Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Every Once in a While, You Just Have to
Stop the Chattering of the Rational Mind

'You get your intuition back when you make space for it, when you stop the chattering of the rational mind.'
--author Anne Lamott. You can review several earlier mentions of one of our favorite writers here (just click through for all of them).

12 Comments:

At 8:47 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"...you know what Joel, every now and then you gotta say, what the f***. Saying what the f*** gives you freedom. Freedom brings you opportunity...."

From the smart and classic comedy, Risky Business.

I know I'm dating myself, but this is one of my all time favorite films (1983). I wish I'd written the screenplay. :-)

Neve Black

 
At 10:47 AM, Blogger John Ettorre said...

That was a great movie, even if it had the dubious distinction of launching the career of that oddest of all Hollywood ducks, Tom Cruise. With those unforgettable eyes, she was beyond captivating in that movie. Nearly every man in America (and I suppose some women also) pined for her that year.

 
At 1:37 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yes. Rebecca De Mornay, alias Lana was most definately firecracker, hot in that movie. It made me want to take a long ride on train somewhere. :-)

Now, I know we really went off track (no pun intended)here, but the quote I mentioned above did remind me of your post.

 
At 2:09 PM, Blogger John Ettorre said...

Hard to believe that movie is now 26 years old, isn't it? That just seems unbelievable to me. I remember it like it was last year, almost. But then, that's the most natural feeling in the world as you slip into middle age, or so my middle aged friends tell me.

 
At 3:10 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Middle age? Hmmm...I don't know John, I don't think I'll make it past 60. lol.

NB

 
At 3:11 PM, Blogger John Ettorre said...

I don't doubt that, Neve. But what fun you'll have until then!

 
At 6:02 PM, Blogger Art Durkee said...

Lamott's quote is fundamental. It applies to life, of course, not just writing. But that practice of making space for intuition, whether or not it grows out of a meditation practice or something else, is fundamental. It's why I don't experience writer's block, and why I don't think anyone needs to. (As distinct from fallow periods.)

 
At 6:07 PM, Blogger John Ettorre said...

Well said. Who could argue with that. There's no output in any creative field without the proper input, just like no reaping for the farmer without first sowing.

 
At 7:17 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

You've been a busy little blogger, John. This post resonates. There are a lot of decisions I've made in life with my head and not my heart and I wish sometimes I could see how things would have worked out if I would have gone with my heart.

 
At 9:30 PM, Blogger John Ettorre said...

If only we could live life backward, and make those decisions with what we know today. But no such luck. All you can do is resolve to do things differently from now on. And if you're like the rest of us, Donna, that, too, will be an utterly imperfect exercise.

 
At 10:54 PM, Blogger Michelle O'Neil said...

Speaking of creativity, the following is a wonderful link on the subject. A talk by author Elizabeth Gilbert. It's 20 minutes long. I found it very inspiring. It speaks of creativity and also... doing the work.
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius.html

 
At 11:53 PM, Blogger John Ettorre said...

Thanks, I'll check it out, and hope others will also. Those TED talks are generally so damn interesting. They have some of the most fascinating people, and I even like the slick BW commercials that precede them.

 

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