There’s a moment in season one, episode eight of “WandaVision,” when Agnes (played by Kathyrn Hahn) and Wanda (played by Elizabeth Olsen) are engaged in a fierce battle of magical power. (I’m trying not to give anything away.) After revealing a secret about Wanda’s true identity, Agnes chides her with this line:
“You’re supposed to be a myth, a being capable of spontaneous creation. And here you are making breakfast for dinner.”
I know almost nothing about Marvel comics or these characters (which didn’t stop me from enjoying the show). But the condescension that drips from Agnes’s voice as she throws this line out to Wanda hit me right in my creative gut. Continue reading “The Power of Creativity (And Breakfast For Dinner)”
As we enter into this new year, I have a confession about 2020: once I got over the initial “lockdown put the brakes on everything” depression, I thrived creatively in isolation.
The “aha” moment came when the bird landed on my head and ushered in a mindset of magical possibility. After that, it was far easier for me to do big things even though I was confined in a small box. Maybe because I controlled the box and the box could take me around the world with just the click of a mouse, a sort of pandemic TARDIS. Having the freedom to just do something without needing to find a host or get permission allowed me to…well, just do shit. Whatever shit I wanted to do.
Notice anything? I didn’t do this alone. You were there the whole time.
And with that, I am going out on a limb to say out loud that I’m starting my next book, tentatively titled “The Story of You: A Creative Journey.”
Once upon a time you did not exist. Then one day something happened, and viola! There you were. Then some more things happened, and are happening, and will happen soon, Until one day, in the blink of an eye, you will be no more. That is the story of you, in a nutshell. But when you crack that nutshell, out spills an avalanche of those things that happened, and are happening, and will happen soon. Those things are the heart of your story. They explain who you are. They define why you are here. They show where you came from. They guide where you are going. They create what you will leave behind. Inside the nutshell is the story of your journey. And that is the real story of you.
I’m telling you this because throughout 2021, you can help me work through ideas by responding to prompts and answering questions and playing games and participating in reflective exercises. If you want to stay updated, make sure you’re on my mailing list. You can find the sign up on the home page of my website. http://joannebrokaw.com/index.html
While I can take this journey alone, it’s more fun with friends. And let’s be honest: while I am confidently at the starting point, I have no itinerary or road map. If I don’t take someone along for the ride, I may just sit in the parking lot with the engine idling.
So we’re going on a fun, introspective journey together, my lovelies, starting soon. No seat belts required.
Here’s to a new year that overflows with beautiful things.
Happy creating!
Joanne
Notes From The Funny Farm 