Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash
Happy December, All! MOTIVATION MONDAY is here once again to help stave off the Monday blues and kick your curiosity and creativity into high gear for a brand new week ahead.
Instagram account to follow: I don't know about you, but I adore photos of abandoned theatres, houses, factories...something about knowing that a now empty place once housed life, work, and play gets my imagination working overdrive. If you haven't followed the @itsabandoned Instagram account, click your way over there now. This would be a wonderful way to give visual prompts to your drama or creative writing students, or to even help you do some daydreaming about a project of your own!
Something to listen to on your commute: This interview with Audra McDonald with Alec Baldwin on his podcast Here's the Thing was so moving. Audra has been one of my performance heroes since I heard her in Ragtime back in high school, and I had the pleasure of seeing her live at Symphony Hall in 2015. We all know she's talented and playful and full of humor, but what I didn't know before this interview was that she attempted suicide while studying at Julliard and had an incredible journey to who we know her as today. I love when people I admire can be vulnerable about their joys and their pains, and this interview made me love her even more.
Words to Consider: “You only are free when you realize you belong no place — you belong every place — no place at all.” -Maya Angelou
This quote fits so well with my own complicated stew of feelings about being a "Visitor"; someone who gets the privilege of exploring the world through theatre, and yet often feels like I don't fit into any one place--the very concept that my blog's name is based on. Just when I thought I couldn't love Maya Angelou any more.
A Book to read: I am listening to Brene Brown's newest book "Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone" as an audio book right now, and boy, does the universe (or my husband, who recommended the book, hee hee) know what I need to read at the present moment. The Maya Angelou quote is cited in the introduction to the book, and I cannot wait to finish listening to this incredible resource while strolling around Boston with a thermos full of hot cinnamon tea. Finding belonging is crucial for everyone, and specifically as an artist, it is easy for us to feel alone or like we don't fit in, even in our own creative community. This book is a beautiful call to stand as ourselves and not apologize for who we are or what we want to make.
A one pot meal to make: This bullet may become a weekly one on Motivation Monday. As I said last week, I'm over the idea of the Starving Artist and like to kick that notion to the curb by cooking something every week that takes little time but that keeps me full and fueled up for the days ahead.
This week? A nightshade free red curry sauce by the brilliant Jo Romero of Comfort Bites blog. Jo is a fellow psoriasis warrior, and curries are her specialty. This recipe could also be made vegetarian or vegan by using vegetable broth in place of the chicken broth, and serving with roasted veggies and rice instead of shrimp.
