Making Ripples: post-corporate adventures in Floyd County Virginia

Why people stop creating - Part 3 of a series

There are several reasons that people stop creating.

1. Doing things that are harmful

We are basically good, even if we do wrongheaded things some of the time. The best proof of this is that people stop doing things when they realize these actions are harmful to others or to themselves.

It might take years for the truth to sink in, but eventually a person realizes that he or she is hurting others by doing something unethical and they stop doing what they are doing.

This happens frequently in the field of Marketing and Sales. A person uses their talents for many years to skillfully persuade customers to buy services or products and they discover eventually that the customers are being harmed in the process. This discovery makes it almost impossible to continue using that talent. They say they are "burnt out" and it can be a permanent condition if they do not find some worthwhile cause to support.

2. Becoming convinced by others that creativity is harmful

People want to create and they want to help others in the process, if they are of sound mind. Occasionally, there are people who have been so mistreated and so abused that their idea of creation is to punish others or to destroy what others are creating. They eventually become fixated on stopping others. They specialize in creating stops.

Most people are happy to create new things and new ideas whenever they can. When they run into people who are "stoppers" they may have difficulty continuing their usual patterns of happy creation. These "stoppers" will work very hard to convince creative people that they are "wrong" for trying new things, starting a business without years of experience, yada yada, and so forth.

The test you might want to apply is to look at what these stoppers have ever done that is worthwhile. Who have they ever helped? What products have they produced for the community? What organizations have they volunteered for?

3. Feeling there is no purpose in creating further

If your creative activity is driven by necessity, you may find that you approach creativity like a man using duct tape on life. Do enough create to put out the immediate fires and slump back on the sofa and watch TV again.

If your creativity is only done to kill time, like filling out crossword puzzles, it is doubtful that you are energized by the activity.

If you do not create for the purpose of enhancing another's life, you may find that you do not derive any benefit from creating. Writing and sketching, even knitting or photography can produce beautiful results which are lost when stashed away and not exchanged with others.

A possible solution for those who feel they cannot be creative

Sharing or exchanging your creative activities can open up your life and can produce a great deal of happiness for you and for others. If you feel that you are stuck in a non-creative rut, try finding out what others need and want and you may find that your creativity is re-energized again.

Sarah Palin will make the next few months very interesting

Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin, John McCain's running mate.

Down to earth, executive experience and a hockey mom.

The American Presidential race will be a thriller
and the Republican Party may never be the same.

How her experience compares with Barack Obama's.

(Top photo courtesy of No Looking Backwards)

Making a living in the country: You’re here, now what?

Curtis Seltzer, land consultant and country philosopher, provides an insightful account of what to expect in post-corporate life in the country. Regular readers will recognize some familiar ideas, but Curtis has added some twists I had not thought of. This is an article to cut out and hang on the refrigerator.

With his permission, I am publishing his latest newsletter in its entirety. Check out his website for more sage advice on country living.

BLUE GRASS, VA—People who live in the country are either “been-heres” or “come-heres.” Both choose to live here—and often it’s a hard choice.

         The story of America’s countryside since the 1930s is for the born-heres to go to the city for jobs and a different life. Beginning in the l960s, the counter story has been for come-heres to leave the city for a different life out here.

         While it’s cheaper to live in the country, newcomers find that lifestyle living takes money, and it’s hard to find the same job income in a rural economy.  Here, then, are some ways that come-heres find cash.

Don’t look for it. The best way to fund a country lifestyle is don’t work for it. Moving to the country with sufficient income to live how you want voids the question of how to earn it. I highly recommend this approach.

Live off your mailbox.  Some retirees patch together monthly pension checks to live pretty well in small towns and rural areas. Pension income, of course, is determined by the individual’s career, job and pay. Do not plan on Social Security acting as a Golden Parachute.

Get a job. It’s hard to find a country job that pays like a city job. Adjust your expectations. Professionals -- doctors, lawyers, engineers, businesspersons -- may earn half their urban salaries, but they can still live on what they make.

         Public employment -- teachers, administrators, social workers, law enforcement -- provides jobs for those with urban skills. Real estate, banking, small business and non-profits are common second acts for come-heres

Get your spouse a job. This is an even better idea than getting yourself one. Two incomes are better than one, for many reasons.

Repackage yourself. Many urban migrants have skills that can be adapted to country economies. An engineer who designed bridges may redeploy as a designer of septic systems or a draftsman.  A computer programmer may be reinvented as a troubleshooter—a welcome addition.

Bring a new skill. Plan ahead. If you know that what you do now will not work in the country, get a credential that will.

Make a living off there from here. The Internet has created opportunities for individuals to make money without being where the money is. Consulting is one way, eBay another. Websites enable country residents to market food, art, crafts, knowledge, products and services.

Start something. Job openings are scarce in rural America, and existing business niches are usually filled. Some arrivals come with a thought-through plan for creating a small business--B&Bs are the clichés. It’s best to do something you know more than just a little something about. The other rule is, don’t run out of money. People who have the wherewithal to make something out of nothing should be recruited by every economic-development agency in rural America

Bring a business with you. Businesses have traditionally located in the country because that’s where natural resources are and labor is cheap. Both are still true. Local government and businesses welcome brought-in-enterprises that don’t compete with existing ones. Job-generating ventures are particularly welcome.

Farming. My wife, Melissa, has kept a journal of all the stupid things I’ve said and done for the 25 years of our marriage. She makes daily entries, sometimes hourly. The small-print edition is now as big as an SUV. Topping the list is my pre-marital statement: “If the economy goes into the tank, we can always make a living from the farm.”

         Money can be made in farming if the operation is large, and you’re not paying off the land. Most small farmers survive on non-farm income, and the majority of America’s farms are now small, lifestyle or hobby enterprises.

         For-profit small farms generate some cash and many tax benefits—livelihoods are a different matter if your definition includes health insurance, retirement, middle-class income, children and meat once a week.

         Small farms will generate small incomes; consider them supplements to other sources.

Land.  The source of rural wealth from Colonial times to today has been land. The trick has always been to acquire it without burying yourself in debt.

         One common strategy has been to buy a big tract with borrowed money, divide it and flip the parcels for a profit. As division and zoning regulations have tightened, this is often harder than it sounds.

         Another idea is to buy an option to buy land. A few dollars put at risk gives the option-holder a chance to sell for a large profit.

         A third idea is to buy land and sell one or more severable assets—like an unwanted house, merchantable timber or a few lots. A good deal is achieved if you buy 250 acres and sell 200 in 50-acre parcels, leaving 50 acres for free.

Diversify. Many out-heres depend on several jobs or businesses to float our boats. A conventional job provides a weekly paycheck and benefits, which we might pad out with farm income and self-employment, such as tutoring, craft sales, catering, antique-dealing, consulting, tax preparation, daycare or handy-personing. Don’t lay all of your eggs from one hen, which is country-speak for: Think conglomerate.

Curtis Seltzer, Ph.D.,  Land Consultant, curtisseltzer@htcnet.org, www.curtis-seltzer.com

Creativity and your state of well-being - part 2 of a series

Suppose we look at creativity as outflow and experiencing sensations as inflow or consumption.

We could then see writing as creation and reading as experiencing sensations or receiving information. Looking at the world this way separates activities into producing or consuming.

This is not to say that one is intrinsically better than another, but it does bring up the possibility that there should be a balance between inflowing and outflowing whether it is information, affection, or even help.

Take a look at the people you know who produce things for others and enjoy receiving things from others. Compare them to those who do not want to help others and only want help from others with no exchange. Which is the healthier group?

One might even take the position that someone is as healthy as they can help others or accept help from others.

But back to the matter of creativity. If you can freely create or stop creating in any area of endeavor, you are probably happier than most people. If you are forbidden to create or are continually forced to create, it will eventually drive you around the bend or into escape literature or gaming.

If you can find a way to create effects that others can experience easily, you will find few barriers to your continued creation of effects.

If you persist in creating effects that others find offensive or irritating, you will find that barriers are being erected at every turn. The other people in your environment are now creating against you and your progress in life will be come more difficult as time goes by.

In the limiting case, others will find a way to put you where you cannot create any more.

This suggests that creativity is best practiced in harmony with others. You create and you encourage others to create.

Perhaps you create and they experience the sensations or pleasure from your creation, and then you let them create and you experience the pleasure of their creation. Let the flows even out with no one dominating the outflow or the inflow.

If you look back at your past you will probably find that your happiest memories were about times when you and others were in good communication and there was a give and take of creative activity.

Now some may object and say that their greatest pleasure moments were when they were enjoying a great meal or other life giving sensations. Was any creative activity involved? Let's discuss this further in the next installment.

Photo credit link: beggar

Creativity and life force - part 1

It appears that our lives, both the length and the quality of life, are the result of self-determined creation. My observation is that people are as alive as they consider they can be creative.

How alive do you feel?

Have you ever noticed that time passes in a blur when you are creating madly away? No?

Well then, have you ever noticed how time s l o w s  d o w n when you are kept from creating or have lost interest?

Perhaps you are one of the fortunate few who has never had to think about creating. If you are in constant create mode with your creativity switch full on, you already know what the punch line is and can skip to another topic.

Creativity can be encouraged, but the drive must come from within for it to affect life in a positive way.

I know from experience that dire necessity is a great spur to creativity, as it clears away all of the clutter and fiddling around (TV watching, email reading) that can fill up time when I lose focus. Necessity is nature's way of getting us to be self-determined again.

On the other hand, when we are in a situation where our creativity is regulated, constrained, and enforced our quality of life can be dismal, even when we are making loads of money.

  Those of you who are highly paid employees of certain large corporations or are working on things that are damaging to health or the environment probably have some idea of what this is like. Self-directed creativity is discouraged and you can feel stifled.

At the other extreme are those in managed care facilities who have lost the desire to create. They sit quietly in wheel chairs waiting for something to happen. Other patients at these facilities are still creating and they are noticeable more alive.

So what determines whether self-determined creativity occurs?
I think the clue lies in the fact that creativity is outflow.
Continuous or enforced inflow decreases creativity.

I will be exploring this further and welcome your comments and suggestions.

Image credits:
Creativity corp http://weblog.sinteur.com/2008/05/04/
TV watchers http://www.journeywithjesus.net/BookNotes/postman_big.jpg

Another artist with a spirit of play

 

Martha Jane McDowell has long been one of my favorite artists/ sculptors/ creative spirits because she is always willing to work in new mediums and her work generally has an element of wry humor.

This concrete and tile goat, titled Sustainable Living I, is determinedly consuming recyclable plastic bottles.

The title worked for me on several levels. The goat is recycled and it is depicted in the act of recycling.

With its skinny rebar legs, and its lacework scarf and gold earring, it has a certain jaunty air even while it reminded me of those unfortunates who eke out a living picking through other people's refuse.

Like many of Martha's works, it made me think of issues far beyond the quiet gallery in which it stands.

Way to go, Martha! I can't wait to see what you do next.

There are many excellent artists on display in the Jacksonville Center's Hayloft Gallery. Indulge yourself and take an hour to wander through the 6th Annual New Works Exhibition by Regional Artists which runs through September 29.

You may find that every piece on display has something to say to you.

Only in Floyd - music with your groceries

John Houston's Sweet Providence Farm Market & Bakery in Floyd, Virginia, offers fine live music along with locally raised meats and produce.

Martin Scudder and Bernie Coveney entertained a group of fans yesterday on the timber frame verandah overlooking Route 221 far below.

Martin's red violin sounds like no other and makes a perfect counterpart to Bernie's inspired guitar stylings.

Bernie has recently recorded his new CD, Whispering Pines and Martin had copies of his new CD on hand, Chapter IX Stepping Forward.

Rumor has it that they are recording a new CD together. It should be quite popular. Bernie and Martin are pros and they make great music.

Sweet Providence Farm is presenting live music every Saturday afternoon all through the summer. Check their website for a schedule of performers.

More information about drilling in Alaska please

I am sure that there are reasons for caution in exploiting natural resources anywhere but scare tactics based on political expediency are still unpersuasive.

One of the main points of opposition to drilling at ANWR seems to be the concerns about the effect on the local wildlife. So, let's see how wildlife is being affected at Prudhoe Bay, about 100 miles west of ANWR. The bear is strolling along a Prudhoe Bay pipeline. It would appear that he is taking advantage of the pipeline, not avoiding it.

Notice these well-fed Caribou. They are grazing and generally hanging out next to a Prudhoe Bay facility. Does it look like they are being subjected to undue stress? We should all be so laid back.

From these images, one might conclude that caribou and bears have adapted to the presence of oil wells and pipelines in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Perhaps the same will be true for ANWR. Maybe we should do some actual research instead of generating rumors.

Who benefits financially from extending our dependency on foreign oil?

Could it be the same people who benefit from promoting the threat of global warming?

Inquiring minds want to know.

And for those who claim that these bears are Photoshopped, here are a few more images to admire. Bear and pipelines, you can't seem to keep them apart. What is the world coming to?

Read more about these images here, here, and here.

Creativity can be contagious

One of the first things we noticed when we moved to Floyd three years ago was the amazing number of creative people who lived in this county. At that time about one out of every ten citizens seemed to be an artist, artisan or musician.

What we didn't expect was that it would be so easy to join in the creative activity and get seriously involved.

What happens in a supportive environment is that you rehabilitate your innate creativity through instruction and support from professional artists and start creating art as a normal part of everyday life.

As you create more artwork, you begin to develop a style and you start looking for instructors who can help you develop in a particular direction.

The next thing that happens is that people who have been admiring your work want to buy pieces from you or ask you to do a commissioned work. You may still consider yourself an amateur artist, but you have a growing public and the next step is almost inevitable.

You finally realize that you have the ability to generate income from doing something that is deeply satisfying and you are performing a service to others at the same time. The next thing you know, you are painting or sculpting or making jewelry and you are producing income and having the time of your life.

This doesn't all happen in a vacuum. Some farsighted people set the wheels in motion many years ago when they created the non-profit Jacksonville Center for the Arts in Floyd, VA.

Thanks to the Jacksonville Center and its dedicated staff and instructors, there is a constantly growing number of artists and artisans achieving recognition and even producing income from their artistic endeavors.

The Jacksonville Center has spawned additional groups of artists who produce art on a professional level and teach or provide drawing sessions for aspiring artists.

One of these groups is the Floyd Artists Association which runs the Art Under the Sun Gallery featuring works by local artists and artisans. Art Under the Sun also hosts a First Friday event every month with music and refreshments and an exhibit by a visiting artist.

If you get a chance, be sure and visit the latest exhibit at the Jacksonville Center and also drop in at Art Under the Sun Gallery to see their latest offerings.

You will get a warm welcome and may end up being inspired to create something yourself. It happens quite often in Floyd.

Just be careful or you will end up like Don George, who just finished a 14 foot Gothic Revival Banquet Table which was so large that he couldn't assemble it in his workshop. He did the final assembly at the Jacksonville Center where his table was the talk of the recent Artists Reception.

Advantages of returning to the corporate world

Depending on your interests and circumstances, that may be the right thing to do. I'd like to explore just a few of the advantages of corporate life for the benefit of Julia who asks this question:

So, David, how about advice for those of us returning to the corporate world, and please don't say don't do it!

Corporations offer ready-made opportunities for travel, adventure, incredible challenges, huge incomes, extreme risks, safe boring jobs and extreme drudgery and hardships. All of these and more are yours, if you can qualify by meeting the requirements of the particular organization you wish to join.

I can easily say that I have experienced all of the above in my relationships with more than 25 employers and consulting clients. Working for a corporation is a natural rite of passage except for those few who create their own corporations and hire others to work for them.

Not everyone is cut out to run their own enterprise and there is a great joy in joining up with a team that has a good idea and is producing products or services that make the world a better place to live in.

Even if your employer only has a mission to feed people (McDonalds, P F Changs, The Four Seasons, etc., you can have a challenging role to play depending on your abilities and interests.

The one thing that a corporation does not generally offer is a lot of opportunity to improvise. Just as in a marching band, all of the players (employees) are expected to play the notes they are assigned.

There are a few positions, such as in Technical  Support, where improvisation within limits is encouraged and rewarded.

The main thing to remember is that Customer Service organizations are only necessary for immature or unfinished products. They are viewed as a necessary evil by the corporation and by the customers who depend on them. As a result, the good work you do does not guarantee longevity of employment, but it can be a stepping stone to a management position in time.

As a corporate employee, your activities are constrained to serve the needs of the corporation. If that is comfortable for you, then you are in the right place. If independence of thought and activity and a balance of work and life are a great need for you, consider learning all that you can from your corporate experience so that you can set up your own business at some future time.

Whatever you decide, corporate employee or self-employed, give it all you've got and deliver what is needed in the most professional way possible. Production is the basis of morale and when you are producing worthwhile results, your morale will stay high.