9 Comments
User's avatar
June Gervais's avatar

Oh, you KNOW I love this post! (Even if you hadn’t mentioned me in it!) Yes to all of these observations. Even the word “project” has a playful energy to me, actually—redolent of childhood art projects, glitter & crayon shavings. I will enter my creative week in that spirit. PS In your kindness, you revised my high school award to “Most Eclectic”, which is more complimentary than the actual award, which was “Most Eccentric” (aka Class Weirdo). 😆

Expand full comment
Grant Faulkner's avatar

Oh, I'm so glad you like it! I'm going to have bring the playful energy to "project" and transform it back to its original place (it still smacks of the workplace in my mind). I'm glad my misremembering "eclectic" is a good thing, haha. That's so great you've got a creative week! May it be full of eclectic eccentricities ...

Expand full comment
Dustye Muse's avatar

I love this so much! It reminds me of Lynda Barry writing about how as kids we draw for fun, and then when we grow up we don't draw any more because we think we aren't good at it or have no reason to do it because it's just playing around and we have become SERIOUS. I always try to keep this in mind, and remind myself 1000 times to write for the FUN of it like I did as a kid. You're right. These days with so many 'how to' offers and guides and gadgets, the play can get trampled over.

So, now I'm going to put on some Jonathan Richman and dance.

Expand full comment
Grant Faulkner's avatar

Oh, thanks for reminding me of Lynda Barry. I loved her book on creativity so much. And .. you can't go wrong with Jonathan Richman for playfulness!

Expand full comment
Nancy Chadwick, Writer's avatar

After a Midwest winter, it seems play becomes permissible at the first sight of a spring thaw, and definitely required when fireflies light up, signaling a summer evening, and when hearing the calling of burping tree frogs, the entire summer is one long playtime!

Expand full comment
Grant Faulkner's avatar

Bring on a summer of play!

Expand full comment
Luanne Warner Katz's avatar

I'm not sure I remember how to play! Like my dad, the farmer always said about EVERYTHING, "I'll have to work on that!" Ha! Thanks for the invitation to the sandbox!

Expand full comment
Grant Faulkner's avatar

It's so easy to forget how to play. It takes practice. Start by skipping a little. Work at the skipping, haha.

Expand full comment
Richard Donnelly's avatar

Very true. Having fun will be beat all the prep in the world.

Expand full comment