The Nature of the Creative Being

I was reading through a book called "The Musician's Soul" and the author James Jordan had a list created by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi from his book "Creativity" detailing the characteristics that he has found in creative individuals. I'm not "sold" on his ideas by any means, I just think it's an interesting list of characteristics.

1. Creative individuals have a great deal of physical energy, but they are often quiet and at rest
2. Creative individuals tend to be smart, yet also naive at the same time.
3. A third paradoxical trait refers to the related combination of playfulness and discipline, or responsibility and irresponsibility.
4. Creative individuals alternate between imagination and fantasy at one end, and a rooted sense of reality at the other.
5. Creative people seem to harbor opposite tendencies on the continuum between extroversion and introversion
6. Creative individuals area also remarkably humble and proud at the same time.
7. In all cultures, men are brought up to be the "masculine" and to disregard and repress those aspects of their temperament that the culture regards as "feminine," whereas women are expected to do the opposite.
8. Generally, creative people are thought to be rebellious and independent.
9. Most creative persons are very passionate about their work, yet they can be extremely objective about it as well.
10. Finally, the openness and sensitivity of creative individuals often exposes them to suffering and pain yet also a great deal of enjoyment.


What do you think?

All my girlfriends are leaving - and I'm not OK with it

So far since I've moved to Louisville, my 3 best girl friends have all moved away. Helena was my first Seminary friend - she moved back to Charlotte, NC after the first semester, and now we VERY rarely speak.
Allison and I were such good friends, we were accountability partners - she just left Friday. She'll be in Chicago for the summer, then in Louisville long enough to move her belongings back to NC where her family lives.
Jennifer became my closest music school friend very quickly over the course of the last 2 semesters. I just helped her load a U-Hall yesterday to move back to Georgia.

I'm not OK with this.

It's hard enough to make friends at Seminary. The ratio of boys to girls is like 4000 to 1, and as an engaged woman, I'm not going to make friends with those 4000 boys. I have a few male friends, but only because in music school, you're kind of in each others faces every day for every class and rehearsal that exists, so I don't really have a choice there. I mean, I love my male friends, but I won't hang out with them outside of class. Unless another girl is around, I won't even eat lunch with them.

I've been feeling very lonely lately because of my lack of companionship period. Bryan and I are on completely opposite work schedules, so I only see him on his days off. He goes to work early, and by the time he's off, I'm just heading in to work at Bobs where I stay until the doors are locked. The same is true of work schedules when it comes to time with my roommate, Hannah. She's out the door at 630am every morning and in bed before I get back. We've actually gone an entire week without seeing one each other...and we live in the same apartment!

I feel...sad. That's the only way I can explain it. It's hard to say goodbye to your best friends especially when you have all the free time in the world to sit and think about how they are here anymore.

My kitty keeps me company and I am VERY thankful for her because she gives me something to come home to.

I am very thankful that Katie is coming over for a sleepover tonight!!! That will be a ton of fun. We always have a great time! And I am also super pumped that I've been able to see Teresa a couple times in the past few weeks!

I don't know why I'm complaining. I love the girl friends I have, I just wish I could get out of this stupid apartment and see them more often!


AND
I need to play some SOFTBALL or do SOMETHING ACTIVE!!! This is driving me nuts!



On a WONDERFUL note!
I'm getting married in 35 days!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wedding update!!

Hello 4 friends!

Wedding plans are moving at a much quicker pace than they were during the semester! YAY!
My biggest fear so far:
Invitations and all the possible ways there could be mix ups...like not sending one to someone I thought I sent one to, etc. You know, you've been there!
We have also run out of our RSVP online cards, so a few people will get the RSVP by mail who were initially going to get the online ones, but that's not a big deal at all. If it's the only thing that happens, I will rejoice greatly! I have also re-calculated the guest list and we are down to 295 invites! YAY! That's under 300 which I'm pumped about! We did all the initial costs for 150, and I know they say 20% won't show, but we figure since it's a bit of a "destination" for 90% of the guestlist, the number of regrets will be greater than normal. *crosses fingers* I hope. (is that bad?)

Stamps = expensive!! $88 for 200! That's crazy!

Another fear:
Friends asking to bring dates. How do we tell them, "no"? If they are coming and won't know anyone else in attendance, we are allowing a date, also if they have a long term significant other, they can come *obviously*, but if they are going to be there with 23424987 people they know...let's just say the invitation is addressed to 1. It's extremely expensive to feed strangers I've never met and won't see again. I hope this isn't rude. How can I tell friends politely that we would rather them come stag without upsetting them?



Bryan has been working on what we like to call the "liturgy" for the wedding! He's been picking out the Scriptures and working on the order, etc. This is a VERY big help! I'm super pumped. Since he actually knows what he's doing, it was awesome when he said, "so I've been working on our ceremony!" YAY for fiance!

Speaking of fiance, it's been AWESOME to hang out with him on a regular basis!! YAY!




I think that's about all I have to talk about as far as the wedding is concerned! So there's my little update!
They will all probably be wedding related from here until after the honeymoon, just an FYI!

<3

To do list

Hello blog world, or should I say, all 5 of you who read this!

I have figured out that if I don't write down some summer goals for myself, I'll end up sleeping till 1, going to work at 3, getting home at 11 or so, and doing it all over again. There are a few things I would really like to accomplish this summer!

1. GET MARRIED!!!! woohoo!!!!
2. after finals week, I am starting project Get in Shape for the Wedding. I will be grocery shopping for some healthy foods and starting a daily workout routine! (MutheringHeight, can you email me some of your favorite recipes? (some that don't require a ton of prep work) You eat really great foods! I MIGHT need an explanation of what some of the items are...haha
3. read my theology books for the Survey of Systematic Theology course in the fall. I want to get a head start on the reading for that class so I can learn from it instead of just read to get it finished!
4. practice the things for the Piano Proficiency. I have to have 3 repertoire pieces and 6 accompaniments (which I already have). I also have a ton of hymns to whip into shape and some hymns by ear. I think with a summer of practice under my belt, I can get out of taking the piano level 4 class in the fall!
5. learn Spanish or Italian - ok I know this is a LONG shot (I know that because I have looked into the price of the software and it's 239482394832749823 dollars), but I'd really like to pick those back up again. I had 3 years of Spanish in high school and 2 semester of Italian in college, and I would like to pick up the basics again.
6. learn how to belt from Will
7. take lessons and pick out rep for my recital from Dr. Sherman.


I think those are great goals! The only problem I can see is that I have to be at work at 3, and I usually don't get home until around 11 or later. That means, I can't fall asleep until late, etc. It's a vicious cycle. I just don't want to waste my entire summer sleeping late and working.


There ya go!



Oh and just so ya know, SBTS dropped my program!
bye

Marketing GENIUS!!!

Last night I received a youtube video link from one of my best friends in the world!
It was of a girl named Miranda trying to get voice students:




I laughed hysterically and could NOT believe she was actually serious, but found nothing proving otherwise as it was VERY late and I was tired!


This morning I woke up to a message from another friend confirming that she IS, in fact, a professional named Colleen Ballinger and she's fantastic:




What a genius! Check out "Miranda's" actual page! It's hilarious!

A small update

I'm sorry I don't write in this thing much. I only know a few people who actually read it, and 95% of the time, they already know what's going on in my life.

Things have been crazy here lately. I made it through my mid-semester meltdown with minimal damage, but I still feel like I'll never catch up. This semester has taken SO long to get going, and my schedule constantly changes *even still*, so I have NO routine. (And for those of you who know me...you KNOW I need routine).

Oh well!
Rehearsals for the Mozart opera are going REALLY well. We're having a blast and learning a lot from Dr. Sherman. She's an AMAZING teacher! (I found my adult voice, p.s.! No more sounding like a high school soprano in my middle range!!!)
I am one of the founding members of an a capella group this semester at school. We aren't really sure what will come of it, but there's really nothing better than singing sacred works in a jazz style! It's great!


I'm trying to think of things that actually matter...but there aren't really many, so here's a nicely organized bullet list:
* I am moving from the Bob's I'm at now, to a new one!
* I got my wisdom teeth out and everyone said it would be horrible
* I was not (so far I've had no problems at all)
* I start pre-marital counseling with the B tonight!!!
* I'm really pumped about it! It should be a lot of fun!
* I can't think of anything else
* I really hope best friend Lou comes to school here.
* All of my best girl friends from here are leaving or have already left...
it's hard enough on a seminary campus to find friends who are girls to actually hang out with, but they are all leaving. :( Helena left already, Jenn is leaving after this semester, Alison is leaving in August. :( Sad DAY!

10 things I'm thankful for

Bryan wrote a blog on this very topic. I think it's important to sit down right now and remind myself of a few of the positive things in my life! :D

...I am washed in the blood of the Lamb - something the exact opposite of what I actually deserve
...A fiance who loves me more than I ever thought anyone could
...A fiance who leads and teaches me that joyful submission is the best feeling in the world! (For those of you who know/knew me...you KNOW that's a big deal!)
...Parents who have provided every single thing in my life
...Parents who show and tell me how much they love me.
...The best family in the entire world. I'm pretty sure my family should go down in the Guinness book of world records as being the coolest family on the planet! NAY! The universe. The Bartlows know where it's at.
...The amazing group of support I have in my friends and my community group.
...A Gospel-centered church who is transparent about their flaws
...The opportunity to be a student at a school where I am constantly built up and encouraged.
...My kitten, Aria, who has helped me through all the transitions life has thrown at me over the past 6 months! (wow, I've been here 6 months!)


:D
That was awesome! I wanna write more, but I REALLY need to sleep.