There’s one thing that isn’t too much of a secret around here: I’m a bit of a nerd. If loving quilt math wasn’t enough, I love some of the classic things like Star Trek and high school chemistry, and some of the more modern things like marrying a scientist with a PhD (proud wife moment), the new Star Trek movies and Brian Cox. Oh that silky smooth voice talking about space… Anyway, after I got hooked on Serial, I kept trying out different podcasts but ehhh, I just couldn’t get hooked. Until I stumbled upon The Infinite Monkey Cage, which is co-hosted by Brian Cox (see? Segue!). The final episode of the latest season talks about serendipity in science, and how it plays a role in scientific research. But because I’m pretty sure not all of you will have the time or desire to listen to 35 minutes of brainy talk, let me summarise the points for you.
Some of the most commercially successful discoveries that happened by serendipity include Viagra (originally created for heart medication) and Mauve (purple dye discovered in the hunt for lab-made quinine). Sometimes these discoveries happen purely by accident in the search for something else, and sometimes it happens because people take time to brainstorm or talk with others, like in the case of Post-It Notes when someone else at 3M saw the value in the weak glue that had been formed in the hunt for an awesome super glue.
This concept of making time to just play and talk has resurfaced over the past decade or so, with many companies like Google now instituting the idea that 10-15% of an employee’s time is just to brainstorm, research and create their own ideas. Andre Geim, winner of the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics, attributes this concept to some of his most well-known discoveries like the levitating frog that came about due to his Friday Night Experiments – time to just think and play on side experiments not related to the lab’s usual work.
As I was listening to the panel’s questions and answers and jokes and comments, all I kept thinking was, “Yes! That’s the same for quilting!” When the panel were discussing the loss of common rooms in academic environments, my heart did a sad little flop as it remembered the joy of being with fellow quilters in America. Staying with friends throughout my journey, meeting and talking and learning with everyone else at QuiltCon… I came back from my trip on such a high! As creators, we need to talk. We need to share our ideas, share our knowledge, share our passion for our art. When we do, we inspire others, we teach others to take our ideas and knowledge and go and make something themselves.
Returning from QuiltCon, I was determined to make dedicated time to just play and create for the sake of creating. It wasn’t to try and think of a new quilt design, it wasn’t to create blog content, it was just to exercise my creative muscles. One of the main ways I started this was to join the Quilt Design A Day group. Ironically I was just thinking the other day that I haven’t had time to do many lately due to family visiting most of last month, but I made the conscious effort to spend 5 minutes every day this week getting back into the habit of doing the daily challenges again. It’s also been about forcing myself to go beyond my ‘normal’ quilting and push myself creatively with free motion quilting. And I haven’t limited myself just to quilting and designing, but I’ve also taken this on in terms of my other love – playing with paper.
Having had less time to just create, never mind “work” creating, over the past month with family visiting, I have noticed the drain on my creative energy. Without that enjoyment of creating currently burning, it’s hard to find the motivation to push past and keep creating; it can be hard to re-light that fire.
For too long I had the thought that playing was a waste of time and not productive firmly cemented in my mind, and while it’s hard to break away from that, I will keep trying. Whether you’re a sciences, humanties or arts person, the need to talk and play and dream is too important. Without it, you cannot truly test the limits of what you know and create by allowing space for serendipity to happen. As Geim says, it’s better to be wrong than boring!
Becky M says
I love and totally agree with this post. I’ve found if I get too involved with work and responsibilities and don’t let myself enjoy the things I enjoy it’s like a “life suck”. I will definitely have to check out this podcast. Can I recommend some for you – Have you tried Invisibilia or Pop Culture Happy hour? They are both put out by NPR and I think they are very solid entertaining shows!
Molli Sparkles says
We all know that Romy and Michelle invented Post-It Notes.
Angie @ GnomeAngel.com says
OMGosh! I listened to this podcast a couple of weeks ago and was totally yelling at the car stereo that it was Romy and Michelle (PS. Lisa Kudrow’s interview on The Nerdist talks about a sequel!!!).
Molli Sparkles says
At your suggestion I searched that podcast out and had a listen. Gosh, I love Lisa Kudrow… she is so honest, real, and daring actress. Do we need to start a crowd funding campaign for Romy & Michelle’s 20 Year High School Reunion?
Wendy says
I met a friend to day that I hadn’t seen for about a year, We’re both accountants and used to service on an accountants committee together. She told me she’s not doing accounting these days, and instead is really enjoying painting. She’s joined a great group and they’re going to the south of France in September on a painting trip. She loves painting.
So I told her that I’m only doing minimal accounting these days, and I spend all my free time quilting. I’ve joined a guild and am getting inspiration from blogs, Instagram and the guild. I love quilting.
We both enjoy the creative part of life more than the structured nature of accounting now. However, we agreed that we are in a privileged position being able to make these decisions. All those years of study and hard work have paid off, and we now have the luxury of being able to be creative.
Alyce says
That’s a very good point, actually. For many of us, we are lucky that we have the time and space to be able to create, especially for people like me who are able to try and make this a career with thanks to supportive husbands/partners!
Cate says
the same could be said for blogging and attending big events like problogger. And I know I got a lot of powerful motivation last week when we were all chatting in the contributors group about crafts and post, talking and brainstorming is powerful stuff.
Alyce says
Yes, very much so!! I love the blogging groups I’m in that are close-knit and chatty, it’s both helpful and inspiring for sure.
Cassandra says
Thankyou for sharing this idea, putting it into such exciting and clear terms. I will be sure to pay more attention to my play sessions and how I feel afterwards. It’s all about filling the tank again.
Wendy Gontier says
I totally agree, I love my FB and IG for the swapping of ideas and just because it does help keep me generating
Jennie says
I love this Alyce, the sharing of ideas and just creating. Lately I’ve been enjoying some swaps with specific tutorials to follow because I’ve had a blast just sewing something lovely, without having to dream up a new design myself. Since bags have so many options, sometimes I just feel overwhelmed with the sheer amount of ideas I have (and the fact that I’ll never have time to make them all), and then end up sewing nothing!
Angie @ GnomeAngel.com says
I listened to this podcast a couple of weeks ago after listening to Brian and Eric Idle on The Nerdist (think I actually plugged it in my newsletter I loved the interview that much!). I’m such a sucker for smart podcasts – I have really gotten a love of thinking back lately, spend too much time just mindlessly going through the motions of living. I love the idea of playing as working the creative muscles. Great post!
Alyce says
OH! Yes! That’s how I found it! I had bookmarked the interview straightaway but didn’t get to it until just last week. In fact, I still need to listen to the Nerdist one, I got too caught up in the Infinite Monkey Cage, lol!!