21 Comments
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Francesca Bossert's avatar

Absolutely! I'm so grateful for have been a teenager in the 70s. I wrote stories, and plays, and painted, and crocheted, and made things. And even now, I always have to be making things. Congratulations on your Haiku book! My poetry book should be out in the next few days! Exciting!

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Jason McBride's avatar

Thank you and congratulations to you on your new book!

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Francesca Bossert's avatar

Thank you, Jason.

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Karol Koszorz's avatar

I wholeheartedly agree Jason. It's why at the end of my life, I know I won't care that much if my full-time job is being an Artist. Of course, it would be the dream now, but I know that even with another job, I can create by letting boredom into my day-to-day. Can't wait for Sci-Fi Haiku :)

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Jason McBride's avatar

Thanks, Karol!

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Claire Cayson's avatar

Oh Francesca thank you so much blessings on your poetry I am thrilled for you Oh just bless

^

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Dan's avatar

Jason, I love every single word of this post and the profoundly important and helpful message you're conveying. I bully myself constantly for not getting more accomplished even though usually I'm doing all I know or have time to do. God I miss looking up at the clouds and seeing what shapes are forming and changing or even just staring off into space. Such a good reminder here on so many levels.

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Jason McBride's avatar

Thanks, Dan! We are often our toughest taskmaster, aren't we? Cloud watching is a wonderful way to touch the sublime!

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Dan's avatar

Indeed it is my friend!

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Stanley Wotring's avatar

I love your assessment of the role boredom can play in the creative process.

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Jason McBride's avatar

Thank you, Stanley!

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Sue Clancy's avatar

Yes!!!! I'm 💯 percent with you on the value of quiet "boring" times!!! They're priceless!!!! And congratulations on the new book!!!! Yay!!!!!

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Jason McBride's avatar

Thanks! We all need more blank space in our lives

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Liz Gauffreau's avatar

I only get bored when there is too much noise/chatter to let my mind roam free for poetry and stories.

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Carolyn Jones's avatar

Prompted me! Used ideas from my most recent poem -

Green code flickers on,

trees breathe in electric loops,

roots hum algorithms.

A bird made of light

sings songs no ear’s heard before.

Still, something feels old.

Leaves fall in zeroes.

I reach out, fingers slip through.

The forest sees me.

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Jason McBride's avatar

I love this, Carolyn!

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Stephanie Sweeney's avatar

Absolutely agree, and also could not help but chuckle at the overall message of “oh you think you’re bored? Back when I was kid, all I had for entertainment was watching the grass grow!” I’m the same way, honestly. My best friend and I played in the woods, held a burial for a dead squirrel, and wrote stories together. So important to our creativity and independence. Boredom is vital.

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Jason McBride's avatar

Haha! I can't keep the dad in me from seeping into everything 🤣 There are so many lessons in literature about holding onto the things we love too tightly, but it seems as a culture, we have not learned that lesson yet. I think we cling a bit too tightly to kids instead of letting them develop their own rituals like squirrel burials. Thanks for reading, Stephanie!

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Amie McGraham's avatar

Impressed by your spreadsheet tracker!!

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Jason McBride's avatar

Haha, thanks! I truly love transcribing poems from my notebooks into the boxes of the spreadsheet.

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Monique Hutchinson's avatar

The need to be "doing" something all the time, to be busy, to be productive is something I still struggle with, but am finally able to take some moments of appreciation. Where we live, on weekends there is very little to do, so we've had to become self sufficient which did turn me back to writing - not that it's necessarily anything useful, productive or good! Thank you for sharing.

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