WiFi Art Thou, New York?

It is much harder to find free WiFi in NY than it is in DC.

Most places seem to be in the Village and Brooklyn. Today hubby and I have parked ourselves at 'wichcraft in E. 8th Ave - a yummy sandwich shop that also has the 'fi.

Good times.

Creative DC in NY, day 2

Hello from the Greenwich Treehouse, a great little bar in Greenwich Village with free Wifi. I cannot resist the romance of the Village...I sit here and think about Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg and poets curled up in small apartments with candles burning in empty wine bottles. Walking the small side streets around here is intoxicating for me...I imagine living here and having "my" bakery, my little corner cafe, etc. It's very European. At the same time, part of me resists the movie image of the place, and reminds myself that poets are curled up in cities and towns all across the country and globe. But there is an undeniable magic to this place. The apartment we're renting is in the Upper West Side, which feels far more functional...there's magic to Central Park of course, but not necessarily on Columbus Ave. I remember reading a wonderful book called Paris to the Moon, by Adam Gopnik, in which he talks about the idea of "a beautiful existence" - he and his wife move to Paris to find it. In my 20s I used to fantasize about moving away, to San Francisco mostly, in search of the same thing. My DC existence is grounded, and there's a profound beauty to that... but it's exciting to be somewhere that feels magical. Like being swept away.

Creative DC Goes to New York

I'm in NYC this week, for a mix of business and pleasure. My hubby and I are renting an apartment, and the owner (a stranger) has a copy of The Artist's Way, and quotes about creativity posted to the walls. Whoah. Last night we took our dog to Central Park and ran with him through fields of untouched snow. We also ate Thai food and saw an improv show at the Upright Citizens Brigade, and bought generic brand Apple Jacks (him) and Shredded Wheat (me) to have for breakfast throughout the week. It's weird to be quasi-living here - it feels so normal, on the one hand, and yet everything is a shade off, like I'm in a dream. That feeling is probably amplified by the fact that we barely slept last night, thanks to a clanging radiator. There are stray cats in the garden out back, which is strung with Christmas lights. More to come.

What Philosophy Majors Do After College

Last week NY-based comedian Jennifer Dziura posted to Creative DC:

I'm a comedian with a solo show, "What Philosophy Majors Do After College," coming to DC on tour for the first time (along with burlesque performer/author Molly Crabapple) and I found your blog searching for signs of awesomeness down south...

She had me at "I'm."

In all seriousness - her show looks very cool:

In her hour-plus solo show, Jen starts off with "The History of Western Philosophy in Fifteen Minutes," and then expounds comedically on what one does with a degree in philosophy. In her case, stints as an art school model, a professional contraceptive tester, a failed dot-com entrepreneur, and finally, a comedian telling grammar jokes in Wonder Woman underpants.

Ironically, I'll be in NY next week, so I won't be able to make it - but you should check it out:

D.C. Arts Center
2438 18th St. NW
February 28
7:30pm
$10

She'll also be performing at The Red and the Black on the 26th (I'm just partial to DCAC)...more info on her site.

Setbacks

I've been thinking about how to bounce back from setbacks this week - everything from not getting the part you want in a play, to overcoming the inevitable inertia imposed by frigid temps. It can be so easy to just curl into a ball, and sometimes, that's what you need - time to lick your wounds, or permission to just stop, and rest.

But for me, at least, it can be hard to jumpstart those creative juices when I've been in a state of inertia for too long. And I've realized that these are the times when picking up my journal is most important. It's amazing how as the pen starts flowing across the page, part of me becomes completely reactivated. For you, maybe it's picking up the camera and just taking a couple shots around the apartment. Or picking up a favorite book and underlining a favorite phrase; trying that recipe you've been curious about for a while. Whatever it is, remember the power of these baby steps. And remember that they're all that stands between you and creativity. What feels like an enormous gulf can be bridged in a single step.

Podcasts for "The Creative Class"

Ugh. Fast Company magazine lists 12 podcasts for "the creative class" - that odd economic construction that groups artists, "knowledge workers" and intellectuals, according to FC. Loyal readers will remember that I've taken issue with the concept of the "creative class" before. As I said then, I'm no economist, but I take issue with co-opting the term "creative," as though doctors and construction workers and whoever else doesn't fall into the "creative class" construct is somehow less creative.

Prickliness aside, some of the podcasts on the list look interesting. I'm not a big podcast listener myself - too many steps for this lazy soul between the moment of interest and actual listening, plus I don't drive much anymore, and the only time I really like to listen to "talk" is in the car. But still - despite my issues with "the creative class," and despite my lack of podcast use, I cheerfully and enthusiastically point the way to this list of podcasts.

Resurrected!

Dear readers,

I have not foresaken thee! For some reason, Blogger thought Creative DC was a "spam blog," so I've been unable to post for several days. But now I'm back. I have nothing to say at the moment - but I'm back.

[a loud sigh of relief ripples through the city]

-Amanda

Great resource alert

The Cultural Development Corporation's Web site offers a great round-up of news and opportunities for DC artists, ranging from calls for entry to funding opportunities, artist residency programs, auditions, classes, jobs and more. You can sign up to receive the announcements via email. This week's edition includes a call for entries to the DC Short Film Festival, announcements of studio spaces available for rent, and a notice that the Shakespeare Theatre is looking for a casting director. Great resource.

When Your Brain Just Takes a Seat

Long week. This line from a Paul Simon song caught my attention:

Have you ever experienced a period of grace
When your brain just takes a seat behind your face
And the world begins The Elephant Dance
(from "Think Too Much")

I'm ready for some elephant dancing right about now. Woot. Woot.

Making Your Documentary Matter

I attended the Making Your Documentary Matter conference today, hosted by American University's Center for Social Media.

I was turned off by how many people in attendance make films specifically to advance an agenda, rather than making a documentary first and then thinking about how to extend its reach and impact. Not that using media to advance an agenda or to effect policy change is bad, or wrong, but I was just sad that that was the only way people seemed to interpret the meeting's theme..as if non-advocacy documentaries somehow don't matter. In my mind, documentaries without a pre-set agenda often reveal more truth, because the filmmaker is more open to letting a story unfold. Surprises are let in, versus the media maker assuming they know the whole story at the outset.

I reject the idea that documentaries only "matter" if they lead to legislation or other evidence of specific change. If a documentary touches me, moves me, speaks to me - it matters. And honestly, knowing what it takes to make a documentary, I'd argue that even if no one sees it, it matters -- for the engagement it represents on the part of the artist.

Maybe I just wish the conference was called "Effecting Social Change with Your Documentary Film," or something like that - that's what it was about, and that avoids asking people to parse what matters and what doesn't, which isn't a particularly constructive conversation anyway.

So essentially this is a post about semantics. :)

Check out the conference site for links to some interesting organizations and projects...