Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Observer



On the auspicious day of 11-11-11 just past, I was listening to a talk show segment about numerology. It's not a new concept to me, but I've never looked at it to any large degree. She explained how to find your life path number and then she listed the basic personality characteristics of each.

Although I had done this before some years ago I didn't remember. My life path number is 7. I'm an observer. This fits me, but so do other categories. Isn't that always the way with these sorts of things.

But I've been thinking about it in the back of my mind since I saw that segment. Today I was having lunch with Trish and our conversation reminded me of a comment I'd heard in an interview with writer, Russell Banks.

He was talking about being a writer and said, "You have to stand on the borders, on the outside looking in. There's no other way around it. You move through but don't belong to any class. You can't belong to any class - you're outside all classes - alienated."

These two concepts are definitely connected to me. It seems Banks summed up the idea of being an observer. Because, of course, you can't observe objectively and also be involved. You have to maintain a distance in order to a true observer.

Much more to think about here...
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Chaos




"All of art is organizing your chaos."
                                                --- Jonathan Carroll

I heard writer Jonathan Carroll say this in an interview. It's so simple and yet so true.

Creative sorts are filled with angst and chaos, both of which feed on each other. I realize that's a cliche, but that's because it's true. That raw energy is the basic building block of creativity. When you apply some structure to it, you get something other people can relate to. Art.

The trick is being someone who can mold the raw energy into something meaningful. It's so easy to remain in chaos and get nothing accomplished. It's so easy to impose too much organization and get something boring.

Walking the line can wear a person out.

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