Hi Reader!

Rick Rubin's recent book, The Creative Act: A Way of Being, has been making the rounds on the interwebs and Instagram since its publication in early 2023. I admit that I didn't really know who the music legend was before starting this book, even though he contributed to a lot of music that I enjoy. I kept seeing quotes and audio clips paired with people painting and I decided to place the book on hold at the library. After literally months of waiting, I was finally able to settle down with the book and see what all of the fuss was about.

Admittedly, the book is what I would describe as a little woo woo. The book is divided into many chapters, some only a page or two long, and they cover a variety of topics with titles such as Inspiration, Greatness, Play, and Let it Be. I think my biggest takeaway was that all creativity is mainly about forward momentum. We may view our work as not progressing, or becoming stagnant, or not good enough. But the work will definitely not progress, become stagnant, and be disappointing if we just stop. The most important thing is to keep trying and to create an environment that supports that forward momentum. Easier said than done of course. See what I mean about a little woo woo?

I do see the appeal of the book though, especially if you are feeling insecure or unsure of your next steps, regardless of what the project might be. Over this last year I have had many ups and downs and a lot of self-doubt. Sometimes the statements and conclusions in the book seem so obvious and simple, but for some reason, they just make you feel a little more optimistic than you did before reading them.

Here is one of my favorite quotes from the book:

Living life as an artist is a practice.
You are either engaging in the practice or you're not.

It makes no sense to say you're not good at it.
It's like saying, "I'm not good at being a monk,"
You are either living as a monk or you're not.

We tend to think of the artist's work as the output.

The real work of the artist
is a way of being in the world.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It certainly made me want to pull out my paper and paints, which I think is the ultimate point of most books on creativity. Making things and sharing them can feel really vulnerable sometimes, and it is nice when someone who has been there essentially says, just keep going, you do you, and you is good enough.

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What I'm Watching

Vasya and I just finished watching the limited series Station Eleven and it was so good. The series is based on the novel by the same name by Emily St. John Mandel. Admittedly, I avoided the book for a long time because it seemed like everybody said it was amazing and you had to read it. Station Eleven, for those who do not know, is a post-apocalyptic novel about what happens to the world after a flu pandemic ravages humanity and it was published in 2014. Well, after Covid I thought, why not? Admittedly, the novel was very good, if a little unnerving given recent events. Having an entire limited series of eight episodes devoted to the book meant that very little was left out and it was fun to see how they tweaked the story line to create a really interesting television series. If you haven't read the book or watched the show yet, I highly recommend. Unless it's too soon... then skip it.

What I'm Reading

I love a good ghost story and Riley Sager's Home Before Dark did not disappoint. The story centers around a haunted house with a murderous past. The really fun part of the book is there are parallel story lines. You learn about the house's history as the current storyline is unfolding. I usually can figure out the whodunit of it all, but this one had enough red herrings that I was pleasantly surprised by the ending. If you are looking for a good old fashioned mystery horror, I would highly recommend it. Maybe just don't read it too late at night or in an especially creepy or derelict house.

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