the creative minimalist

darren r hill : writer, minstrel and journal keeper

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My current mixtape Music Monday

current iTunes coverMonday is all about music, both what I am listening to and what I am making. I tend to obsess on musical tracks, playing them over and over. This little post is all about the current tracks being played over and over on iTunes.

I often arrive late to the party when it comes to new music. I don’t get out to gigs, don’t read any music magazines or blogs (not since I stopped reading Melody Maker in my very early 20s) and rarely listen to the radio. So when Wolf Alice won the Mercury music prize that was the first I had heard of them.

I opened iTunes, searched and gave them a listen. I quite liked them and especially liked Planet Hunter. It stood out for me as something a little different, and I like different. I have found a rather good live version on YouTube and that’s below if you want a listen.

Planet Hunter by Wolf Alice

I use Shazam quite a bit. Killing Eve on the BBC has had me hitting the Shazam button on regular basis. The interesting thing with Shazam is how often you end up saying, ‘oh that’s them’ or ‘ah, so that’s what they sound like’, or ‘yes, I knew there was a band I had to check out.’ I rediscovered Cigarettes after Sex thanks to Killing Eve. Each time you fall in love by Cigarettes after Sex is now getting regular spins – apologies for the anachronistic language.

Finally, and finally, I gave Marc Almonds album, The Velvet Trail a listen. It was nice and familiar and it felt like I was back in the 80s or early 90s. It is full of timeless music and I found myself playing Bad To Me over and over.

 

Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
namaste
d
xox
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Weekly review ritual

alternative past future traditionalI want to push myself creatively. I also want to blog more. So, to kill two birds I will be reviewing my week here. Over the weeks you’ll get to hear what I am working on as I track how I am doing. Let’s see if holding myself virtually accountable will help.

Writing

When it comes to writing my current goal is learning how to touch type. I found out that the average touch typing speed is 38–40 words per minute. A professional typist is considerably faster. I’m currently just under 20 wpm. I don’t think that’s too bad as I still haven’t finished all the basics, and trying to break old habits.

I have managed a few words on my SciFi novel, but I haven’t really been pushing myself. As my typing speed improves I’ll spend more time writing. It is possible that when everyone starts talking about NaNoWriMo I’ll get swept along with it.

Music

This Temple Eden is back. I have been recording and will be going live with Patreon very soon. I want to offer ways that people can listen, but also support and buy the music if they want. So Spotify, iTunes and Patreon will soon have the music.

It feels good to be creating music again. I escape when making music, and sometimes it is nice to get away.

Journaling

I’m creating some more stickers for pLAnarchy. These will be completely homemade as I want to be able to keep their price as low as possible. The ones I create on Moo are great but it makes them quite expensive. The current set is themed around the moon. Like all my stickers they are the sort I would use myself.

So that is where I am. I hope your week has been creative too.

Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
namaste
d
xox
If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

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This minstrel’s muse is back

music file on the MacI have been in a state of creative purgatory. This time last year I was at a low point. I was unsure what to do. I was at a crossroad but there were no signs or even obvious roads or paths to take. I made a few decisions, chopped through the undergrowth and headed forward.

Now I find myself in a more creative place. The view is still hazy, the roads are not clear but the muse is travelling with me. I don’t worry about having imaginary friends as long as they are creative. Although depending on your spirituality you may feel that the muse is no more imaginary than truth, justice and the honesty of those who work in financial institutions. I digress.

The image above is a folder on my Mac. It contains 247 music projects in various stages of completion. As I type I realise there are another six elsewhere. Over 250 pieces of music that I will work on and begin to share. For over a year I haven’t been able to make any headway on these tracks, now I can.

It is the same for other creative projects. From writing to image creation, the muse is leading me on… in a nice way. I think she (yes she, but that isn’t to say that’s the gender of all muses) wants a word now so I’d best pay attention. But one last thing…

… this blog post was touch typed. I am finally getting around to learning to do that as well. You never know, I might post more!

 

Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
namaste
d
xox
If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.

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Creative minimalism

idea create share in circlesWhen your blog is about being creative – both personal creativity and any hints and tips to share – but art is proving elusive, then it is not surprising that new posts become sparse. This Creative Minimalist has been going through some creative minimalism.

Words have been confused
Melodies have been monotonous
Sentences form nonsense
Harmonies sound dissonant

Of course, these times can be beneficial. Times to recharge and regroup are essential. We all need to sleep and dream dreams. Being uncreative is as important as being creative. Farmers know the benefit of leaving a field fallow for a season.

I have done some work on routines. They are part of this month’s lunar cycle plan. I need the routines because a few things have changed in the creative minimalist’s life that means my time is less fluid. The aim of the routines is to kickstart and maintain a creative momentum. Let’s see how they go…

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I want to do all the things confessions of a creative soul

I want to do all the thingsI’m sitting here wondering what to do. I want to write something. I want to make a little music. I want to do a little art. I want to understand quantum entanglement. I want to make breakfast. I want. I want. I want to do all the things

the creative minimalist

I call myself the creative minimalist. At times the minimalist aspect is part aspirational and part ironic. It certainly doesn’t modify the creative part of the name. The two parts are and remain quite distinct. The creative polymath might be more accurate. However, I am not the expert being a polymath often implies.

I want to do too many things. If I visualised my perfect day it would be a mixture of playing the guitar, recording sound and writing words. However, that is a broad brush stroke. What songs or music do I want to play? What sounds and stories do I want to craft? I have hundreds of songs and almost as many ideas for stories.

Want and need are two different things. I want to do all the things yet I need to feed and clothe myself. I want to do all the things but I need to live and support myself. Aligning wants and needs is my Holy Grail. Like the elusive chalice, alignment might be a myth too far.

I want to do all the things

I start some of the things, and sometimes manage to focus on just one thing… for a while. Because my mind wants to do all the things, it loses interest in the thing currently before me. It wanders. It meanders. It negotiates excuses and makes reasoned arguments for moving on to some ‘thing’ else.

The solution is to connect all the things I want to do with my life goals, my ambitions, my dreams, my reason for existing – all the big picture stuff. My wants have to be related to my goals. My goals should encompass my needs. There needs to be a motivation to keep me working on the things I want to do. That will come from the connection.

I want to do all the things. I can’t. I have to decide. I have to choose one at a time. Make sure it is aligned with what I want to achieve and do it.

I am back to the same position.

Sitting here, wondering what to do.

 

Thank you for reading this post. Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
namaste
d
xox
If you enjoyed this post please support my writing by making a donation of any amount.
Sign up for my (ir)regular newsletter to keep up to date with my creative adventures, including special offers, and join me on Instagram | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest

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