Janel Gradowski's Blog, page 16

Creativity Vitamin: Mindless Tasks

Do you ever feel like there are so many thoughts swirling in your brain you’ll never be able to concentrate on one? I think many of us feel like that now. There are emails to answer, social media accounts to update, phone calls to return and blog posts to write. Then you have those household chores that need to be done. Many times I have been cooking dinner, unloading the dishwasher and washing laundry all at the same time.

I’ve found that this kind of chronic multitasking has even carried over to my creative life. I’ll be writing, but instead of concentrating wholly on that I will also be thinking about a plot hole I need to fix two chapters back, am carrying on a conversation on Twitter and the dreaded internal critic is telling me everything I’m writing is a stinking pile of horse excrement. In fact, as I’m writing this post I have also been reading new emails, checking Facebook and thinking this post is as convoluted as the Appalachian Mountains. That inner critic, that little voice in our head that makes us second guess ourselves, likes to butt into the creative process with reckless abandon. It’s self-sabotage. We know that, but how do we stop it?

I like to multitask the inner critic into submission. Set that pesky part of your mind to work on a simple, often repetitive, task. Then go back to your creative project and see how much better it flows. I’ve actually been using this method for years without even realizing it. Whenever my writing starts slowing down or I hit a creative wall, I instinctively walk away from my computer and do housework. Vacuuming, unloading or loading the dishwasher, sorting laundry – the kind of tasks I can practically do in my sleep. The magic thing is that the hypercritical devil that was on my shoulder starts concentrating on the minutiae of the chore and leaves the rest of my mind to get itself back on solid creative ground. Pushing the vacuum back and forth, putting silverware into the correct slot, matching socks – there is an almost meditative side to those acts. I also find counting works wonders for me, so I’ll pick up an easy beadwork, knitting or crocheting project. The key to that is it must be easy, stitches you have already mastered or a project that is well underway that you understand completely. You don’t want to frustrate yourself by trying to figure out something complicated. Remember, you’re trying to lull that trouble-causing critic to sleep. If you aren’t into cleaning or crafting you could also try doing things like rearranging your desk, playing a game of solitaire or sorting stray files on your computer into folders.



What kinds of things do you do to quiet your inner critic?

I’m On Bloglovin’

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As many of you know, Google Reader will be discontinued this summer. I’ve joined Bloglovin’ to keep track of my favorite blogs. You can follow me there, too, by clicking the link above.

Rice and Vegetable Bowl with Miso

I own a little, saved-me-from-starving-many-times rice cooker. It is a 4-cup size, bought for $10 at Walgreens, with only two settings – on or warm. I also have a spare one in my basement that I got for a few bucks, obviously never used, at a thrift store. The rice cooker has a tendency to spit starchy water out through the vent hole in the lid, splattering my counter top and cupboards, if I make more than two servings (according to it’s measuring cup) of rice. So, if I need to make rice for my family I switch to a saucepan and boil the rice in lots of water, like pasta. My little rice cooker has its flaws and limitations, but you just can’t beat if for a one-serving lunch.

Last week I bought miso for the first time. In “Road to the Colony” I mention an Asian soup, so I want to develop a recipe for it to include in the book. I’ve had miso soups at restaurants before, but this is the first time I’ve tried cooking with it myself. My first attempt at soup was good, but the next day I decided a rice bowl sounded better.

I’m not sure if miso would traditionally be used like this, but I think the results of my lunch-time experiment was very tasty. The weather has still been chilly here in Michigan, so a warm, filling lunch is still very desirable. I served this in my favorite bowl, a deep, handcrafted one in brilliant shades of blue. Not only does the the color remind me of warmer weather,  the memory of buying the bowl at a summertime art fair is also pleasant and uplifting. One last thing, it’s a bit of a true confession thing. I’m not really sure if I used bok choy in my rice bowl. I wanted to get napa cabbage. At the grocery store I examined the heads of napa and they all looked a bit tired, but there were also several heads of a greener-leafed, more billowy vegetable in the same bin. I thought it was possibly a different variety of napa. The cashier thought it was called celery cabbage. After cooking with it, I think it might actually be bok choy (it looks like a cross between napa cabbage and bok choy to me), but I don’t cook with bok choy often so I don’t know for sure. So, add in whatever greens you like. Even the mystery ones work.

Print
Rice and Veggie Bowl with Miso


Author: Janel Gradowski (http://www.janelgradowski.com)



Serves: 1 – generously
 


Ingredients

¼ cup white rice
½ cup broth – vegetable or chicken
¼ cup carrot – finely diced
6 white button or crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 cup bok choy – chopped
Sesame oil
Soy Sauce
½ cup firm tofu, cubed
½ cup boiling water
2-3 teaspoons white miso paste
Red pepper flakes, optional




Instructions

Put rice in fine mesh strainer and rinse with cold water until the water runs clear. Put rice in bowl of rice cooker. Add broth, a drizzle of sesame oil and a splash of soy sauce. Layer carrots, mushroom and bok choy on top of the rice. Cover and turn rice cooker on. When it is done cooking, leave on the warm setting. Put tofu on top of cooked rice mixture, replace cover and let warm for 5 minutes. Dissolve the miso paste in the hot water and stir until smooth. Empty rice mixture into a deep bowl. Pour miso broth over top. Season with additional sesame oil or soy sauce. Sprinkled with red pepper flakes, if using.



3.2.1230

This post is linked to Showcase Your Talent Thursday, Foodie Friday and Weekend Cooking

 

The Return Of Microcosm J

Several years ago I participated in a challenge where I wrote a new flash fiction story every day for a month. Since many of those were really micro stories, the tiny sibling of flash fiction, I decided I might as well publish them on a blog. So I started Microcosm J on Tumblr. After about a dozen posts it fell by the wayside as I focused on longer stories once the challenge was over.

As I have been writing the second book in the Bartonville Series, “Road to the Colony”, I noticed that all of my stories where short of the word count goal. Years of writing flash fiction has left me with a tendency to write sparse, bare-bone first drafts. I always add in description and detail as I rewrite and edit, instead of taking it out. So, I decided, why not practice those skills in a creative way? I have brought Microcosm J back to life, but this time I’ll be writing vignettes instead of micro stories. Basically they’ll be small stories, rich in description, but lacking the beginning, middle and ending plot structure of a traditional flash fiction story. If you’re interested, or possibly confused, by the concept stop in and see what I’m doing. The vignette Sunlight is also a companion piece to one of the novelettes coming in “Road to the Colony”.

 Microcosm J

 

Happy Easter

Happy Easter!

I hope you all enjoy the weekend with friends and family. I’m taking time off from some of the memes that I regularly participate in to enjoy the first weekend of Spring Break and the holiday with my family.

Creativity Vitamin: Water

How many times have you gotten a brilliant idea while you were taking a bath or shower? Solving sticky plot problems is often a nice benefit of washing my hair. I’ve lost count of the number of blog posts I’ve seen where other people have mentioned coming up with ideas while they were taking a shower. I’m not sure if there is any scientific evidence about why this type of thing happens, but it often feels rather magical. Like creative muses are attracted to water. Showers and baths are, of course, great ways to coax out your water borne creativity. But there are drier ways to incorporate water into a creative routine.

The sound of running water can be very relaxing. A soothing form of background music while you are creating. Have you ever taken a vacation at a beach and felt yourself relax as soon as you heard the rush of the surf? Sitting within earshot of a beach or bubbling stream would be wonderful, but let’s face it, that isn’t possible for many of us. A fountain is a great alternative. You could put one outside or get a small tabletop model for inside. Since spring is here, fountains will be easy to find in garden centers now. You could even do a bit of research and design your own. There are many instructions for how to do that on the internet.

You can also try drinking water as part of a creative ritual. As you drink the water tell yourself that it is time to create. When you are well-hydrated you think and feel better, too. If the health aspect of this interests you, try researching drinking hot water with lemon (here’s a link to one article) or water mixed with raw apple cider vinegar. I’ve seen people talking about doing these things as a way to cleanse your body and aid in digestion. I have never tried either, so I can’t vouch for the health benefits, but I have seen many people mention that they feel better from regularly doing one or the other.

Do you find water boosts you’re creativity? Please leave a comment and tell me if you use any of these techniques on a regular basis.

 

 

Creativity Vitamin – Water

How many times have you gotten a brilliant idea while you were taking a bath or shower? Solving sticky plot problems is often a nice benefit of washing my hair. I’ve lost count of the number of blog posts I’ve seen where other people have mentioned coming up with ideas while they were taking a shower. I’m not sure if there is any scientific evidence about why this type of thing happens, but it often feels rather magical. Like creative muses are attracted to water. Showers and baths are, of course, great ways to coax out your water borne creativity. But there are drier ways to incorporate water into a creative routine.

The sound of running water can be very relaxing. A soothing form of background music while you are creating. Have you ever taken a vacation at a beach and felt yourself relax as soon as you heard the rush of the surf? Sitting within earshot of a beach or bubbling stream would be wonderful, but let’s face it, that isn’t possible for many of us. A fountain is a great alternative. You could put one outside or get a small tabletop model for inside. Since spring is here, fountains will be easy to find in garden centers now. You could even do a bit of research and design your own. There are many instructions for how to do that on the internet.

You can also try drinking water as part of a creative ritual. As you drink the water tell yourself that it is time to create. When you are well-hydrated you think and feel better, too. If the health aspect of this interests you, try researching drinking hot water with lemon (here’s a link to one article) or water mixed with raw apple cider vinegar. I’ve seen people talking about doing these things as a way to cleanse your body and aid in digestion. I have never tried either, so I can’t vouch for the health benefits, but I have seen many people mention that they feel better from regularly doing one or the other.

Do you find water boosts you’re creativity? Please leave a comment and tell me if you use any of these techniques on a regular basis.

 

 

Review: My Berlin Kitchen

My Berlin Kitchen – A Love Story (with Recipes)

By Luisa Weiss

Published by Viking

The Wednesday Chef was one of the first cooking blogs I discovered quite a few years ago. I was drawn to its conversational, easy writing style and the many recipes I marked to try. My Berlin Kitchen is by the author of that blog, Luisa Weiss. This isn’t a reprint of her blog posts, though. This is more of a behind the scenes look at her life. She was born in Berlin, but soon split her life between there and Boston after her parents divorced. Some of the chapters detail everything from holiday meals in her apartment in Berlin to losing all desire to eat after the unsettling breakup of a relationship. There is always food to tie the book together. Often recipes are included at the end of the chapters, related to a special meal mentioned earlier.

The love story aspect of this book, referred to in the subtitle, is as much about her love of Berlin as it is about her fairy tale romance with her husband. It seemed throughout most of her life, no matter where she was, she dreamed of being somewhere else. When she lived with her father in Boston as a child, she longed to be with her Italian mother in Berlin. When she had built a life with a rewarding career and tight-knit circle of friends in New York City, Berlin was still calling her home. I held my breath when she made the move to Germany and then struggled with the regrets of leaving behind her beloved NYC.

This book has a style that is just as easy going and friendly as Luisa’s blog. It’s kind of like sitting down with a friend to chat…and she gives you her favorite recipes at the end of every conversation. Some of the recipes I’d like to try are the Swiss Chard and Gruyere Panade, Pasta e Ceci with Rosemary and Chile, and the Alsatian Flatbread with Bacon and Creme Fraiche.  The descriptions of places like an abandoned orchard in Berlin, her mother’s house in Italy, and the various, unique apartments she has lived in are just as vibrant as her food descriptions. I thoroughly enjoyed this glimpse at the life of one of my favorite bloggers.

This post is linked to Weekend Cooking at Beth Fish Reads and the Foodies Read 2013 Challenge

Embroidered Reading Nook – Saturday Snapshot

This embroidered picture sits on top of my bookshelf in the living room. I saw it at an indoor flea market in Lansing, MI and I couldn’t walk away without it! The fact that it cost less than $10 sealed the deal. It was destined to come live with me. I like to imagine that it’s somewhere in Key West – a very nice daydream considering spring is taking its sweet time coming to Michigan.

Saturday Snapshot is hosted by At Home With Books. Stop by and check out more wonderful pictures posted by some great bloggers.

Creativity Vitamin: Read

Take a few minutes to read something before you begin working. No, I don’t mean curl up with a juicy novel, read for hours and never get around to your own project. What I do mean is take 10, 15 or 20 minutes to read something that interests you. Think of it as a creative warm-up for your brain. If you’re afraid you will get sucked in by what you’ve chosen to read you can either set a timer or set a goal of only reading one chapter or section. You don’t want to get distracted, rather the point is to get your mind thinking in a creative way.

You can approach this type of reading in two ways. You can research something you need for your project. Find instructions for how to do a new crochet stitch or read an article on a pivotal World War II battle. Or you can read about a completely different subject. If you are writing a novel you could read about how to grow vegetables in planters on a balcony. If you are a watercolor painter, why not try reading a flash fiction story in a genre you don’t usually read? Play around with different lengths of reading times and different subjects, related or unrelated to your creative project. If you are working, but feel your creative energy waning, try taking a few minute break to read again. It might be the boost you need to get back on track.



If you give this Creative Vitamin a try, please stop back and leave a comment about how it worked for you.