by ihaddad on December 31, 2010
So, I turned 43 last week. It’s kind of a double edged sword having a birthday so close to the holidays. On one hand, I never had to go to school on my big day, but there is a down side, and it’s called the “combination gift.” Now, it’s not that I don’t understand laziness as a concept. One of the main reasons I choose to work from home is to save the step of changing out of pajamas in the morning.
What most folks don’t realize however, is that there are very clear rules about the often misunderstood combination gift. First of all (and most obviously), a combo gift must be at least twice as good (read: expensive) as a typical birthday gift. This is best illustrated using fairly straight forward algebraic equations: If Hanukkah=Bathrobe and Birthday=Pedicure, then Birthukkah=Trip to Canyon Ranch. Similarly, if Christmas=Earrings and Birthday=Tickets to the opera, then Birthmas=Trip to New York for Broadway show with stopover at Tiffany’s. Get it?
Teenie Weenie and Big Bird, circa 1970
Another one of the challenges of having a holiday birthday is competing with family gatherings and vacations. As a child this may play out in poorly attended birthday parties where your dad has to dress up as Big Bird because the rest of Sesame Street (and most of your friends) are on holiday in Aspen.The bright side? More cake for you.
As an adult you may run into similar problems which can be exacerbated by a spouse who himself doesn’t care for birthday parties. This leaves holiday birthday girl with a dilemma: mope around house until spouse takes you to expensive restaurant, or my favorite: plan own birthday party. This method is particularly effective with narcissistic pragmatists, which most Capricorns are anyway.
This birthday I decided I wanted to celebrate with my co-working pals at Central Austin Jelly. While it may not be as glamorous as a trip to a spa or dinner at an overpriced bistro with microscopic portions, it certainly was festive. The older I get, the more I appreciate simplicity, including parties that don’t end in hangovers and gifts that kill two (Big)Birds with one stone.
This year Mr. Weenie asked if I wanted two mediocre gifts or one big gift borne of guilt. I went with door number two, which, as usual, was the right decision. This year’s combination gift? A sweet new iPad. I’ve always had math anxiety, but I tell you what—birthday math is fun.
by ihaddad on December 7, 2010
In my recent post about why I’m the Worst Blogger Ever, I received sage advice from the always charming Tom Myer, as well as thought-provoking commentary from my friend and garden designer, Kirsten Bartel. Here’s a little of what Kirsten had to say in response to my ramblings:
“It reminded me of a discussion we once had, Ileenieweenie, about the creative process. I remember asking you if you thought your graphic design work was creative, had an artistic process, and you told me ‘no’. That was a long time ago and I don’t know if you’ve changed your mind about that, but it could be part of the difficulty you’re having right now with writing – are you struggling with the creative process?”
Oh how cynical I once was. Kirsten is probably right—I do struggle with the creative process—but that’s not the only issue. Using my profession as an example, the process of graphic design is a skill that can be taught/learned. While creativity (a soft skill) may be practiced/developed/massaged, it’s not what I would consider a tangible skill set.
I’ve obtained design ability through study and practice. Creativity is a little trickier. Yes, it takes some creativity to come up with interesting ways to interpret and present information in a visually pleasing format, but there are fundamental design principles that help guide the process, thereby preventing graphic design from being an all-out “art.” Also, I can design when I’m having a creative block because I gots mad skillz. Writing? Not so much.
I think writing is an extremely creative process. However, just as with design, I’ve found that the creativity usually shines through only after the skills have been developed. It is hard to creatively communicate or express myself with words when I can’t get the ideas out of my head due to lack of ability and general boneheadedness. And then there’s the guilt I feel for polluting the interwebs—I live in fear of my blog contributing to global warming since I am generally full of doo-doo.
by ihaddad on December 5, 2010
As planning begins for the next Blogathon here in Austin, Texas, I’m struck by the fact that my blogging has been so inconsistent. That being the case, I have to ask myself why I’d want to hold another BlogathonATX (Video compliments of Amanda Quraishi). I’m beyond thinking I’ll actually use that time “catch up” on my writing—it’s sort of like “finishing” my to-do list. Not gonna happen.
So what’s my rationale for organizing an event that revolves around writing, when I myself am not much of a writer? I think it’s because I so desperately want to be a writer. I love the idea of writing and I’m an optimist. (That, and I believe in osmosis.) My good friend, Tom Myer, will probably have a lot of unflattering things to say about this statement, and I eagerly await his reply.
In the meantime I’m sticking to my guns because the more writers I hang around, the more admiration/inspiration/guilt I feel, and that’s gotta be worth something, right?
Right?
