What are the times you’re most creative, writing-wise? Do you, like me, have to be at physical ease to be able to create with a good flow?
I’m an opportunist. I have no particular time of day when my creativity is greater than at other times. I do most of my writing when I have some time. And since I blog on my iPhone, I can pick it up and start writing whenever the creativity bug bites me.
I do often write when I’m in bed at night and before I go to sleep. I seem to have spurts of creativity between 9 and 11 pm and the words just start appearing on the screen of my iPhone like magic. But I have to be careful when I write at night, especially if I’m tired. I have, upon occasion, closed my eyes on the verge of falling asleep only to suddenly wake up and see that my fingers kept on typing even when I was falling asleep with my eyes closed. The result is anywhere from a few words to a few sentences of gobbledegook. So I’ve learned never to hit publish on anything I’ve created late at night until I wake up in the morning and proofread what I’ve written.
As to Sadje’s last question, if I don’t feel physically okay, or I’m lacking energy for whatever reason, my ability to write does suffer.
John Steiner, the blogger behind Journeys With Johnbo, has this prompt he calls Cellpic Sunday in which he asks us to post a photo that was taken with a cellphone, tablet, or another mobile device. He invites us to participate in this cellphone photo prompt by creating our own CellPic Sunday post and linking it back to his.
The photo I’m featuring today was taken with my iPhone 6 on April 20, 2017 in Golden Gate Park. I’m standing on the top floor of the de Young Museum, which is situated on the north side of the Music Concourse in the park. It’s a fine arts museum and is a component of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, along with the Legion of Honor. The de Young is named for early San Francisco newspaperman M. H. de Young.
My camera is aimed towards the south. The Music Concourse is an open-air plaza within Golden Gate Park. Directly across the concourse from the de Young, where I am, is the California Academy of Sciences. The structure to the right is the Bandshell where free concerts are presented several times each week. For example, today a Reggae band is performing, on Wednesday local singers and songwriters are being spotlighted, and next Sunday is a progressive rock show. Hmm. I may go to that.
Slightly to the left of the center of the photo is a round fountain and on many weekends local artists set up stalls where they display and sell their paintings and handiwork.
You may notice what looks like a tall radio tower in the upper left corner of the photo. That’s the Sutro Tower. The Sutro Tower is a unique three-legged, 977-foot tall TV and radio lattice tower. It rises from a hill between Twin Peaks and Mount Sutro and is a prominent feature of the city’s skyline. The tower was the tallest structure in San Francisco from the time of its completion in 1973 until it was surpassed by the Salesforce Tower in 2018.
For this week’s Song Lyric Sunday, Jim Adams has asked us to find a song that includes the lyrics “cold,” “frozen,” “frigid,” or “icy,” suggested, once again, by Nancy, aka The Sicilian Storyteller. The song I’m going with this week is a beautiful, touching song from Joni Mitchell, “Come In From the Cold.”
Interestingly, there is nothing on either Wikipedia or Songfacts about this specific song. Released as a single from her 1991 Album, Night Ride Home, “Come In From the Cold” was a modest hit in Mitchell’s native Canada, but it didn’t do nearly as well in the States. The song runs some seven and a half minutes, which probably affected how much airplay it got, even on Album Oriented Rock stations.
In this song, the singer reflects on the dreams of the Fifties and how they compare to the realities of middle age. The track, which features folk elements, opens with the lines “We had hope/The world held promise,” but later reveals that “But then absurdity came over me/And I longed to lose control.” Mitchell acknowledges the challenge of being a middle-aged woman in the music industry, stating, “if you don’t evoke wet dreams, you’re in trouble.” Despite this, her slightly throatier voice and the sinuous melody of “Come In From the Cold” showcase Mitchell’s musical prowess.
At its essence, the song delves into the complexities of relationships and the quest for genuine connection amid societal pressures and personal growth. It captures a nostalgic longing for warmth and understanding, symbolized by the desire to escape from emotional coldness. Through vivid imagery and introspective lyrics, Mitchell explores the evolution of intimacy from the restrained dances of youth to the profound interludes of adulthood. Each verse delves into different facets of human connection, from physical touch to emotional vulnerability, from idealistic aspirations to harsh realities. The repeated plea to “come in from the cold” serves as a poignant reminder of the universal desire for acceptance, love, and authenticity.
Here are the lyrics to “Cone In From the Cold.”
Back in 1957 We had to dance a foot apart And they hawk-eyed us from the sidelines Holding their rulers without a heart And so with just a touch of our fingers oh we could make our circuitry explode All we ever wanted Was just to come in from the cold
Come in Come in from the cold (we were so young) Oh come in Come in from the cold
We really thought we had a purpose We were so anxious to achieve We had hope The world held promise For a slave to liberty Freely I slaved away for something better And I was bought and sold And all I ever wanted Was to come in from the cold
Come in Come in from the cold (we were so sure) Oh come in Come in from the cold
I feel your leg under the table Leaning into mine I feel renewed I feel disabled By these bonfires in my spine I don't know who the arsonist was Which incendiary soul But all I ever wanted Was just to come in from the cold
Come in Come in from the cold (you were so warm) Oh come in Come in from the cold
I am not some stone commission Like a statue in a park I am flesh and blood and vision I am howling in the dark Long blue shadows of the jackals Are falling on a pay phone by the road Oh, all they ever wanted Was just to come in from the cold
Come in Come in from the cold (I was so low) Oh come in Come in from the cold
Is this just vulgar electricity Is this the edifying fire (it was so pure) Does your smile's covert complicity Debase as it admires (just a flu with a temperature) Are you just checking out your mojo Or am I just fighting off growing old (just a high fever) All I ever wanted Was just to come in from the cold
Come in Come in from the cold (it was so pure) Oh come in Come in from the cold
I know we never will be perfect Never entirely clear (when the moon shines) We get hurt and we just panic And we strike out Out of fear (you were only being kind) I fear the sentence of this solitude 200 years on hold (for my loving crime) Oh and all we ever wanted Was just to come in from the cold
Come in Come in from the cold (when the moon shines) Oh come in Come in from the cold
When I thought life had some meaning Then I thought I had some choice (I was running blind) And I made some value judgments In a self-important voice (I was outa line) But then absurdity came over me And I longed to lose control (into no mind) Oh all I ever wanted Was just to come in from the cold
Come in Come in from the cold (you were so kind) Please come in (I was so low) Come in from the cold Come in come in Come in from the cold
Welcome to Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (aka, FOWC). I will be posting each day’s word just after midnight Pacific Time (U.S.).
Today’s word is “bloodshed.”
Write a post using that word. It can be prose, poetry, fiction, non-fiction. It can be any length. It can be just a picture or a drawing if you want. No holds barred, so to speak.
Once you are done, tag your post with #FOWC and create a pingback to this post if you are on WordPress. Please check to confirm that your pingback is there. If not, ÿplease manually add your link in the comments.
And be sure to read the posts of other bloggers who respond to this prompt. Show them some love.
This, That, and the Other 