable item makes its appearance: the notebook. |
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Lewis Carroll |
Sometimes an idea comes in the night when I have to
get up and strike a light and note it down — sometimes when out on a
lonely walk, when I have had to stop and with half-frozen fingers jot down a
few words which should keep the new-born idea from perishing — but
whatever or however it comes, it comes of itself. |
(I'll be sending out more quotes on this topic to the
discussion list over the next several days. edwin)
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3. Song: Ode to the Lost Inspiration
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I'm sure it's happened to you. A great idea pops
into your head, but then you get distracted or do some other tasks. Suddenly
you try to remember what the idea was and you can't recall. It's happened to me
often enough. Usually I'll try to recreate
the overall train of thought that led to the idea. More times than not, I'll get
back to the idea. I find it interesting how that train of thought works.
One of the previous Inspiration Project meetings touched on this aspect of the
lost inspiration. We were going to explore song writing, so I sent out a notice
to everyone to think of a song to use. When Gary received my email, he had a
sudden inspiration of a great song to use! However, when he got to the meeting,
for the life of him, he couldn't remember it. No matter what memory tricks we
tried to use on him, nothing worked. The song we finally created was based on
his frustrating experience. The name of the song we used for the foundation of
our song is Funiculi Funicula.
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See MS Media file (about 1 meg)
with piano
See MS media file
(about 1 meg.)
no piano |
The Inspiration That Got Away
I had a
thought that lit my inspiration
It got away, it got away,
I racked my brain in floods of perspiration
It’s gone today, it’s gone today
The flame that overwhelmed my paltry senses,
I lost the track, A woeful lack,
Obsessed, at this elusive thought I’m grabbing
I want it back, I want it back
Questing, Questing, reaching for the prize
Searching, searching, slowly my brain fries
Invoking every single power, man or the Devine
Is it lost for good? Perhaps someday it will be mine
Urgent, urgent, sending S.O.S.,
Struggling, struggling save me from this stress
It’s just no use, it’s cooked my goose, I‘ll turn it loose and set it free,
Leave it to my dreams, tomorrow it will come to me.
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4. My
Use of the Notebook: by Ludwig van Beethoven |
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"You will ask me where I get my ideas. That I
cannot say with certainty, They come unbidden, indirectly, directly.
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Beethoven
Joseph Karl Stieler
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I could grasp them with my hands; in the
midst of nature, in the woods, on walks, in the silence of the night, in the
early morning, inspired by the moods that translate themselves into words for
the poet and into tones for me, that sound, surge, roar, until at last they
stand before me as notes.. |
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I always have a notebook with me, and when an idea comes to me, I put it
down at once… I change a great deal, eliminate much and begin again, until I am
satisfied with the result; then the working-out, in extension, in diminution, in
height and dept begins in my head, and, since I know what I want, the basic idea
never leaves me, it mounts and grows. I hear and see the work in my mind in its
full proportions, as though already accomplished, and all that remains is the
labor of the writing it out... |
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Ludwig
van Beethoven
by a River
unknown painter
bridgeman.co.uk 116732 |
In any case, my motto is always: Nulla dies sine linea, No day without a
line; and if I let my Muse go to sleep; it is only that she may be all the more
active when she wakes..."
(source: The Minds Ear: Beethoven at Work, Robert Schuler, Kaleidoscope,
#43)
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5.
Question for the day:
How do You Capture Ideas? |
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Judy Fettman is a photographer and writer.
She captures her ideas with the camera and notebook when she is out in nature.
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Creativity most often comes to me in nature...
the trees
the ocean
flowers
the sky
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Joan Kuenz says, "Capturing inspiration is like
holding onto a rainbow," so she doesn't try to make a note of it. She just
enjoys the moment.
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Capturing inspiration is like holding onto a rainbow. Remembering the
sound of the passionate chords of La Boheme, or tasting fresh basil on
newly picked greens.
My response is grounded in the everyday;
going for a run,
looking at a thoughtful book,
listening to a simple tune,
smelling flowers,
playing in the kitchen,
keeping a smile on my face
and playing with art.
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Edwin Rutsch... I have several ways that I capture
ideas but I'm not totally satisfied with them.
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At night sometimes an idea will come to me. I lay in the
dark thinking about the days events or plans for the future. I've placed a notepad, pen and a small flashlight on the floor next to the
bed. I can pick them up and quickly write out the idea.
For a while, I had quite a few such ideas pop up, but recently for some
reason, they have diminished.. |
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I've started walking to a local cafe every morning. I get a double cappuccino
and sit down and write into my laptop. They have wireless internet connection at
this particular cafe so I connect to my journal on my home computer and write
down my thoughts.
I also wonder about trying to capture ideas
with my video camera. I'm not sure how to do this. I imagine carrying the camera
with me everywhere I go, interviewing people about their experience of
inspiration. I've also wondered about using a mini cassette recorder, but
haven't been able to find one small enough that suits me.
I almost forgot to mention that I carry a
little pocket notebook, which I keep in my back pocket.. I carry this everywhere
and jot down ideas as they arise. The problem with the notebook is that I don't
like to reenter the ideas into the computer.
I wonder if meditation would help generate ideas. The problem is I don't jot
down ideas when I'm mediation. I'd like to do some sort of writing meditation.
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6. Last Laugh Cartoon:
Advice from the Muse |
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Follow the link from the thumbnail to see the full cartoon located at
CartoonBank.com
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The writers muse tells him to save the writings to the hard disk.
Arnie Levin
Cartoonbank.com |
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7. Newsletter Info, Contribute, Subscribe or Unsubscribe |
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I'd love to hear and see your thoughts, poetry,
writings, artwork and etc. about the experience of inspiration.
Be sure to send them to the
Discussion
List. The Spirit of
Inspiration Newsletter and email list is for the creative exploration and
research into the experience of inspiration. The Newsletter is sent out every
couple of weeks.
Inspiration Project home:
http://www.humanityquest.com/studycircle/
List home:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/InspirationProject/
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All the Best
Edwin
Rutsch
Editor
email me
