I feel a need to add a little to my post on creating out of enthusiasm/joy/love because it was a little too lovey-dovey and the minute I posted it I remembered about how many of my favorite books/movies etc are totally weird and depressing, and what’s up with that?
Creating out of love doesn’t necessarily mean that what you’re creating will be all roses and fairies and unicorns. These certainly aren’t bad things, but they also certainly aren’t the only things. It’s just that you just want to show somebody else the way you see something, offer them your idea – out of love for whatever you’re expressing (or how, or to whom). It’s also important that “love” means different things to different people and it’s up to you to identify that for yourself.
I feel like I’m back-tracking with all these qualifiers and clarifications, but it’s a difficult idea for me to write down clearly. Create because it fills you up (on some level). Offer it to others – and I specifically like the word “offer” because it does away with my weird guilt issues. You’re not jumping around for attention or demanding people love you; you just offer yourself to them because you believe in what you’re doing. And what you’re doing may not be Lisa Frank*-style and that’s OK.
My favorite author, Victor Pelevin, tends to be cynical and a little depressing in his stories; he’s not for everybody. But when I read his stories I’m left with a very strange, bittersweet feeling – a little sad, but at the same time completely inspired. Not depressed at all. I’ve never met the guy so I can’t say if he creates out of love, but I bring him up as an example of how it doesn’t have to be happy sparkle fun bubbles every time — if you’re trying to “create out of love” whatever the hell that means, and find yourself wanting to make something less-than-peppy, don’t worry about it. Don’t worry about run-on sentences either.
- Is there anything you love, Hermit?
- Yes.
- What is it?
- I don’t know. Something that comes to me sometimes. Sometimes it’s some kind of thought, sometimes the nuts, sometimes a dream. The important thing is that I always recognize it, whatever form it takes, and I greet it best I can.
- How?
- By becoming calm.
- Does that mean you’re worried all the rest of the time?
- No, I’m always calm. It’s just that calm is the very best thing I have in me, and when this thing I love comes to me, I offer it my calmness.
- And what do you think is best about me?
- About you? It’s probably sitting quietly in the corner without bothering anybody.
- Really?
- I don’t know. If you really want to, you can work out what the best thing in you is by thinking what it is you offer when you feel love. What did you feel, when you were thinking about the person who waved to you?
- Sadness.
- Well, that means the best thing in you is your sadness, and that’s how you’ll always greet anything you love.- “Hermit & Six-Toes” by Victor Pelevin
I love this passage so much I based a page on it, heh:
Conclusion: Read The Life of Insects and/or The Blue Lantern (which includes “Hermit & Six-Toes”) by Victor Pelevin and then email me so we can talk about how great they are. 
Conclusion 2: The next post needs to be pictures because there is too much writing going on here.
*= When I was little I wrote Lisa Frank a letter telling her she should make a rainbow colored snake. I got a form letter back telling me that they always took kids’ suggestions into account; it was awesome.
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