#cmsd

I don’t know how many followers I have in the Cleveland area, but please reblog so it gets around. A lot of the kids I teach rely on school lunches every day and library food programs after school, this mandatory break is going to impact both their education and their health as it cuts off their access to a reliable source of food. The CMSD is trying to keep food with these kids, but not everyone knows about the pickup times or shuttles. And while the Cleveland Public Library is closing during this time period as well, they will still be doing pickup lunches for kids at all branches. Click the links for more information and locations, and please spread this for our kids.

https://cpl.org/locations/

It was chosen by our Charlottesville chapter in Virginia and illustrated by Matt Smithson.

Rituals add meaning and a deeper sense of connection to our lives. They allow us to practice mindfulness and reflection. Unlike our daily routine and habits, rituals have the power to inspire us. 

Brushing your teeth is routine. Going for a morning walk would be a good habit. And writing a gratitude journal could become your morning ritual. The key is to act with intentionality. 

Our CreativeMornings events have their own rituals. Getting a cup of coffee creates an opportunity to say hello to someone new while you wait your turn in line. Reading our manifesto out loud reinforces our beliefs that everyone is creative and everyone is welcome. 

What rituals do you practice in your relationships, your spirituality, and your creative work? How do they heighten your sense of purpose and belonging in this world?

Nuestra temática de agosto es el RITUAL. Fue elegida por nuestro capítulo de Charlottesville en Virginia e ilustrada por Matt Smithson.

Los rituales añaden significado y un sentido más profundo de conexión a nuestras vidas. Nos permiten practicar la atención plena y la reflexión. A diferencia de nuestra rutina y hábitos diarios, los rituales tienen el poder de inspirarnos. 

Cepillarse los dientes es una rutina. Salir a caminar por la mañana sería un buen hábito, y escribir un diario de gratitud podría convertirse en un ritual matutino. La clave está en actuar con intencionalidad. 

Nuestros eventos CreativeMornings tienen sus propios rituales. Ir a por una taza de café te brinda la oportunidad de saludar a alguien nuevo mientras esperas tu turno en la cola. Leer nuestro manifiesto en voz alta refuerza nuestra creencia de que todo el mundo es creativo y todo el mundo es bienvenido. 

Our series of random questions that dig a little deeper into the minds of the people holding the mic…

So, Frankie, what’s your current book or podcast obsession?  A good friend just gifted me The Star Wars Archives: Episodes IV-VI, written by Paul Duncan and published by TASCHEN, and I love it so far. I’m a fan of Star Wars, of course, but also of Industrial Light and Magic and their whole legacy. This is the first volume of the series and takes readers through how the original trilogy was created while offering up fresh insights and artifacts.

What phrase do you find yourself repeating all too often?  *Honestly, don’t have one for this!*

Favorite taco shop?  Not a ‘taco shop’ but my absolute favorite spot in San Diego (that also has tacos) is Novo Brazil in Otay Ranch. Their hard kombucha is my favorite and the entire vibe is incredible. They also do a ton for the San Diego community, which I respect and appreciate.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?  “How you do anything is how you do everything.” I’d argue we learn as much—if not more—about ourselves and one another by what we do in the small moments, not just the big ones.

Who or what inspires you?  San Diego inspires me; the people, the architecture, the food, the natural life, the energy—all of it. Anytime I’m out in the city, I always come back feeling hopeful and recharged.

Favorite coffee shop in San Diego?  I love coffee and San Diego is such a coffee town—I have so many. I will say that really miss Young Hickory and wish they were still around. That said, a special place for me is Trident Coffee, with locations in IB, Coronado, and PB. A friend owns the location and watching him succeed has been a true joy. Also, I’m a big fan of nitro cold brew and they have the best around.

What’s a secret talent of yours? I am a (very) amateur slight-of-hand enthusiast—primarily with playing cards. I picked it up when I was a teenager because I loved being able to grab a deck of cards and light people’s faces up, even if it was only for a few seconds.

What’s your go-to karaoke song? Oof! If I had to, probably I Love You by Dru Hill—and I would not do it justice.

In the design traditions of Scandinavian and Japanese minimalism, the paring down of possessions creates a greater sense of tranquility and ease. Simplicity invites us to imagine how rich we might feel when we make do with less. 

But put another way, what if we imagined simplicity not in terms of absence but essence? In a world of confounding variables, layers of additional nuance and context, and the mind-boggling complexity of systems upon interdependent systems, simplicity drives us to get to the deep core of the matter. The etymological roots of simplicity refers to a single, indivisible nature. The heart unifies the whole. 

Where can you exercise restraint and streamline excess? How will you find clarity amidst chaos?  Our Gothenburg chapter chose this month’s exploration of Simplicity and Jessica Jämting illustrated the theme.     

El tema de septiembre es la simplicidad. 

En las tradiciones de diseño del minimalismo escandinavo y japones, la reducción posesiones  crea un mayor sentido de tranquilidad y sencillez. La simplicidad nos invita a imaginar qué tan  abundantes nos podemos sentir cuando nos las arreglamos con menos. 

Pero dicho de otra forma, ¿qué pasaría si imaginamos la simplicidad no en términos de ausencia  sino esencia? En un mundo de variables confusas, capas de matices y contexto adicionales y la  asombrosa complejidad de sistemas sobre sistemas independientes, la simplicidad nos impulsa a  llegar a la profunda esencia del asunto. La raíz etimológica de la simplicidad se refiere a una  naturaleza única e indivisible. El corazón unifica el todo.  

¿Dónde puedes ejercer moderación y racionalizar el exceso? ¿Cómo encontrarás claridad en  medio del caos?  Nuestro capítulo de Gotemburgo eligió la exploración de la simplicidad de este mes y Jessica Jämting ilustró el tema

July’s Theme is Spirituality

Spirituality is the search for our deepest values and meanings, something that touches us all. It is our yearning to peel back the curtain on the world we can see. The word comes from the Latin spiritualis, meaning “of breath, wind, and air.” It comes so naturally it might as well be breathing.

Spirituality can be found in meditation, in science, in holy spaces, in music, in community. We locate the sacred in the stars that guide us home, our capacity to love both kin and stranger, the divine that gathers in the kitchen dustpans and the forest groves lit by fireflies.

Through spiritual practice — be it by prayer mat or paint brush, microscope or movement — we seek answers to the eternal questions: How should a person be? How might we find meaning in the mundane, and purpose through great pain? How can we repair the world?

Our Jeddah chapter chose this month’s exploration of Spirituality, and Bayan Yasien illustrated the theme. El tema del mes de julio es la Espiritualidad.

La espiritualidad es la búsqueda de nuestros valores y significados más profundos, algo que nos toca a todos. Es nuestro anhelo de correr la cortina del mundo que podemos ver. El término proviene del latín spiritualis, que significa “perteneciente a la respiración, el viento y el aire”. Viene de manera tan natural que bien podría ser respirar.

La espiritualidad se puede encontrar en la meditación, en la ciencia, en los espacios sagrados, en la música, en la comunidad. Encontramos lo sagrado en las estrellas que nos guían a casa, en nuestra capacidad de amar tanto a nuestros familiares como a un extraño, en lo divino que se reúne en los recogedores de cocina y en la arboleda del bosque iluminada por las luciérnagas.

A través de la práctica espiritual—ya sea mediante una alfombra de oración o un pincel, un microscopio o el movimiento—buscamos respuestas a las preguntas eternas: ¿Cómo debería ser una persona? ¿Cómo podemos encontrar significado en lo mundano y propósito a través de un gran dolor? ¿Cómo podemos arreglar el mundo?