Welcoming the Unfamiliar & How to Become a Map Maker

“It is a sign of great inner insecurity to be hostile to the unfamiliar.” – Anais Nin

Have you felt yourself seizing up when presented with something new? A reaction that pushes you to retreat within yourself rather than explore that novelty?

Anais Nin reminds us in her writing that it is very possible to silence such insecurities by opening oneself to unfamiliar terrain.

“When we totally accept a pattern not made by us, not truly our own, we wither and die. People’s conventional structure is often a façade. Under the most rigid conventionality there is often an individual, a human being with original thoughts or inventive fantasy, which he does not dare expose for fear of ridicule, and this is what the writer and artist are willing to do for us. They are guides and map makers to greater sincerity. They are useful, in fact indispensable, to the community. They keep before our eyes the variations which make human beings so interesting.”

Might just be your time to become a cartographer.

The cartographer’s song from the French musical Le Petit Prince. While this is one way to be a map maker, just remember that you have to let yourself out into the world to explore.

Especially it if you plan to map it out for others to navigate on their own one day.

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How Artists Create a Sense of Home

Some keep company, others prefer solace. But what is a restorative space for some, seems like trappings for others.

For those with any fascination in where some of the most influential creative spirits play house, these photos are sure to spark interest. A short peek into the lives of artists at home:

Truman Capote and his kitsch collection
“Home is where you feel at home. I’m still looking.”

Donna Tartt with Pug, Pongo
“My dog has a number of acquaintances of his own species — as do I — but it is abundantly clear to both of us that there is little company in all the world which we enjoy so much as each other’s.”

Gertrude Stein and Alice Toklas in Paris
 “America is my country, and Paris is my home town.”

Ernest Hemingway with his cat
“A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat does not.”

John Steinbeck at home in Salinas, CA
“I have lost all sense of home, having moved about so much. It means to me now–only that place where the books are kept.”

Georgia O’Keeffe in New Mexico
“I can’t live where I want to, I can’t go where I want to go, I can’t do what I want to, I can’t even say what I want to. I decided I was a very stupid fool not to at least paint as I wanted to.”

Anais Nin sitting down for tea
“Our life is composed greatly from dreams, from the unconscious, and they must be brought into connection with action. They must be woven together. “

Sontag cozy at her desk (yes, that’s a bear suit)
“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.”

Image Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

Because if Anyone’s Got Insight Into this Little Thing Called Life, It’s This Woman

A distinctly remember the day a friend introduced me to Anaïs Nin. She stopped me mid-conversation, gave me a once over and resolutely decided that I must start reading her. And so that evening I sat down with one of her diaries and haven’t looked back ever since.

Nin kept immaculately detailed journals from age eleven until her death, and each one bursts with gems of wisdom regarding creativity, life, love, the foibles of human nature and relationships. Lisa Congdon brings some of Anaïs Nin’s illuminating words to life through her illustrations in the style of her 365 Days of Hand Lettering project.

Image Source; More of Congdon’s prints available on Etsy.

Why We Write

“We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect”

– Anais Nin

In honor of reaching 100 posts, I wanted to take a moment to stop and thank all of you for continuing to be impassioned readers of Thoughts on Theatre. Your insight and encouragement inspires me everyday.

Things I’ve learned since launching this blog:

– Everyone is looking for a way to connect. People reach out into the community and strangers walk away as friends.

– People are downright fascinating. You want to know about basket-weaving in Indonesia? There’s a blog for that. Feel like learning a bit more about how to take apart your computer? There’s a blog for that. Want to jump out of planes and land safely after 65 seconds of awe-inspiring terror? There’s definitely a blog for that.

– Small messages are often the best ones. It’s amazing how the simplest posts from have stuck in my mind for days. There’s a true power behind harnessing your words to convey a concise message.

– Never hurts to try. Even when you’re not sure about how to approach a new project/entry/chapter in your life, might as well go for it. Chances are you’ll receive valuable feedback here to  keep you on track.

– There are few things better than a good laugh. Make me smile. Life’s too short to take things too seriously.

– People will always misuse your/you’re.  Don’t get angry. There are so many things that are more important to spend your energy on in life. Politely correct the person if you must.

– Keep going. No matter what. Life will pop up with it’s surprises both large and small, but let them push you forward instead of hold you back.

 Thanks again all.

Shift your Perception, Change your Life

“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”

– Anais Nin

Ah, the start of a new year. Everyone seems to be a flutter with resolutions and promises they swear they to keep this year “…no really! I mean it this time”

How do you ensure that the new year is all that you want it to be?

If you want this year to be different, envision a different future for yourself. You are the only person that can hold you to the past.

So put on a pair of shades that you will be happy to look through this year. No better time than now.

And happy January all! Here’s to finding 2012 new reasons to enjoy the year ahead of you.

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