Where do I live? That may seem like an easy question to answer, but for many people it isn't. Living in one's own head is common, and people get all caught up in there—lost, carried away by being stuck in their own thinking. However, most people who are lost there don't even realize it. They don't realize it until something jolts them and brings them back into the present moment, into their bodies, into awareness. Another way of thinking about where you live is only considering the geographic location. I live in Champaign, Illinois. I live in my house in Champaign, Illinois. I live at such and such address and it's near a nice park in a nice neighborhood, conveniently located five minutes from anything I might want or need. Some people might answer very differently thinking this way. It could be: "I live wherever I can find a quiet place at night. I don't have a house. I don't have a job. I spend much of my time outside in bad weather. I sleep in a box." Or, "I live in Honolulu, Hawaii." You get the drift. Where you live, geographically speaking, can impact your life and work dramatically, but it's where you live—where you travel, where you visit, where you take your mind that has the most impact. You need to leave where you live once in awhile, too. That's one main point that Austin Kleon makes in Chapter 7, "Geography is no longer our master," in STEAL LIKE AN ARTIST.
The main points of the chapter are that we should build our own world, enjoy creativity, and leave home once in awhile. We can create our own world by where we choose to live (or sometimes it's not a choice), where we spend time on the Internet, where we spend time with ourselves in our minds, and how we make our creative space a place that surrounds us with things we love. He makes the point that with today's technology, we can communicate with anyone, anywhere in the world via the Internet; in fact, this is how he makes most of his creative fellowship and conversation happens there. While he geographically lives in Austin, Texas, he also lives much of the time in the art scene in cyberspace. He also believes it is necessary to travel from time to time, and it doesn't have to be far or exotic. Just go somewhere outside of your comfort zone for a bit; it's important for creatives to make their brains uncomfortable occasionally in order to be more creative. Our brains "get too comfortable in everyday surroundings," says Kleon. I think that this inhibits creativity because of the lazy habits we cultivate when we are too comfortable and things are too predictable. We need to "shake things up" now and again. What can I do to make my brain more uncomfortable? I can be open to doing new things that I'm reluctant to do, going to movies or plays that I don't think I'll like, putting myself in social situations that make me uncomfortable, and so on. Who really wants to make their brains uncomfortable? Not many, I would surmise. However, if we know it's good for us, maybe we'll make the effort! Kleon also says that it helps to live around interesting people. I think he is including getting to know interesting people through online channels. I definitely agree with this, and I always enjoy meeting new and interesting people. One way to meet more interesting people is to put myself in situations where I can meet them. For example, I could start going to some of the meetups that are announced to me via email. I could go to the Pechakucha events that take place in Champaigin-Urbana regularly. You basically have to be willing to do new things and seek out the kinds of events where this could happen. You have to make it happen!
I resonated with the part of the chapter where he describes how, if you aren't particularly enjoying where you live, build your own world around you. I definitely enjoy my "captivity" when I go into my creative room, close the door, put on some music, and work on projects or whatever. I am surrounded by lots of art on the wall made by people I love, things I have created, tons of books, art supplies, and sometimes a cat or dog who inadvertently became trapped with me when the door closed. I am in my own little world. It's a peaceful place, and I really enjoy it. I love that he quoted Kafka, an author I like quite a bit. "It isn't necessary that you leave home. Sit at your desk and listen. Don't even listen, just wait. Don't wait, be still and alone. The whole world will offer itself to you."
I also really like that Kleon always carries a book, a pen, and a notepad wherever he goes. I always have a pen and notepad, but not always a book. One of my goals is to always be reading, as he recommends. Graduation is coming soon; I hope once my schedule lightens up a bit, I'll dedicate myself to more reading and writing.
When Kleon discusses leaving home, he is talking both about moving away and about traveling. I have never moved away from my home town. Do I regret this? No, I don't. I've traveled quite a bit over the years, although not in the last few. I agree that traveling does do something to alter our minds, and in a good way. The last time I went out of town was to visit a friend about three hours straight west of here. Without going into detail, that one overnight trip changed my life in many ways. That's a story for another post. Anyway, I totally get what he's saying about leaving home or moving away. This and the last paragraph are perfect segues into my book review of The Daily Coyote, an amazing and moving story that I highly recommend.
BOOK REVIEW
The Daily Coyote: A Story of Love, Survival, and Trust in the Wilds of Wyoming
by Shreve Stockton, 2008
This book is a true story written firsthand by photographer, Shreve Stockton, whose life completely changed when she moved to Wyoming and was given a tiny orphaned coyote.
Shreve was a die hard New Yorker who never saw herself leaving her urban home, especially to end up in a place that could be called its polar opposite.
New York City
Ten Sleep, Wyoming
A photographer, health nut, and author, Shreve spent some time in San Francisco writing a book called Living Gluten Free. She decided that her return trip to New York would be on a Vespa to see the country. She was captivated by Wyoming's mountains, red dirt, and areas of wide open space, but still returned home to NY thinking that the feeling would pass. It did not. As if pulled by a magnet, she relocated to Ten Sleep, Wyoming, where everything about her life changed. She was used to anonymity, a fast paced life, and a million daily distractions, and Wyoming presented her with none of these. She slowly adjusted to living in a cabin where she had to gather and cut firewood for heat, getting to know the people who lived in the town of only 300, doing intense physical labor, learning the laws of the land. She also met Mike, a cowboy with whom she became romantically involved; it was Mike who surprised her one day with a ten-day old coyote pup whose parents had been shot for killing livestock. Shreve made the biggest commitment of her life when she decided to keep and raise the pup (along with her terrified cat, Eli). Shreve realized that this baby's life completely depended on her.
She named him Charlie, and he was more adorable than you can imagine.
Shreve learned what it was like to be a new mom to a Coyote baby. She bottle fed him, played with him, spent every moment with him, comforted him, let him sleep in her bed with her, and they developed a bond so deep that it's amazing she found the words to accurately describe it. Her writing is so captivating, so poignant, you can hear, see, smell, and feel her experiences through her words. The photographs interspersed through the book are absolutely stunning and add tremendously to the pleasure of reading the book. (By the way, Eli was dominant over Charlie and remains so to this day.) This book actually began as a photo blog about Charlie for friends and family. Shreve emailed daily photos, and when others found out and got on her mailing list, a friend convinced her to charge a small fee ($5 per month) for the daily photos. And, as they say, the rest is history. She still has a website, blog, and email newsletter to which one can subscribe. THE DAILY COYOTE WEBSITE
As Charlie reached sexual maturity, he challenged Shreve so severely, it's amazing that she figured out a way to successfully work through it. But, she did, and this part of the story is intense and riveting. It's incredibly inspiring and even a person who isn't particularly interested in wild animals would have a hard time turning a deaf ear to this story.
Shreve's relationship with Charlie shifted and changed, but it is built on mutual respect and trust, which had to be earned on both of their parts. Shreve turned her life upside down to create an environment where Charlie, her beloved friend who was still a wild animal and not a pet, would be safe and happy. Happily, Shreve adopted a puppy who became and remains to this day to be Charlie's best friend and companion.
You get to know Shreve and Charlie so well by reading this book, and you will laugh and cry and find yourself in love with them both. Most books about true animal stories have a sad ending—the death of the beloved animal. Happily, the story of Shreve, Charlie, Eli, and Chloe is still happening. They are living in harmony.
In reading this book, you will learn all about Wyoming, coyotes, government laws about coyotes, relationships, challenges, beauty, joy and sorrow in nature, and about how sometimes your life will take an unexpected turn and everything will change. I highly, highly recommend The Daily Coyote. And, if you don't like to read, the photos alone are reason enough to get the book! You can also always visit her website which is wonderful. Seriously, this is one book I could barely put down. It touched me deeply. THE DAILY COYOTE WEBSITE
Charlie is so, so beautiful.
I love this quote from the book:
"I watched him, silent, swift, aware, as he spotted me across the yard and trotted over, his tail gracefully floating behind him like a plume. In his movements, in his eyes, he had a depth that kept pulling me further into him, further into myself. He had been with me for exactly a year. Time felt so nebulous, more like a figure eight than a linear streak. I couldn't believe how much had happened in such a short while, and yet I could barely remember how life felt before he was a part of mine." ~Shreve Stockton
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