Words from the Heart

Image via Wikipedia I love words, but, unfortunately, the English language is sorely lacking when in comes to ways to express feelings and attitudes that all get clumped together under the single four-lettered word - love.   Think about it.  We love our spouse, our car, our job and our best friend.  However, each of these forms of love is dramatically different.  For instance, we feel romantic, soul-connecting, physical attraction type love of a spouse.  On the other hand, the feeling we have for our car comes from the fact that we find it dependable, comfortable and easy/fun to drive.  As far as our job goes, if we feel passion for what we are doing and when we feel appreciated and valued, then we use love in an entirely different definition.  Finally, the feelings we have for a best friend come from a shared understanding of each other, an ability to trust and care for that person as well as shared experiences.   As you can see, th...

One of the most productive forms of creativity is project collaboration.  Working with another artist, writer, actor, etc. enhances the creative efforts of a project.     Lori and I  (2000) In the past, I have collaborated with some amazing and gifted artists. Lori Gundlah, a dear friend and concert pianist, accompanied me on piano as I read my poetry.  I also collaborated with Trish Harms , a dance educator.  We did tag team workshops in a middle school where I taught a poetry lesson within the subject matter, then she came into the class to teach some form of movement. An example would be in math class, I taught the students to make diamante poems.  Trish taught them to make shapes with their bodies.   Trish and I (2000) Project collaboration can be fruitful, but it can also be problematic.  These tips are good to keep in mind. Keep it small.  Project collaboration with too many people gets confusing. Be willing to compromise....