Skip to main content

Creativity

Captain's Log, Stardate 10.15.2009

(Don't forget to weigh in on my podcast poll, which I posted yesterday!)

As I write this, I’ve just come back from church youth group, where I’ve been a youth group leader for 13 years.

Yes, you read that right. And no, I’m not completely insane (although my friends might beg to differ). I think God has given me a gift for working with teens, and since there aren’t many people who can say that, I’ve just run with it. I really like it.

Anyway, one of the games we played with the high schoolers was where Captain Caffeine flashed pictures of household items on the TV (it was a chance for the Captain to use his iPod Nano—he loaded the pics on his iPod and then hooked it up to the TV in the Sunday School room where we had the high school Bible study). The kids had to come up with creative ideas of how to use the items that weren’t conventional.

For example, he showed a (brand new) toilet plunger on the TV screen, and the kids came up with the idea that if someone were talking a lot, you could just pop! them in the mouth to shut them up. (This was aimed at a few girls who tend to talk a lot, so there was general laughter at that one.)

Anyway, he went to me as the “impartial judge” and I have to admit, while some ideas were Very Lame, some were rather creative.

Where do they come up with this stuff???

So where did my creativity go? And when did I lose it? Sometime in the ahem years since I was a teenager?

Granted, I’m not in the same environment as these kids. I don’t go to their schools, I certainly don’t spend as much time IMing and playing games on Facebook, and while I watch some of the same TV shows, I’m sorry, but I have to draw the line at One Tree Hill and Vampire Diaries (just too much teenage angst for me to stomach. After all, I continue to be very relieved I am no longer a teenager).

(Although a few of them and I do like to rehash the past week’s episode of Glee!)

Where I can dip into that teenaged well of wild imaginings and creative connections? And can I dip while avoiding the emotional angst of caring more about zits than a chem final?

Do any of you have teens? Do you know what I’m talking about?

And no, you may not mail your teens to me!
Labels:

Comments

  1. AnonymousThu Oct 15, 09:03:00 AM 2009

    I definitely relate to "where did my creativity go?" I recently rediscovered one of my first "stories," that I wrote when I was about 10. Man! It stinks! But I love how easy it was to let my creative juices flow onto the paper back then, no matter how ridiculous they were. So now, I think my writing's improved, but it's harder to just get into the flow and to come up with new stuff. However, I find that if it's late at night and I have instrumental music (any music I have that has absolutely no vocals!) playing in my ears, I can really get those words going! Ideally, I also have sugar and/or caffeine pumping through me, but then things can also get a little crazy, lol!

    ~Sasafras

    ReplyDelete
  2. RebeccaThu Oct 15, 09:53:00 AM 2009

    I just joined the youth staff at my church about a month ago... What I want to know is where does all of their energy come from?!?! We went to a conference last Friday night - Saturday (awesome) and I was TOAST by the end. :) I'm going to be on the lookout for their creativity now...

    ReplyDelete
  3. Camy TangThu Oct 15, 05:55:00 PM 2009

    Sasafras, caffeine always does that to me too!

    Rebecca--tell me about it! They're CRAZY! I don't know where they get all that energy. Maybe their parents are feeding them sugar tablets.
    Camy

    ReplyDelete
  4. Project JournalFri Oct 16, 02:57:00 PM 2009

    Hi Camy!
    Lol...nice post : ) I am a teen and I think that really all you need is ONE person who might have a bit more energy than needed. Then, they just egg you on and befor eyou know it...we're all crazy! Just what I have been observing lately at musical rehearsal...I have plenty of time for observation because we're there for 3 hours a lot of times! And that's on school nights! We need to feel like we're doing something or(for a lot of us anyway) we'll just sit down and cry from all of the stress!

    Thought I'd get my input in! : )
    Hannah

    ReplyDelete
  5. Camy TangFri Oct 16, 10:41:00 PM 2009

    Hannah, you might be right! Except I have TWO people who are mega high energy!!!!
    Camy

    ReplyDelete
  6. Project JournalSun Oct 18, 05:17:00 PM 2009

    Well then, you're doomed!! : )
    Hannah

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Laura’s Apricot Shell Shawl knitting pattern

I usually have a knitting project in mind when I write it into one of my books, but Laura’s apricot-colored shawl just kind of appeared upon the page as I was writing the first scene of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 4: Betrayer , and it surprised even me. I immediately went to my yarn stash to find a yarn for it, and I searched through my antique knitting books to find some stitch patterns. I made her an elegant wool shawl she could wear at home. The shawl ended up tagging along with Laura into the next book, Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 5: Prisoner , where it imparts some comfort to her in her trying circumstances. The two stitch patterns are both from the same book, The Lady’s Assistant, volume 2 by Mrs. Jane Gaugain, published in 1842 . A couple excessively clever and creative knitters might have knit these patterns in the Regency era, but they would have only passed them around by word of mouth or scribbled “recipes” to friends or family, and it wouldn’t have been widely use
2 comments
Read more

Matthew 22:37-39

Dear Lord, You have done so much for me. I am so grateful to you for sending your son to die for my sins so that I can be renewed, so that I can come before you and feel the comfort of your presence. I know that I am not alone, because you are with me. I want to love you completely and without inhibition. Teach me to be like you and love others as you love them. Your love is truly unending and glorious. Amen 親愛なる神様、 あなたは私のために多くのことをしてくださいました。私が新しく生まれ変われるように、あなたの前に出て、あなたの存在の快適さを感じられるように、私の罪のためにあなたの息子を死なせてくださったことに、私はとても感謝しています。私は、あなたが私と共にいてくださるので、私は一人ではないことを知っています。私はあなたを完全に、阻害されることなく愛したいのです。あなたのようになり、あなたが人を愛するように、私も人を愛するように教えてください。あなたの愛は本当に尽きることがなく、栄光に満ちています。 アーメン
Post a Comment
Read more

In-N-Out from A DANGEROUS STAGE

Source: tumblr.com via Camy on Pinterest In-N-Out, one of my fav burger joints, makes an appearance in the first chapter of A Dangerous Stage . It's a chain on the West Coast and Hawaii, I'm not sure how far east they have restaurants. They don't freeze any of their food, it's all fresh, including the buns and the french fries. When you order, you can see them use this french fry hand-crank machine to make their fries, it's pretty cool. The specific restaurant in A Dangerous Stage doesn't exist at that location, but there's a couple of them near me and I go there way too often than is good for me, but it's oh-so-yummy!
2 comments
Read more

No Cold Bums toilet seat cover

Captain's Log, Stardate 08.22.2008 I actually wrote out my pattern! I was getting a lot of hits on my infamous toilet seat cover , and I wanted to make a new one with “improvements,” so I paid attention and wrote things down as I made the new one. This was originally based off the Potty Mouth toilet cover , but I altered it to fit over the seat instead of the lid. Yarn: any worsted weight yarn, about 120 yards (this is a really tight number, I used exactly 118 yards. My suggestion is to make sure you have about 130 yards.) I suggest using acrylic yarn because you’re going to be washing this often. Needle: I used US 8, but you can use whatever needle size is recommended by the yarn you’re using. Gauge: Not that important. Mine was 4 sts/1 inch in garter stitch. 6 buttons (I used some leftover shell buttons I had in my stash) tapestry needle Crochet hook (optional) Cover: Using a provisional cast on, cast on 12 stitches. Work in garter st until liner measures
10 comments
Read more

AI-narrated audiobooks

Google allowed me to create audiobooks with an AI narrator for free of my titles available on the Google Play store, so I decided to give it a try. Right now, Necessary Proof , Unshakeable Pursuit , Weddings and Wasabi , The Spinster’s Christmas , and my devotional Who I Want to Be are all available as AI-narrated audiobooks. From now until March 11, 2023, Necessary Proof digitally-narrated audiobook is free! Pick up you free copy and let me know how the audiobook sounds. If you hear anything weird, feel free to email me and let me know the exact time where you heard it, and I’ll try to have Google correct it.
Post a Comment
Read more

Quiz from Lady Wynwood's Spies #6 - question 4

The latest volume in my Christian Regency epic serial novel just released, so I thought I’d post a few of my favorite passages from Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 6: Martyr . The laughter died as abruptly as it had started. “Don’t worry, you’ll be suffering even more soon.” The muscles in Jack’s neck drew taut, and he bared his teeth at Michael. “In fact, I want to see you all suffer.” “Why?” Michael asked. “Because you wronged me simply by being born,” he said, spit flying from between his gritted teeth. “And I want you to feel my pain.” QUIZ: Where are Michael and Jack in this scene, in the gentleman’s club or Stapytton House? EXTRA CREDIT: When did Michael first see Jack (in the flesh) without his makeup? I actually wrote this scene back when I was still outlining the entire series, before I’d finished book 2—I stuck the lines of dialogue in my outlining notes. I was just waiting to be able to put them in the book. Start the series with Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: A
Post a Comment
Read more

Merry Christmas! Enjoy The Spinster's Christmas

As a Merry Christmas gift to all my blog readers, I’m going to be posting my Christian Regency romantic suspense, The Spinster’s Christmas , for free on my blog! I’ll be posting the book in 1000-1500 word segments every Tuesday and Friday. (When I do the calculations, it’ll finish around the end of May.) Why am I posting a Christmas story when it won’t be Christmas in a week? Because I can! :) The Spinster’s Christmas is the prequel volume to my Lady Wynwood’s Spies series . Right now I’m editing volume 1 of Lady Wynwood’s Spies, and it’s on track to release in 2020. (If you’re on my Camille Elliot newsletter , you’ll be sure to hear when it’s available for preorder.) I anticipate that the Lady Wynwood’s Spies series to be about ten volumes. I think the series story will be a lot of fun to tell, and I’m looking forward to writing up a storm! Below, I’ll be listing the links to the parts of The Spinster’s Christmas as I post them. (I created the html links by hand so please l
2 comments
Read more

Some Like It Clean! Ebook sale

For the month of May, I’ve got three books in Some Like It Clean! , a sweet romance ebook sale— Weddings and Wasabi, Lady Wynwood’s Spies, volume 1: Archer (writing as Camille Elliot), and The Spinster’s Christmas (Camille Elliot). My books are 99¢ each (but not all the books in the sale are the same price). Those of you who already own those three books might like to browse the other titles to see if there’s anything that looks good! Some Like It Clean! Ebook sale
Post a Comment
Read more

Toilet seat cover

Captain’s Log, Supplemental Update August 2008: I wrote up the pattern for this with "improvements"! Here's the link to my No Cold Bums toilet seat cover ! Okay, remember a few days ago I was complaining about the cold toilet seat in my bathroom? Well, I decided to knit a seat cover. Not a lid cover, but a seat cover. I went online and couldn’t find anything for the seat, just one pattern for the lid by Feminitz.com . However, I took her pattern for the inside edge of the lid cover and modified it to make a seat cover. Here it is! It’s really ugly stitch-wise because originally I made it too small and had to extend it a couple inches on each side. I figured I’d be the one staring at it, so who cared if the extension wasn’t perfectly invisible? I used acrylic yarn since, well, that’s what I had, and also because it’s easy to wash. I’ll probably have to wash this cover every week or so, but it’s easy to take off—I made ties which you can see near the back of the seat. And
23 comments
Read more

ひとり寿司第３５章パート２

「ひとり寿司」をブログに連載します！ ひとり寿司 寿司シリーズの第一作 キャミー・タング 西島美幸 訳 スポーツ狂のレックス・坂井 —— いとこのマリコが数ヶ月後に結婚することにより、「いとこの中で一番年上の独身女性」という内輪の肩書を「勝ち取る」ことについては、あまり気にしていない。コントロールフリークの祖母を無視するのは容易だ —— しかし、祖母は最終通告を出した —— マリコの結婚式までにデート相手を見つけなければ、無慈悲な祖母は、レックスがコーチをしている女子バレーボールチームへの資金供給を切ると言う。 ダグアウトにいる選手全員とデートに出かけるほど絶望的なわけではない。レックスは、バイブルスタディで読んだ「エペソの手紙」をもとに「最高の男性」の条件の厳しいリストを作った。バレーボールではいつも勝つ —— ゲームを有利に進めれば、必ず成功するはずだ。 そのとき兄は、クリスチャンではなく、アスリートでもなく、一見何の魅力もないエイデンを彼女に引き合わせる。 エイデンは、クリスチャンではないという理由で離れていったトリッシュという女の子から受けた痛手から立ち直ろうとしている。そして、レックスが（１）彼に全く興味がないこと、（２）クリスチャンであること、（３）トリッシュのいとこであることを知る。あの狂った家族とまた付き合うのはごめんだ。まして、偽善的なクリスチャンの女の子など、お断り。彼はマゾヒストじゃない。 レックスは時間がなくなってきた。いくら頑張っても、いい人は現れない。それに、どこへ行ってもエイデンに遭遇する。あのリストはどんどん長くなっていくばかり —— 過去に掲載済みのストーリーのリンクはこちらです。 *** ＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊ レックスは、携帯のフリップを開けた「ヘーイ、リチャード」 「どうだった？」 「何がよ」冷蔵庫がブンブン言う音は数秒やんだ。レックスがバシッと叩くと、また始まった。 「オリバーとのディナーだよ」 「何で知ってるの？」 「あいつが言ってた」 「あなたから聞いたの？ いつから私の恋愛生活に興味が出てきたのよ」 「別に……ちょっと興味があっただけ」 レックスはお尻に手を当て、リチャードの純粋ぶった顔を想像しながら、冷蔵庫をじっと見た。「今まで『
Post a Comment
Read more