A Little Depression Aids Creativity

100 Hot Flash Women: Fran Sisson

Being Human is Hard Work! I know that

I should build blogging in to my daily routine, since I now have 2 blogs, this 

and my other more Hot Flashy blog, plus

my regular FaceBook Page and the Hot Flash one plus the one with Barb Kobe

to maintain. 

Sometimes Life gets in the way of Intention, and I seem to be that creative/scattered sort of person who is

always going in 5,000 different directions

at once...and at the ripe old age of 65, I

am still trying to understand and work

with who I actually am and want to keep

growing into.

Me, in Seattle last weekend

Time seems to be accelerating in its passing. I'm reading all kinds of books. IMAGINE, Jonah Lehrer, is a good consolidation of learning on a study of creativity I've been engaged in since ghost-writing papers for my soon-to-be husband in college. He's the one who cited studies that "a little melancholy sharpens attention," allowing us/me to be more observant and persistent, but less "likely to have moments of insight," so both are important to expressing creativity. 

Today is a rainy and cool day in the Pacific Northwest. I am unexpectedly home, instead of at work, because of a shortage of patients, so I am counting my blessings that I have PTO saved and can still support my beautiful home and creative life on 4 days of work a week, and am not sweating and sweltering in the high temperatures of the NE.

Double portrait of Anne Grgich, artist, teacher

Every day is a struggle, with triumphs and

defeats, to learn and learn to manage my

own Self. I Am continuing to work on my

series of 100 Hot Flash Women Portraits.

I just turned on my LP pretend fireplace and the ceiling fan to warm up my chilly feet...maybe I'll put on my sheepskin 

slippers instead of red crocs. It's easy to

long for something (anything) different 

instead of appreciating where we are. 

Wednesday (June 20, 2012) was the first anniversary of driving into Port Angeles, around 1pm, on the summer solstice, with

my mom and my most important Worldly

goods in the silver Honda. My beloved brother, David, met me here that afternoon, bringing a bed for Mom, who accompanied me here from Iowa. I bought myself a bed that day. 

Here's what I wrote: " I dreamed about administering and passing tests related to the move, woke up at 1:45 and 3:30, then for good at 5:30. David went over to Sequim to swim, knowing that it would take mom a while to get going. He has to leave right after breakfast, is extremely successful and busy and I’m lucky that he took the time to come over, because he really loves me and is really happy that I’m here. As I knew, I will need to create my own life in this place. The movers won’t come now until tomorrow morning early, so I plugged my surge protector into the only outlet in this room and am sitting on the bed to write."

A lot has happened in 7 years, and this is where I think I will die, my own beautiful house and rock yard. The new friends. Taking trips to visit the old friends, and making the efforts to stay connected where ever I am and to keep my body and mind in shape to enjoy the next 20 or 30 years. Making my contributions to the Universe where I can.