How do you get inspired?

[brainshrub]

It's been two weeks since I got back from Camp Casey, and I'm artistically, and spiritually stuck. Before I left for Texas, I used to update my blog at least three times a week, moderate the Lounge at DU and engage in various activism.

Today, I am loathe to even call friends back on the phone or answer emails. I'm not depressed, but I just can't bring myself to engage in anything right now. Hell, I can't even get inspired enough to update the information for the DU party next week!

At Camp Casey I promised myself that I would take my career in a new direction, right now the only direction I'm taking is to the video-store and renting DVDs.

What do you do to get inspiration? What do you do to get out of the artistic doldrums?

[ZombieNixon]

1. Music. Beer. Posting pictures of myself on DU and having people tell me

I'm cute. That was a pleasant suprise. But music and beer mostly. I wake up my dorm at one in the morning blaring heavy metal (just kidding, the doors are nicely soundproof).

[FuzzyThinker]

2. By eating fish .

[brainshrub]

3. Seriously?

[FuzzyThinker]

4. seriously ? by listening to classical music , while eating fish.

[brainshrub]

6. I hope you don't mind if I ask:

What do you do for a living?

Oh, and welcome to DU. :toast:

[FuzzyThinker]

11. why , Fisherman ofcourse !

[brainshrub]

14. Are you a preacher?

But I'm not looking for religious inspiration. (Unless Jesus wants to come-over for a beer, that would be inspiring.)

[FuzzyThinker]

15. where did I say that I'm a preacher ????

[brainshrub]

19. Oh sorry, "Fisherman" is usually a code-word for a preacher on chat-forums

I hope you didn't take offense.

ON EDIT: And considering that your suggestion was: "eat fish"... I didn't get the joke. Doh!

It just shows you how devoid of creativity I am right now.

[FuzzyThinker]

21. of course I did , I will never serve the giant spaghette monster.

[brainshrub]

22. I'm a pastafarian.

All hail the flying spaghetti monster and his sacred noodley appendage! Yarg!

[knowbody0]

5. pow wows

[brainshrub]

8. What's a pow wow?

Do you mean a meeting?

[knowbody0]

10. i mean a real pow wow

the drums, the singers, the colors, the designs, the dancers, the people.

[brainshrub]

18. I probably wouldn't fit in.

I know this sounds irrational, but considering how many natives my people slaughtered, I shouldn't attend a real pow wow. I would probably offend some ancestor, and then what little creative energy I have left would get squashed.

Never offend an ancestor-spirit.

[knowbody0]

23. you would be very welcome at a pow wow

akuna matada

[johnnie]

7. I've been in a rut for a long time

There was a time I could write two songs simultaneously, do my drawings, write short stories and just plain be active as hell. It has been a few years since I have had that same passion and it is driving me crazy.

I wish i knew how you could get back into it because I would be doing it too. I hope you get some good ideas on here.

[bigwillq]

9. Do you have kids? (nt)

[brainshrub]

12. Nope.

Maybe a child would help me find focus? On the other hand, maybe I would make it be an excuse to not follow up on my goal.

[bigwillq]

13. Was just curious.

Kids always inspire me. I guess because there is so much hope with youth.

[JanMichael]

16. Try Mozart.

It really can help.

[existentialist]

17. Exercise and sunshine help me,

Of course I need all the help I can get on this matter myself.

[Rabrrrrrr]

20. By taking the kind of rest you are taking

When your mind and body know they no longer need the rest, you will get inspiration.

There's a reason you are going through what you are going through, especially after what must have been a very emotional and challenging couple of weeks, the experiences of which are likely working through your subconscious changing you in ways you don't know yet; but once your mind is done, you will know, and you will be a different person.

You are in what I like to think of as a cocooning stage. Happens to me every now and again, especially after a significantly huge life-altering and emotional experience.

[WCGreen]

24. Read a shitty novel.... One that you would never think of reading..

That will take you mind off......

[anarch]

25. drugs

just kidding.