Friday, September 19, 2008

Another weekend...and autumn approaches!

It doesn't get much better than that does it? The family making noise and messes in the house and cooling temperatures; thank goodness for that relief!

I don't have anything to say that Lyman hasn't already covered so you can mosey over there if you want to know what I'm (we're) thinking.  You won't be surprised.


Education
Back to school, the provocative ideas of Sir Ken Robinson (also Mark Gardner) on creativity and multiple intelligences and my mind has just been completely hijacked by the possibility for greater enrichment of our cultures and societies should we be able to implement new strategies that nurture, encourage, and train creative processes in the same way that we train and encourage intellectual processes.

I was struck mightily by a great many things Sir Ken had to say (J: because I said its Sir Ken, I'm sure its Sir R.  Damn me.)  Actually it was an inference---culturally we all tend to use the words "creativity" and "arts" nearly synomynously (heh---say that ten times fast!) In fact, they are not the same.  Arts are often more greatly valued when inspired by great creativity but creativity is actually a way of thinking and communicating, just as intellectuality is.

That really resonates with me.  How often have we all heard people say, "what we really need to do is the think out of the box"?   This is nothing more than a call for  a creativity; an acknowledgement that our usual intellectualized, institutionalized way of handling the problem will not suffice.  In the past I've sometimes been labelled "gifted", "creative" and as flattering as I find those adjectives, I've nearly always been offended by it.  Its actually quite dismissive.  Because the truth is that I'm not some wild, inestimable person and this is certainly the implication.  By the way, it also suggests that the process of developing a novel idea or solution is not work.  Not only this---it also suggests that others can not, or should not, attain the same results given the same resources and therefore those ideas should not be implemented....that culturally there is no value in liberating the creative powers of others for common good.  The ways in which our culture undervalues creative thought are so deeply embedded....  

Anway--- human intelligence might be of keen interest to some readers; I can assure you that you'll be engaged by Sir Ken.  I have been.

Woolens
Soooooooooo.  Cool weather always heralds my favorite thing in the world: men in sweaters.  Mmmmmmh.  Also knitting those things.  And the fiber used to do so.  Boys and girls, after five years, I've finally figured out how to justify a trip to the Hudson Valley (Rhinebeck) for the New York Sheep and Wool Festival.   In the knitting/spinning world its just about the biggest deal there is.  Lots of festival-only fiber offerings, demonstrations, classes, famous knitters and designers.  And internet friends (yo, Ravelers!  Where my stitches at?).

And by what creative process have I created this astonishing accomplishment, you might ask?  By carefully orchestrating the matriculation of Niece #2 (KSM) at Bard College this year.  Yep: visit niece for weekend in her first semester away from home and darn!  what a coincidence!  Rhinebeck is just 20 minutes away...and did you say the festival is the same weekend?  Wow.  Kismet; its gotta be.

Sigh.  And just a couple of weeks after my return, I'll be off for my annual trip to see BFF Dave and Tuomo in Vancouver.  I'm afloat with delight...

3 comments:

Plum Blossom said...

Dearest Auntie:

I would very much like to point out that it was not you who orchestrated Niece # 2 (a standard must for all SAT's)'s matriculation at said college. No....that mastermind would be me. :)

But enjoy your trip anyway....

Love always,
Trouble

KHM said...

and who do you suppose put YOU up to it? Oh yeah.... I'm THAT good!

Shamrock said...

Alright, I've had enough of this. None of you did any of the orchestrating. One of you is an oboe, the other a flute. I know why you're at each other's throats. Leave it alone! You have to be a mastermind (sometimes I wonder) to get into a place so close to the Rhinebeck wool festival! Now drop it. And- I watched a clip of Sir Ken Robinson (or whatever have you his name is). Not only are his ideas brilliant, but he's hilarious, as well. Trust me, lots of creativity here. Not being quashed at all.