Posts tagged 'creativity'

Line-drawn engraving in navy on a dusty rose background, depicting a man in Victorian-era dress sitting at a writing desk. He's slumped forward with his head down on the desk, seemingly overcome by fatigue or frustration, papers scattered near him. A framed picture hangs on the wall above, and an empty chair sits beside the desk.

The Itch

August 3, 2026 · 4 comments · #personal essay #writing #creativity #IndieWeb #philosophy #self-reflection

Trying to figure out what 'the itch' is—my drive to create and contribute to the digital commons. A review of past projects, current interests in Indigenous data sovereignty and self-hosting, and the search for what comes next.

Post-impressionist oil painting of a bearded man in a dark suit and tie, seated at a desk with his forearms resting on an open book. Behind him, a bookshelf holds rows of colorful volumes, and a chair with a yellow patterned back is visible. In the foreground, stacked books in red, green, and blue bindings sit beside a glass of white and pink roses. Loose, visible brushstrokes in warm gold, blue, and coral tones.

The True, Unglamorous Life of a Writer

July 16, 2026 · #personal essay #writing #Writing Process #blogging #creativity #creative nonfiction

Let me be unglamorous and honest about the actual furniture of a writing life. What do my private, invisible days look like? What does it cost and what does it pay? A look at the 4 a.m. writing routine, the physical setting, and what I hope my writing will do for others.

A Japanese woodblock print of a nighttime fireworks festival by a riverbank. Golden fireworks cascade down the dark teal sky in the upper right, trailing sparks. A row of red-and-white paper lanterns strung on a wire crosses the scene, reflecting in the water below along with distant lights and hills. In the foreground, a large silhouetted crowd watches, including children climbing a wooden ladder or scaffold for a better view.

Shake Off the Dust!

July 1, 2026 · #personal essay #writing #creativity #blogging #IndieWeb #poetry

Completing #100DaysToOffload twice in under two years, and somewhere along the way the wet clay hardened at the edges. Invisible ruts form inside the habits you love, and there's a difference between a window and a mirror in writing. The hermit crab outgrows shells, including the ones that still fit fine.

Scientific illustration of the spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula), an invasive species, depicted as an adult in flight against a light grey background. The insect is shown from above with wings fully extended. The outer forewings are tan/beige with scattered black oval spots and dark grey tips. The inner hindwings are vivid red with black spots and white patches near the body, edged in solid black. The abdomen is yellow with bold black horizontal bands. The head is dark brown with visible eyes. Text at top reads 'SPOTTED LANTERNFLY / Lycorma delicatula * INVASIVE' in bold black and red type. A gold badge in the upper right reads 'ADULT IN FLIGHT.' Illustrated by Molly Schafer.

THE LANTERNFLY.

June 7, 2026 · #writing #creativity #digital culture #AI #authenticity #nature

The spotted lanternfly is beautiful and terrible, an invasive species that illuminates even as it destroys. AI-generated content is flooding the Internet, and authenticity is becoming a premium commodity. We must refuse the premise that human writing is a niche product.

Close-up photograph of numerous padlocks attached to a chain-link fence, with a red lock in sharp focus bearing the handwritten message 'FUCK LOVE!' in white paint. The surrounding locks are blurred by a shallow depth of field, while warm orange and yellow tones in the background create a soft, out-of-focus glow. The featured lock shows signs of rust and wear, contrasting with the romantic 'love lock' tradition typically associated with such fences.

A Ship in Harbour is Safe

June 5, 2026 · #IndieWeb #philosophy #writing #creativity #risk #identity #accountability

Nassim Nicholas Taleb's concept of 'skin in the game' is the idea that true learning only happens when you have something to lose. And I look at IndieWeb principles of using what you make to publishing under your real name. Having risk and real stakes is essential for creative work. A ship in harbour is safe, but that's not what ships are built for.