Dammed Creativity

Posted on March 14, 2011 by joana galarza johnson

Benjamin Franklin had little free time in his old age.  He complained of this cram-packed-with-politics schedule to close friends.  The very new United States– still fighting to survive needed his diplomacy, wit, wisdom and time.  And nobody else could fill his shoes. His science experiments lay unfinished collecting dust in his backyard laboratory.  Like some [...]

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Born After 1088?

Posted on February 20, 2011 by joana galarza johnson

Next to buying a new bookshelf, tackling a messy topic with white gloves is the joy of  historians. Medieval prostitution in France? Been there. Hitler’s willing executioners?  Done that.  No.  Not been or done.  Read.  Still, some characters of long ago haunt my dreams at night. I once sat in on John Taylor Gatto’s talk, Is College Necessary? The gist: [...]

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Nature is Leaden to Me–But I Figured Out Why

Posted on January 25, 2011 by joana galarza johnson

My previous post was a challenge.  I spent the better part of an afternoon sorting through random, uninteresting thoughts for a single exciting idea.  The children were around and as quirky as usual. I had plenty of time to write while they played with friends. Loads of books surrounded me. Still–I came up empty.  Ralph [...]

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Constraints that Increase Creativity, Part 1: The Truth about Time

Posted on October 8, 2010 by joana galarza johnson

For five days I’m writing about constraints that serve as kindling for Creation. Yesterday I introduced the topic of Constraints. I once sat to the left of a Literature professor at a colloquia round table. She dressed in olive-green and gray, adjusted her smart glasses every few minutes and wore her dark hair short. To [...]

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Time Theory at the Dentist

Posted on July 1, 2010 by joana galarza johnson

New headphones on, I settled happily in my pilot-chair to let Dr. Dentist work in peace.  I too, would be at peace, listening to Sean Carroll‘s mind-altering  From Eternity to Here .  Janet, the assistant,  bustled about selecting tools.  I’m ready, I said to her.  I’ve got a great book to listen to! She stopped.  [...]

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Keeping Track of Attention: Part 3

Posted on June 28, 2010 by joana galarza johnson

This weekend I carried a small, moleskin notebook around to keep track of my attention.  A day into this I knew my system would bring no epiphanies.  My attention had no trouble remaining where directed as I spent time with my sister and her family.  My 16 yr. old niece happily held my three-month old [...]

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An Inspiring Life and Attitude: Dr. Randy Pausch

Posted on June 27, 2010 by joana galarza johnson

Dr. Randy Pausch’s Last Lecture (watch it below)  is inspiring in many ways.  What I love most is the authenticity and wonder  Dr. Pausch projects. Albert Einstein said, There are two ways to live your life – one is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is a miracle. So [...]

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Creativity and The Amish

Posted on June 9, 2010 by joana galarza johnson

I remember all the green.  The hills fresh-soaked with drizzle, gently sliced along their bases by a winding black top. One lone sober horse pulling a black buggy.  Clip-clop….Clip, clop. I visited Pennsylvania’s Amish Country the Spring after I turned twelve.  I loved the  look of the “plain sect” community .  Everything proportional, almost stylized, [...]

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So Life Goes On

Posted on May 22, 2010 by joana galarza johnson

The weight of her entire life barely filled the hands rushing her from womb to resuscitation. Valentina entered the world quietly. In another place or decade, a time of death would have been recorded on a quotidian chart.  Not so on this unusually cool March afternoon at  UCSD Med Center in San Diego. Whispered physicians’ [...]

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