The following link is a very funny lecture called "On Genius" given by Elizabeth Gilbert, the New York Times Best Selling author of Eat, Pray, Love.
The lecture was given at TED. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from those three worlds. In this lecture, which is quite entertaining, Elizabeth Gilbert explores what it is to be creative and the struggle to remain creative whether you write, paint or throw pottery.
I hope this video inspires you to start working on a new creative project or get back to an old one as it has inspired me to keep working on my own. Enjoy.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Summer Movie Watching
Last night I watched "Marley & Me" and I was blown away. Yes, blown away.
Several friends had said "Marley & Me" was rated B for "Boo Hoo" and they couldn't bear to watch it or were angry that they got sucked into a comedy about a cute mischievous dog that ended up pulling on their heartstrings in a NOT so gentle way. I almost didn't see the movie at all, I read some of the book but got distracted with my writing projects and never picked it up again. Influenced by my friends and newspaper reviews I almost didn't even rent it. What a mistake that would have been. This is a great movie about the human condition and I could not disagree more with my Friends who said avoid it because it will make you cry and rip your heart out especially if you are a pet owner.
Why? Why avoid a movie that rips your heart out and makes you really look out what it means to love, to be human? Did I cry like a baby? Pretty close. With my Westie Cassie sleeping on the couch beside me I watched the story of a big yellow dog and the impression he made on the life of a writer, his wife and eventually their kids. It was beautiful. I started to wonder if some of us avoid this stuff (these movies or books) for some twisted sense of self preservation? But if you are hiding out from these tear jerkers like "Old Yeller", "Beaches" and "Marley & Me", you are hiding out from life. These movies depicting the pure joy and tragedy in our lives should not be ignored, they should be consumed, they teach us how to relate to one another, how to live in the moment and cherish the bitter and the sweet. Thank God someone knows how to capture this essence of life and bring it into our lives, our homes and our hearts even if it is through the television!
If you are a visual learner of life rent "Marley & Me" this summer and enjoy the ride.
We only go once around...
Several friends had said "Marley & Me" was rated B for "Boo Hoo" and they couldn't bear to watch it or were angry that they got sucked into a comedy about a cute mischievous dog that ended up pulling on their heartstrings in a NOT so gentle way. I almost didn't see the movie at all, I read some of the book but got distracted with my writing projects and never picked it up again. Influenced by my friends and newspaper reviews I almost didn't even rent it. What a mistake that would have been. This is a great movie about the human condition and I could not disagree more with my Friends who said avoid it because it will make you cry and rip your heart out especially if you are a pet owner.
Why? Why avoid a movie that rips your heart out and makes you really look out what it means to love, to be human? Did I cry like a baby? Pretty close. With my Westie Cassie sleeping on the couch beside me I watched the story of a big yellow dog and the impression he made on the life of a writer, his wife and eventually their kids. It was beautiful. I started to wonder if some of us avoid this stuff (these movies or books) for some twisted sense of self preservation? But if you are hiding out from these tear jerkers like "Old Yeller", "Beaches" and "Marley & Me", you are hiding out from life. These movies depicting the pure joy and tragedy in our lives should not be ignored, they should be consumed, they teach us how to relate to one another, how to live in the moment and cherish the bitter and the sweet. Thank God someone knows how to capture this essence of life and bring it into our lives, our homes and our hearts even if it is through the television!
If you are a visual learner of life rent "Marley & Me" this summer and enjoy the ride.
We only go once around...
Monday, June 15, 2009
Work in Progress:
A Dark Place of Promise is a novel coming soon from Jennifer Beichner
My current project is a novel called “A Dark Place of Promise” and is about two sisters who are orphaned during the U.S. Civil War after their parents are murdered for spying for the Confederacy. The story is set in Georgia, just before Sherman’s march to the sea. Sisters Rebecca and Sarah must attempt to locate their estranged Uncle, a Captain in the Union Army and find help to make it North to safety before their parents assassin catches up to them.
I am currently editing this book and of course always doing research. I hope to be working with a professional editor my the end of the year.
I have also begun to revisie my manuscript “The Sister Within” from novel format to non-fiction. This one is very close to my heart, my opus, the reason I write but more on that one another time…until then, write on.-JB
A Dark Place of Promise is a novel coming soon from Jennifer Beichner
My current project is a novel called “A Dark Place of Promise” and is about two sisters who are orphaned during the U.S. Civil War after their parents are murdered for spying for the Confederacy. The story is set in Georgia, just before Sherman’s march to the sea. Sisters Rebecca and Sarah must attempt to locate their estranged Uncle, a Captain in the Union Army and find help to make it North to safety before their parents assassin catches up to them.
I am currently editing this book and of course always doing research. I hope to be working with a professional editor my the end of the year.
I have also begun to revisie my manuscript “The Sister Within” from novel format to non-fiction. This one is very close to my heart, my opus, the reason I write but more on that one another time…until then, write on.-JB
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