A short story:

A friend and I attended an event held by the Philadelphia Film Office last year. We were mingling, laughing and munching on fantastic mini cupcakes, when a man passed me. Without saying a word, he dropped a package into my hands and walked off, without even making eye contact.

I showed the package to my friend. “He is at every film event I go to in Philly” she said, rolling her eyes.

As soon as I got home, my partner and I took the pieces of the package apart. Folded in a piece of paper, we found the following:

*Two recordable discs, with “Movies” written on one and “Music” written on the other, both in black Sharpie pen

*A press release on orange construction paper

* A story about the filmmaker, written for a fake publication

Not long after we hit “play” on the CD marked “Music,” we realized that it was just a play list of songs. Pretty good songs, but not songs from his work like we thought.

Next: The CD marked “Movies.” It was a mix of interviews, clips from some of his films, and heavy use of Word Art and the “flying” transition effect.

After my partner and I stopped laughing, we realized something: Regardless of the filmmaker’s taste level, he was 1) Productive and 2) Getting his message out there, two things that are essential to making a living as a creative professional. It was clear, however, that he had not taken time to develop his craft, cultivate resources, and evolve his taste level. The production value of his work was woefully poor, as were his marketing methods. Sure he got his work into my hands (literally) but he didn’t engage me. I’m not checking for his future projects, other than for more examples of what NOT to do.

This post is the start of a weekly series on Freedomreeves.com called “The Creative Toolbox.” It’s about the balance we must navigate in order to create creative careers that are 1) Fulfilling, 2) Sustaining (financially and creatively) and 3) Productive.

I’m writing this series as someone who is putting my creative toolbox together, and helping others do the same. I will share my methods, reflections and the resources that I’m using. Even though this series will have a “how-to,” vibe, it is coming from a “how-I” place. The most important thing I have learned thus far is there is no “right way” for everyone, just the right way for you.

Stay tuned as I blog about finding my “toolbox.”

Peace,
Freedom

Being present is a key practice of happy people, but when you are moving towards a goal, it’s easy to slip into being future-oriented. Thinking about the future can encourage your to reach goals, and plan for the kind of reality that you want, but it can also produce anxiety, fearful thinking, and make you lose perspective of the progress you’ve made.

Frank Ocean, a member of Odd Future and one of the most unique, talented and promising song-writers in the industry right now, posted a conversation he would have with his five-years ago self if he could.

I like  this because it helps us gain perspective of how far we have come, and how far we can still go. It’s also a reminder of how quickly things can change.

A letter to my 23-year-old self would look something like this:

Dear C,

Where to start? The grad program is cool, but it will not have the purpose in your life that you think it will. You already sense this though, so just trust your instincts. Also, you’re not going to marry him, and it’s for the best. You already have a sense of this too though. Keep writing. Don’t try to qualify it or tie it into a “real” career path, just keep doing it. You can make a living off of your obsessions and fascinations, but it will be another few years before you fully let go and do it. The urge to switch gears will become stronger down the road. You are not a flake, and you’re not having a “quarter-life crisis.” You know what you want, it’s just that your ability to suck it up and do work that doesn’t inspire you or call on your strengths is dwindling. The missteps weren’t missteps after all. It was all a part of the plan. Right now you are happy, in love, healthy, and busy. Fear will become like a pebble in your shoe, not anything like the rock in your stomach it is now. You are in the neural zone now, the “in-between time.” You will come out. And life will be great.

What letter would you write to yourself, five years ago? Send me a link to it, or write it in the comments section.

I am a black woman. I’m free. I don’t have to be a symbol to anybody…~Lena Horne.

On an usually restless night, I checked my Twitter feed and learned that Lena Horne passed away yesterday. She was 92 years old and has a legacy that made it acceptable to be black and beautiful in Hollywood, not to mention her very active role in the fight for racial equality. Even with all this, I was stunned by the news. In less than five years time, so many souls that exemplified the beauty, talent and grace of Black people have moved on to the spirit world: Ozzie Davis, James Brown, Eartha Kitt, just to name a few. Although all of these people were around an age where it is socially acceptable to die, these deaths are a reminder that we can’t continue to rest on the shoulders of those who have pushed us up. I think I always took for granted that there would be a Lena Horne that I can show to our children, to teach them about the time we were Negroes, and however unfair it was, we understood that the best or worse of us, as a people, would reflect on all of us.

Let’s be motivated by our legends, but as Ms. Horne put it so perfectly, let us be representatives for ourselves. Ms. Horne fought so that black people could be valued as individuals, and not as credits or deficits of our “race.” Be a credit to yourself today.

Below are some of my favorite videos featuring Lena Horne:

Ms. Horne teaches Grover how to overcome shyness

www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_Y0lJ8ELvI

Ms. Horne serenades Cliff and Claire Huxtable on The Cosby Show

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bxp47BPI9FY

My writer face, or how I will look for the next 30 days

April is going to be a writing bonanza for me! I have decided to take not one, but TWO writing challenges during the month of April.

750words.com

I first learned about this website from Lifehacker.com, one of my favorite blogs. The idea behind this site is to encourage participants to write 750 (or three pages) of free-form writing everyday. Also known as “morning pages,” the daily writing helps address creative blockages and helps create the writing habit, which I’ve been trying to do for some time.

Script Frenzy

I have wanted to finish the first draft of a script for almost two years now. From the people behind NaNoWriMo , Script Frenzy challenges participants to complete 100 pages of a script in 30 days.

I plan to report of my progress with these two challenges as they progress. It’s a new month and a new season. What do you hope to start? Please share in the comment section, and let me know if I can do anything to support you.

This article is an awesome breakdown of coffee selection and caffeine content.

Appreciating Coffee Like Wine – The Atlantic Food Channel.

Perfection! It’s nice to have such a regular source of inspiration. Thanks Madam First Lady.

Slumdog Millionaire won almost every category it was nominated in, including Best Picture, and I’m happy that I won’t need to boycott the show like I threatened to if the movie didn’t win that category.

This year’s Oscars definitely had a younger, multicultural vibe to it, which was refreshing. I watched the whole show and didn’t notice it was four hours long. A few personal highlights for me:

* Will Smith’s flub and off-handed “Boom, goes the dynamite” reference. it appears that Will Smith is a Youtube freak like myself.
Here’s where the reference comes from (fast forward to 2:30):

*The Slumdog/Wall-E Best Song medley. It was exciting and joyous, and Fatima Robinson choreographed it! MULTICULTURAL!

*Hugh Jackman, with his cute self, doing the recession opening.

*Ms. Tina Fey and Steve Martin. Tina is my nerd girl idol and Steve Martin is still funny and relevant.

*Sophia Loren. Over 70 and on super-swag status. Whatever it is, she needs to bottle it and sell it.

*Both “Milk” acceptance speeches. The passage of “Prop 8″ is a shameful blemish on our democratic history, and Sean Penn and Dustin Lance Black didn’t allow the public to forget it. BRAVO!

A few snags:
* The “return of the musical” thing with Beyonce. For someone who performs as well as Beyonce, she seemed a little out of place.

*Jack Black’s joke about Dreamworks. It’s was funny, but it felt awkward.

*Kunio Kato’s “Domo arigato Mr. Roboto” joke. Cooning hurts me, even if it’s not my culture. Rise above, man. Rise above.

In short, this was the most social justice friendly Oscars I’ve every seen. I hope it’s a sign of things to come.

Slave in Jefferson Davis’ home gave Union key secrets – CNN.com.

Our history never ceases to amaze me.