Trolls

This was my favorite moment in Seattle. We took a wrong turn, (actually…several of them…) and ended up at the base of a street called Troll Avenue. We decided to turn onto it, and when we arrived at the top, the above sculpture greeted us. Jennie tossed me her camera and I grabbed a quick shot.

It was unexpected, cool and memorable. (And we almost got into a…well…”creative accident” as I was taking the shot…)

Simpsonize me

OK…it’s Friday…just got an e-mail from my friend Steven with a link to an image of himself as a Simpsons character.

I, of course, was dying to know what my Simpsons counterpart would look like. I made my way over to Simpsonizeme.com and you’re looking at the result.

Yeah…I fell for it hook, line and sinker. But as I said…it’s Friday.

If you decide to take the bait, feel free to post your Simpsons alter-egos in the comments. (I wonder what would happen if someone went through the process and their Simpsons character looked just like Homer or Marge…therapy anyone?)

The Connected Interview

Good friend of Accidental Creative (and recent AC interviewee ) Lisa Johnson of Reach Group Consulting (and author of "Don’t Think Pink" and "Mind Your X’s and Y’s") recently interviewed me about the nuances of online communities, podcasting and other new media.

Lisa is doing incredible work in helping organizations understand the dynamics of the new marketplace. Her podcast, The Connected Generation (iTunes | RSS ), is a regular staple in my podcast diet. You can also read her blog through the Reach Group site . 

No One Sets Out To Be A Smooth Jazz Musician

Dave sends us this tidbit from the Onion. Ever wonder how little decisions can lead to big mistakes? Here’s a comical  retrospective of one jazz musician’s tumble into commercial viability. (Fake, of course. C’mon…it’s the Onion!)

"Cover bands don’t change the world", but they do make riding in an elevator a little more pleasant.

No One Sets Out To Be A Smooth Jazz Musician [The Onion]

Link Roundup

It’s been a busy week here in AC world, but here are a few gems I managed to stumble across:

37 Signals on Stefan Sagmeister - Can design make you happy? (And giddy?) [37 Signals.com]
Pop Songs Threaten Nursery Rhymes - Maybe "cover bands" can change the world. [Agenda, Inc.]
My War On Clutter - Merlin Mann’s clutter-post-mortem. (The comments are great.) [43folders.com]
Chris Glass - Amazing design, writing, photography. [ChrisGlass.com]

GTD Dojo

Business 2.0 has a great story this month on David Allen . For those who are "geeked-up" on all things GTD, ("Getting Things Done"), the article provides much of the back-story on David’s life and career and where he sees the company going. There are a few productivty tidbits tossed in as well for those willing to dig a bit.

In case you missed it, we recently interviewed David for the Accidental Creative podcast. (The interview is currently out on David’s podcast feed as well.)

Article: "The Master of Geting Things Done" (Business 2.0)

Stimulus Finding

One of the regulars in my podcast diet is Cool Hunting. The latest episode is a profile of Lori Nix , whose art must be seen to be believed. I am always amazed at the extent some artists go to in order to realize their vision. Semantics are critical and vision is everything.

Cool Hunting - Lori Nix

Just For Kicks…

WAAAAY off target for our normal subject matter around here, but it is…after all…Friday.

One of my informal hobbies is snapping pics of anomalies, absurdities and things that are a bit "off-kilter." Here are a few recent shots:

"Hurry! Call for help! That weird guy with the ax is gaining on us! WHAT?!? What do you MEAN you CAN’T?"

"Oh…I’m sorry sir, but this restaurant is going out of business in five minutes. We’re only temporary. The REAL restaurant will open tomorrow."

Creative accidents are everywhere. Some things, however, are just the regular kind of accident. 

G’Day!

Thanks to the Sydney Morning Herald for featuring The Accidental Creative in its list of good podcasts for small business owners. There are also a few other gems in their list worth checking out.

Rest, Rabbit. Rest.

I am a fan of children’s books. No joke. Love them.

My friend Ben often brings children’s books to work to teach simple principles or illuminate some problem that’s been going on in the organization. There is a clarity that emerges in the midst of these short parables or no-frills proverbs that often touches something deep and primal within us.

A children’s book that I came across in the past year (and have since passed on to others) is called "Rest Rabbit Rest." The book is about a rabbit who is unable to be still because of all of the obligations in his life. He is constantly turning even the simplest task into a complicated and anxious demonstration of futility. He works to make processes more efficient so that he could fill his "saved" time with more activity. His life is scheduled to the minute, and any little distraction becomes a huge issue.

There is a direct correlation between rest and creativity. The more we are at rest - mentally and physically - the more prepared we are to recognize creative accidents when they occur. Many opportunities are lost every day because we are not in a position to receive them. When we are constantly "on" we are incapable of filtering the noise to get to the signal. Great becomes inseparable from good, and novelty is mistaken for creativity. When we are prepared, rested, and focused we are better able to recognize the truly great moments of creative intuition.

How are you at resting? It’s Monday - after the weekend. Are you going into your work week relaxed and ready, or exhausted from a weekend of recreation and over-scheduled activity?

Rest rabbit, rest!