Slightly Embarassing Creative Quirks

As creatives, we all have idiosyncrasies. I’d like to know your creative quirks that play into your art and creative process. And by ‘your art,’ I mean: getting the kids ready for bed, conducting a non-boring sales meeting at work, making a meal, or designing a dream from concept to fruition.We’re all artists.

I’ll start the ball rolling before you divulge your foibles.

On the cusp of writing this list, I’ll just say this: if you could see me, you’d describe the look on my face as chagrined. (I had to look ‘chagrined’ up to make sure I was using it correctly. Geek-factor.)

Weird music tastes. My 5 most recent iTunes downloads:

    1. “The Edge of Glory” by Lady Gaga. Just embarrassing, but I love it. There, I said it.
    2. “Tightrope” (featuring Big Boi) by Janelle Monae. So. Very. Good. It’s like hearing a good preacher expound on the Bible. She makes it come alive. Joy-singer. Here’s the video on youtube.
    3. “Bennie and the Jets” by Haley Reinhart. Yes, she was on American Idol. And yes, this version is awesome.
    4. “Forever” by Chris Brown. I first heard this while watching NBC’s “The Office.” It was featured in the Jim/Pam wedding. Celebration music extravaganza.
    5. Make Your Own Kind of Music” by Mama Cass Elliot. Butter-voiced Mama Cass (of Mama’s and the Papa’s fame) belts out this lovely anthem to artists with pinpoint croonery skills.
OCD Watchdog/Mild Participator. 3 weird things:
    1. I like shows like “Obsessed” and “Hoarders.” At times, I can identify with the people on the shows. That scares me. Then I realize I’m not like them. That relieves me. Emotional journey.
    2. A ‘thing’ with odd/even numbers. When turning up the volume on the TV, I’ll often want it to be an even number. Why? I dunno. But then I think of the people on shows like “Obsessed” and I flip it to 13 or 17 and throw caution to the wind.
    3. Supersonic ears. I often wear earplugs to concerts, theaters, even churches at times. Sensitive ears.
Randoms.
    1. I usually sleep on the floor. Actually, I start in the bed and then, around 2 or 3 AM I end up waking up and moving to the floor. Why? I like it. It happened last night.
    2. I don’t call my wife ‘dear’ or ‘honey.’ We keep it simple: we call each other ‘babies.’ ‘Dear’ and ‘honey’ never seemed right to us. Nor does ‘deer honey.’
    3. I was invincible once. I took a Starbucks Venti Iced Americano (I believe it has 34 shots of espresso in it) into the movie theater to watch The Dark Knight. Upon leaving the theater and finding my way home, the combination of the movie and caffeine told me that yes indeed, I too was a superhero. I was Batman until that buzz wore off. I’ve not had a Venti Iced Americano since.

Enough of my quirks.

Who’s honest enough to share one or two of your creative quirks that make you who you are?

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Author: Andrew Zahn

I'm a son, husband, dad, business owner, actor and good sleeper/eater. On this blog, I pave a highway for creative growth by providing food, water, and shelter for those wishing to live, work, and play with creative zest.

6 thoughts on “Slightly Embarassing Creative Quirks”

  1. In cooking, I must, whenever pouring liquid from either a container or the tap, add just a little bit more. As in, I've poured a cup of chicken broth and stopped pouring…now I have to splash a few more drops in the cup. Every time. Sometimes, though, I'll live dangerously and NOT add the extra drops. Dangerous indeed.

    When I write an essay for a blog, I write a copious amount of words, without editing, and after I'm done editing, I usually have more words leftover than the requisite 800 words for the essay. But I have to keep it under 800 words…I'll tighten and tighten until it's 800 words exactly, or just under. Once, though, I thumbed my nose at that and had around 900. (Yikes.)

    Have to have the doors locked in the van anytime we're in it. This is fine when I'm driving; I don't have to explain it to anyone and can lock them myself. There's no lock mechanism, however, on the PASSENGER door, and so I have to ask/remind/request Glenn to lock the doors on trips. Have to. Mom always locked the doors and now SO DO I.

    AND…when I played basketball, anytime I had foul shots, I would bounce the ball exactly five times, then shoot. Each time. But I always started counting on '4.' So, '4-5-6-7-8 SHOOT.' Every time. It worked. 🙂

  2. I absolutely LURVE (one of my fave quirky words) this post! I feel I have many quirky ways, as relating to my art and life – but the first two that come to mind:

    1.I have to tap the side of the airplane 3 times when I'm boarding for a flight. I know that sounds superstitious, but I have never meant it to be…it just started for me a few years ago, and I can't stop…

    2.I have a…ummm, slight (in reality that is probably a lie, and it's the opposite of slight) addition to pens…I usually keep about 10 in my purse pocket, because I always want just the 'write' instrument to grab if I need to jot down a (creative, or maybe not so much) idea… Again, that could also seem like the beginnings of hoarding (and yes, I have quite a few “pen jars” around the house), but the perfect feeling pen is an aesthetic I crave when writing, and when I write (whether it's good or terrible) I feel creative…

    You mentioned that you were looking for folks to trade blog posts…I'd love to be considered if you are still in need…(I know I'm new to this creative blogging, so if you think I need more practice beforehand, I shant be offended 🙂 Thanks for your words – and blessings to you and Sarah!

  3. I have two things to say. First of all, you've given me a complex. I read this post first thing this morning and ever since I've been trying to think of a quirk to write, and I just can't. I can think of about 15 quirks I could share about Brian, though! *sigh* I have always said I am boring, and perhaps this proves it. Wait… is that a quirk?!?

    Secondly, your posts have been slowly inspiring me to blog again. I used to blog almost daily, but I think my last post was in March. To be honest, this year has been crappy and it has just sucked my desire to write out the window. But, perhaps I will start again sometime soon… so thanks for that 🙂

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