I read a sentence that synopsized this thought from Mary Morris’s book, Revenge. The novelist character shares this thought with her painter friend when she admits ashamedly that she can’t cook. This follows a recent scene where the painter’s gay brother created a bountiful meal from scraps, for the novelist’s family.

Which got me thinking.

If the idea is that creativity is the same whether it’s cooking or painting or writing or gardening, then if you’re doing them all at the same time, will you only be giving a quarter of your talent to each one?
Maybe this is the reason that I can only do one of these well at a time.

( In my mind I see a woman at the stove stirring a pot with one hand, sketching with her right foot, planting a flower with her other hand and typing with her left foot.)

Yes, it is impossible to do them all at the exact same time. But in my every day life, I can either do one of these well, or burn a whole lot of food.

When I’m taking a break from writing a novel, I usually find some other creative outlet to feed me, like decorating a house, creating a garden, a crafting or building project, or baking something new. Sometimes I venture deep into the pantry and try my hand at an odd meal combination, where I feed another odd habit: the desire to use things up and toss empty containers.

sigh.

I am giving away all my oddities, aren’t I. But, seriously. Nothing pleases me more than to finish a tube of toothpaste and toss it out. I would never be a hoarder, or one of those pantry stocking coupon gals.

Anyway, Morris says- well, her character says, that easch of those things: cooking,painting writng, gardening take nothing and make something of it. Perhaps that’s the beginning of creativity. Seeing the possibility.

I like that.

Thinking about that led me here to read about  the 9 attitudes of highly creative people, which I totally agree with.

And, no, this whole blog was not a way to avoid writing. It’s just another kind of writing. Another outlet for Linda.