Time for Recess from Simply Writing

2011-04-08T09:03:00.004-07:00

Take 5 minutes and go to the world of wonder

Disney Parks has put together a slew of mini vacations when you're ready for recess.

Take a look at Rebecca Dolan's post of some of the best at AOL Travel

I really like the entire day at Disney World's Magic Kingdom enjoyed in a few moments.

Enjoy your recess.

Flash Mobs

2011-03-30T20:13:00.001-07:00

Now this is recess. A fascinating look at Flash Mobs and how they work. When practice, practice, practice leads to a wonderful recess moment. The essentials of optimal performance presented by Kate F. Hays, Ph.D.

Take a little time to watch what Amit Chowdhry thinks are the Top 50 Most Epic Flash Mobs.

Remember the fun you had

2011-03-30T20:00:00.001-07:00

An interesting article about developing creativity in ourselves and our children at KansasCity.com.

Writer Judy Hevrdejs takes readers back to creating tall towers with Legos, Lincoln Logs or Erector Sets and the excitement of a mountain of crayons and a huge blank sheet of paper.

Remember the fun you had, she asks.

I love this quote from David Edwards, author of The Lab: Creativity and Culture (Harvard University Press, $22.95): "There is a euphoria to creating. It's hard to understand from the outside ... but it's very hopeful and it has something to do with being young again, because at the end of the day, when we're young, we're all in the blank page mode."

Here’s to staying young enough to enjoy recess. Now I’m going to look for Edwards’ book to read.

Ojai Valley Inn & Spa—Looks Like the Perfect Site for a Deluxe Recess

2011-03-30T19:27:00.001-07:00

Image from Ojai Valley Inn & Spa website

When you’re ready for a really big recess (like I am) and have the time and money (not quite yet), try out the Artist's Cottage and Apothecary at the Ojai Valley Inn & Spa in Ojai, California.

All I have to do is look at the photos of the warm and serene spa at its website and feel refreshed. However, the Artist’s Cottage looks like a place to recharge your creative spirit in a big way.

According to the website: guests learn from local artists to work creatively in a variety of media, including oils, pastels, watercolor, precious metal jewelry making and silk scarf painting just to name a few activities.

The Artist's Cottage is a peaceful, comfortable haven to accommodate memorable creative endeavors. Whether you consider yourself to be an expert or a novice, it is our pleasure to assist you in your personal journey of self-discovery. Allow
for some time alone or share the experience with your family and friends.

The Personal Mandala class is one that we call a "Signature Ojai Experience." It is recommended at times of transition or when seeking clarity. Quiet and introspective, and with insightful feedback from your instructor, these sessions reveal a deeper meaning to what lies on the paper.

A signature Ojai experience…sounds perfect. I could use more clarity in my life. Has anyone experienced the Artist’s Cottage?

Juicy Journaling with Sark

2011-03-28T15:42:00.001-07:00

When you’re ready for some help to escape from your comfort zone and enjoy recess, check out all that is available from Sark. Juicy Journaling it is.

2008-07-18T07:39:00.000-07:00

Steven Wright is funny.

2008-06-26T19:39:00.000-07:00

It may take a little visual imagination, but close your eyes and you will be transported with this free audio tour of Peter Caine's Walking the Da Vinci Code in Paris.

2008-06-03T20:37:00.000-07:00

Laughing is good. David Sedaris makes me laugh, but I laugh more when I listen to him read his work rather than read them myself. Here are some audio quickies at NPR for one of those days...or weeks.

I also get a quick break out of my everyday routine by reading a little of the life of another David...David Lebovitz and his sweet life in Paris. And his photos...ooh la la!

Take some time for a little recess today.

2008-05-23T20:24:00.000-07:00

When everything seems too much of more of the same, it helps to get an entirely new perspective. A change of scenery is an easy way to do that. And you don't even have to go anywhere. Just log on to Second Life and your first life may get a much needed infusion of creativity. It's not exactly a recess since the learning curve is a little steep. But Second Life is a visually rich environment and all you need is a computer and broadband. Don't try it if you are easily offended because it is a bit like the Wild, Wild West sometimes. But it is always interesting.

And if you think it's too strange or too frivolous, consider that corporate America is already in virtual worlds.

"Strait-laced in the real world, workers do business as animals or blue-skinned hipsters in a parallel reality on the Web. To save money in these tough times, universities, conference planners and global firms have started holding gatherings for far-flung employees and students in the online world known as Second Life."
This article about Second Life by Alana Semuels, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer May 10, 2008, is a good overview of what may be a growing trend.

And here's an excellent Top 10 list of great places to visit if you decide to sign up and try it.

If you do, look me up. I'm Flannery Shan in-world. And Greenies is one of my favorite places in-world.

2003-09-19T17:58:00.000-07:00

Time for Recess from Simply Writing
You deserve a recess today

"We live in the age of beetles" - so proclaims some scientists. After exploring Beetle Science I'm inclined to agree. If you're not an expert on beetles, this will be recess - it's fun - and it will definitely make you look at life differently. It's a good thing to look at life from a different perspective at least once a week.

Make time for recess, you deserve it.

2002-10-08T16:44:00.000-07:00

Time for Recess from Simply Writing
You deserve a recess today

"The power of slow" is BrightHouse's "secret weapon." Read more about how Joey Reiman and his team rake in the big bucks by thinking - slowly. Contemplation is a good thing. Try thinking about something very slowly today. Don't try it while watching television, or reading a book or working on your golf swing. Just sit and think.

Make time for recess, you deserve it.

2002-10-07T16:07:00.000-07:00

Time for Recess from Simply Writing
You deserve a recess today

Out of fresh ideas? You can buy them "over the counter" at the BrainStore.

Make time for recess, you deserve it.

2002-10-05T11:05:00.000-07:00

Time for Recess from Simply Writing
You deserve a recess today

Do you live in a creative city? Find out at www.creativeclass.org and read more about Richard Florida's book, The Rise of the Creative Class.

More recess time feeds your creativity and more creativity is what we need for our economy.

Make time for recess, you deserve it.

2002-09-18T17:54:00.000-07:00

Time for Recess from Simply Writing
You deserve a recess today

Tomorrow, try using everything you have to solve a problem. Your intellect, your inner voice, your sensory knowledge, your spiritual intelligence, logic, intuition, your sense of humor - all of it. Play kick the can with your challenge - take a look at it from all sides and respond with your whole being.

We dance round in a ring and suppose
But the secret sits in the middle and knows--

Robert Frost

Make time for recess, you deserve it.

2002-09-17T17:15:00.000-07:00

Time for Recess from Simply Writing

You deserve a recess today

"Try to be surprised by something every day" OR "try to surprise at least one person every day."

So suggests Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (chick-SENT-me-high-ee) in his book Creativity: Flow & the Psychology of Discovery & Invention.

You can read more about Csikszentimihalyi and his work at Brain Channels.com where he was named Thinker of the Year for 2000.

Csikszentmihalyi has studied optimal experience or what he calls "flow" for more than 20 years. When you reach a state of optimal experience during work or play, you achieve a sense of profound mastery and your concentration and performance "flow." As he explains: "Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz."

So, with "flow" you can have your recess while working.

Make time for recess, you deserve it.

2002-09-16T16:04:00.000-07:00

Time for Recess from Simply Writing

You deserve a recess today

If you live in Paris or plan to visit soon, take your recess at the Nuit Blanche art festival on October 5th and 6th. But don't miss the world "light happening" before. Don't miss Arcade from September 25 to October 6, 2002, set to run for eleven nights until the official opening of Nuit Blanche. Project Blinkenlights is again mounting an interactive light installation in a public space. The Blinkenlights team will transform Tower T2 of the Biblioteque Nationale de France into a magnificent computer screen, billed to be the world's biggest computer screen to date. In an earlier installation in Berlin, they played "King Kong pong".

During these eleven nights, a constantly changing kaleidoscope of animations will entertain the public. Also, members of the public can play classic computer games, including Tetris, that appear on the building from their mobile phones.

If you can't get to Paris, you can read more about Project Blinkenlights and you can also can send your own picture or animation to the team at Blinkenlights and your animation will be one of those displayed during the Arcade lifespan. Check it out. If you make it to Paris, send me a postcard.

Make time for recess, you deserve it.

2002-09-15T10:05:00.000-07:00

Time for Recess from Simply Writing

You deserve a recess today

Visit today and visit often. "Creative savant" Don the Idea guy is the perfect antidote for a creativity-deprived funk. Take a look at his Brain-Blog.

Make time for recess, you deserve it.

2002-09-14T15:25:00.000-07:00

Time for Recess from Simply Writing

You deserve a recess today

Another way to see life from a new perspective - dance with your cat.

See instructions at Dancing with Cats.

Make time for recess, you deserve it.

2002-09-13T07:34:00.000-07:00

Time for Recess from Simply Writing

You deserve a recess today

reFRESH reFRESH reFRESH reFRESH reFRESH

See life from a new perspective - hang upside down on the monkey bars.

"...most creative organizations in any industry cultivate a vu ja de mentality of seeing old things in new ways ---means switching off the autopilot and looking at every challenge, project, and task with fresh eyes." -- Robert Sutton, Weird Ideas that Work: 11 1/2 Practices for Promoting, Managing, and Sustaining Innovation
Virtual field trip: www.gocreate.com
Kansas City field trip: Art of Team workshop, K.C. Art Institute

Read Robert Sutton's book for more insights into innovation. It's taken me awhile to read his book because I'm always pausing to take notes and to add to my list of books to read (he draws from a lot of resources and they all sound worth investigating).

How did I stumble onto his book? Well, it began at Fast Company magazine. Or rather it started with what I call "googling" or "web roulette." I typed in "fresh eyes" at Google and discovered an article at Fast Company's website (It's a marvelous magazine, but my subscription's lapsed, but I plan to change that soon and I hadn't visited the site for awhile so hadn't discovered the article earlier) about Sutton and his book.

Try this exercise when you're looking for inspiration or it's recess time for you. Try any old word or obscure concept and see what happens when you send Google out into the web world.

Make time for recess.

2002-09-12T16:44:00.000-07:00

Time for Recess from Simply Writing

You deserve a recess today

"Sitting quietly, doing nothing, spring comes and the grass grows by itself." -- Zen proverb

We need unstructured time - time for unhurried, undirected thinking. Acts of creation are strengthened by moments of rest - to allow for the "great aha."

Stay in one place and watch the world. Reflect. Imagine. Ponder. Daydream. Brainstorm. Ask "what if." Watch. Really see. Let your mind wander. Take time, stop and just think.

"Creativity is seeing what everyone sees and thinking what no one has thought." -- Einstein

Make time for recess you deserve it.

2002-09-11T12:41:00.000-07:00

Time for Recess from Simply Writing

You deserve a recess today

You've been working hard and it's time to renew and recharge. Give yourself some time to feed your mind so you can enhance your creativity and productivity.

First the sublime. Visit a great virtual museum of science and culture.

The Nobel e-Museum has wonderful articles by Nobel laureates and prominent writers. It also offers live Webcasts and video on demand from Nobel lecturers. Wander around some of the greatest minds of civilization.

Now, time for the silly. (Answers below the questions, so don't peek first.)

Sources: 10,000 Answers: The Ultimate Trivia Encyclopedia by Stanley Newman and Hal Fittipaldi; MENSA Word Puzzles: 75 Word Puzzles from Chronicle Books and Brain Teasers for Team Leaders by Leslie Bendaly

1. The following groups of letters are missing vowels. Replace the vowels and rearrange each group to form the name of a city. What are the four cities? (STPDB) - (DNNL) - (KHLCSTM) - (RMDD).

2. Add the same letter to each of the following to create a new word:
(row) - (host) - (rip)

3. What does "vibrissae" mean?

4. What does "WD" represent in the name of WD-40 spray lubricant?

5. What was the first full-length film made available for Internet viewing, on May 23, 1993?

6. What does "vexillophile" mean?

Look for the answers at the end.

No, recess isn't over, but I had to add a practical tip to save you time.

You can always use this search engine to find other web sites that can help ignite your creative spark and put in more recess time.

Take a look at SurfWax. This is a specialized search engine that includes content from the "invisible web." SurfWax helps you sift through Search Sets - hidden web sites that aren't indexed by traditional search engines. With the free version, you can access 500 sources such as federal government sites so you don't have to run a search on each individual site.

1. (ANSWER) (Budapest) - (London) - (Stockholm) - (Madrid)

2. (ANSWER) (grow) - (ghost) - (grip)

3. (ANSWER) - Scientific name for the whiskers of a feline.

4. (ANSWER) - "WD" stands for "Water Displacement" in the name of WD-40 spray. It was orginally developed for the aerospace industry, to prevent rust and corrosion of metal.

5. (ANSWER) - "Wax: Or the Discovery of Television Among the Bees"

6. (ANSWER) - Technical term for a collector of flags.

See my review of 10,000 Answers: The Ultimate Trivia Encyclopedia by Stanley Newman and Hal Fittipaldi at my "Words, Words and More Words" column at Suite101.com.