Sparking creativity
Notes on creativity via Quincy Jones' new book, "12 Notes on Life and Creativity," and more
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I had a conversation with one of my favorite people about needing to refuel our creative lives. It often feels like sometimes, because of work and connecting with friends, it’s hard to stay consistent with the practice of working on my creative life - I know I am not alone here. This is why I am incredibly grateful to have this space weekly to get some thoughts and creativity out, and I appreciate you for being here weekly to check in on your girl. Yes, I did say this like Keke Palmer again.
That being said, I hope to find some tips to get my thoughts out a little bit more, which led me to read Quincy Jones’ new book 12 Notes on Life and Creativity over the past weekend, and I saved a few notes from the book that I thought was worth sharing.
“Creativity allows us to leave parts of our experiences and hearts with those on the receiving end. And whether it’s now or long after we’ve left this planet, I believe there’s a reason for it all.”
“I believe that survival is also an act of creativity. It’s a matter of seeking out new ways to stay inspired and creating paths that lead to a better future for yourself and, in turn, others.”
“Establish guideposts to stay grounded in who you are. If you haven’t properly set up a foundation for yourself, there’s no point in trying to learn how to become the best musician or businesswoman, or actor, or whatever it is you want to be because it’ll come crashing down once you reach the first intersection of struggle and desperation. If you don’t know who you are from the start, you’ll lose yourself, at best, and let someone else decide for you, at worst.”
Good quotes, right? I recommend this book for something light and easy to read, with excellent knowledge from someone who has lived an iconic life. Also, if you have not watched the Qunicy Jones documentary on Netflix titled Quincy, you should check that out. It was very, very, very, very good.
I compiled a few other notes on creativity too from different things that I read or listened to recently:
New York Times’ T Magazine 24 Hours in The Creative Life This is a pretty cool feature that follows different artists and creators and their creative processes. One of my favorites from the series was the interview with Saweetie, which looks at how she uses meditation to visualize and manifest things in her life.
Jay Shetty Podcast Episode: “Jhene Aiko: On Learning to Love Yourself and Making Peace a Priority”
That’s that on that.
A few things worth reading this week:
Searching for the Notorious Celebrity Book Stylist
Can we say dream job?
Revisiting Romy & Michele for the 25th Anniversary
Can you believe that Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion is 25 years old? This is still one of my favorite movies, and I can’t believe it came out 25 years ago - boy, does time fly.
11 Best Trader Joe’s Food and Recipe Hacks, According to Employees
Love. Love. Love.
Gen Z does not dream of labor
Very interesting.
How a Snowstorm and Sleepover Led to Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King’s ‘Beautiful’ 46-Year Friendship
Again: “Love. Love. Love.”
The Worst Boyfriend on the Upper West Side
Things worth listening to or watching this week:
I can not stop listening to the new album from Blxst, Before You Go, and Pusha T’s new album, Almost Dry. Both albums were unexpected for me - for some reason, I thought Pusha T’s album was coming out on May 13th. The Blxst album just makes me smile. I love how California his music sounds, and this album will be the soundtrack for much of my spring/summer. The Pusha T album has excellent production, and after such a long hiatus, it was nice to hear Pusha coming back and sounding flawless.
Shameless plug, my cozy playlist is still alive and thriving.
If you have been here for a while, you know I binge-watch many things. I have a list of things that I plan to watch over the coming weeks: ‘The Anatomy of a Scandal’ on Netflix and ‘Minx’ and ‘Tokyo Vice’ on HBO Max. Additionally on that list is ‘The Way Down’ which looks at one of my favorite topics (aside from scammers), which is cults.
They Call Me Magic
Last weekend, I watched Apple TV’s new four-part documentary series, ‘They Call Me Magic,’ which follows the life and career of the legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson. It was so good to me, and I highly recommend it. Look at the trailer below:
Selling Sunset
I also spent the weekend watching Netflix’s ‘Selling Sunset... I found the season boring. I’m looking forward to the reunion, but Christine is the most well-dressed villain. This article sums up the season, and this quote is my favorite:
“She huffs. She puffs. Then she just folds her laptop up and takes five steps to her new desk.”
THANKS FOR READING THIS WEEK!
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