Last year I made it a goal to capture one awesome thing a month. Something that was creative and inspirational that speaks to my inner creative. I had no idea that a pandemic would hit and that I would almost abandon this adventure, but now that the year is over, I realize it was essential that this list lived. I’m happy to share my “creative thing a month” list.

I’ve been busy with 2021 so this is a little delayed, but here’s my awesome findings from 2020.

January

There’s something fundamentally rewarding about taking the necessary and making it extraordinary. January is about making new from what always was. Creativity can do this for all of us.

February

I live in New Orleans, so February is generally a time of drinking and excess. During this time it’s a good month to laugh and appreciate the qualities that lay dormant. Talent is something that’s all around us, but we only get to see once in a while. With the miracle of the Internet we can enjoy talent in moments like this.

March

Even if you’ve seen this video, it’s awe-inspiring each time. Sure, we can all be impressed by flipping a bottle and having it land on a table, but I always love when communities take that and push it a bit further. Robots flipping water bottles is the coolest science project I’ve seen in a long time.

April

I’m a fan of meta. April comes from the Latin word aperire which means “to open.” I think a big part of inspiration is that we open our minds to see beyond the traditions, and challenge ourselves to think in novel ways.

I work in software. In school I had to write a lot of sorting algorithms, and once I got out, I have written exactly zero sorting algorithms. Does that make my time in school useless? I don’t believe so.

The key takeaway is that you have to learn how to think. That’s the only transferrable skill for whatever comes next.

If you scrolled to this GIF and caught the end or middle, wait and watch it with fresh eyes again, and erase what you know it will become. From a single wire beauty is made. I think it’s important to remember that each of us have the ability to apply ourselves and turn scraps into showpieces.

I got really into watching Avatar: The Last Airbender TV series. I had never watched it before, and while it is focused on young adults, it’s part of the fun for me to fill in the blanks and add my adult perspective to the characters. I highly recommend you check it out. I heard I should stay away from the movie, though.

Here we see a fire bender in real life ;)

August

I’ve probably stripped more screws and bolts than I care to own up to. Something bothers me when a screw doesn’t screw all the way in. Supposedly, happiness is directly tied to a sense of control. What gives you control? Communication.

Just the smallest bit of communication can really make others feel better.

September

I have some neat steampunk stuff I bought online. Yes, I think steampunk is cool, and I don’t know why. Anyhow, when the stuff I buy comes in, it looks lame in person. Gears that don’t turn, and parts that are obviously cheap. It’s easy to sell something online with the perfect lighting and action shot, but there’s something extra that we’re all looking for.

We want authenticity. Not just in our products, but in our actions, and in the actions of others. We’re drawn towards hard-earned authenticity.

October

Creativity isn’t a destination. You don’t land there, you venture. The story is just as important as the result. This ring is cool, but the edit and animation bring it to life in a way that’s surreal.

November

Is that…. is that how…. like perspective is … just wow.

I never took an art class, so maybe this one is a snoozer for you other creatives, but something about the simplicity and geometry of this method begs me to understand it. I don’t, and that’s OK.

Grasping for the deeper concept is as important of more important than attaining it. You don’t have to win today to win tomorrow.

December

What’s cooler than connectable holiday origami? Not much 😁

These pieces of paper are tangible and exploding with potential in their raw form, but they are also boring. It’s not until they are folded and united in geometric beauty that their potential explodes.

Collaboration in creativity brings you all to the next level.