The Creative Habit: Learn it and Use it For Life

Since moving to Los Angeles, I've been having a rollicking good time. In fact, too good of a time. In the midst of reuniting, dining, drinking, partying, festival hopping, bookstore browsing, video game playing, dancing, moving and working, I've also been NEGLECTING my creativity...aka, figuring out if art is what I want to do with my life.

That's why a book like The Creative Habit: Learn it and Use it for Life: A Practical Guide has been a godsend. I already feel like I have a keener understanding towards who I am and what I want from this life. It's brought sorely needed focus. Twyla Tharp is one of America's greatest choreographers, but everything in this book is applicable to every creative field. I've already recommended this book to an actress and an advertising designer.

Inside the book, she also includes a test that helps you understand your "Creative DNA". It's a way of finding out what kind of artistic personality you are, and if that is representative in your work and what you do. I highly recommend you take this quiz as well. Here's an excerpt:

"If you understand the strands of your creative DNA, you begin to see the "story" you are trying to tell; why you do the things you do (both positive and self destructive); where you are strong and where you are weak (which prevents a lot of false starts), and how you see the world and function in it.

Take the following questionnaire. If even one answers tells you something new about yourself, you're one step closer to understanding your creative DNA. There are no right and wrong answers here. The exercise is intended for your eyes only, which means no cheating, no answers to impress other people. It's supposed to be an honest self appraisal of what matters to you. Anything less is distortion. I include it here and urge you to answer quickly,instinctively. Don't dawdle. "

1. What is the first creative moment you remember?

2. Was anyone there to witness or appreciate it?

3. What is the best idea you've ever had?

4. What made it great in your mind?

5. What is the dumbest idea?

6. What made it stupid?

7. Can you connect the dots that led you to this (great) idea?

8. What is your creative ambition?

9. What are the obstacles to this ambition?

10.What are the vital steps to achieving this ambition?

11. How do you begin your day?

12. What are your habits? What patterns do you repeat?

13. Describe your first successful creative act.

14. Describe your second successful creative act.

15. Compare them.

16. What are your attitudes towards money, power, praise, rivals, work, play?

17. Which artists do you admire most?

18. Why are they your role models?

19.What do you and your role models have in common?

20. Does anyone in your life regularly inspire you?

21. Who is your muse?

22. Define muse..

23. When confronted with a superior intelligence or talent, how do you respond?

24. When faced with stupidity, hostility, intransigence, laziness, or indifference in others, how do you respond?

25. When faced with impending success or the threat of failure, how do you respond?

26. When you work, do you usually love the process or the result?

27. At what moments do you feel your reach exceeds your grasp?

28. What is your ideal creative activity?

29. What is your greatest fear?

30. What is the likelihood of either of the answers to the previous two questions happening?

31. Which of your answers would you most like to change?

32. What is your idea of mastery?

33. What is your greatest dream?

So I Hit a Car...

I won't bore you with the details of the accident, but the bottom line is no one got hurt, the other car was undamaged, and the dude I hit was nice about the whole thing.

BUT IT'S STILL A MAJOR PAIN IN THE ASS. And as with all my ass pain-this comes with some very valuable life lessons for Helen Jen.

So here we go....

What I Learned From My Car Accident
by Helen Jen, Age 27

1. Don't brag about what a good driver you are.
In the weeks before the accident I probably said the words, "No I swear, I'm a GOOD driver, " ten or fifty times. I dunno. I lost count. Anyway, the bottom line is I was a smug little betch and "car"-ma caught up with me. So remember to stay humble about your driving skills and KEEP YOUR DAMN MOUTH SHUT if you even think you're "alright". In fact, go the opposite route and tell everyone WHAT A BAD driver you are. Asides from deterring future accidents, this will also prove helpful whenever your group of friends is trying to decide who the designated driver will be. But seriously, I think I became more and more careless with my driving as my overconfidence steadily grew and grew. So keep your ego in check on the road at all times, lest you start to believe your own shite.


2. Get Car Insurance. I drove uninsured for about a month. When I told my Aunt Jean I'd "get around to it" because "nothing's gonna happen" she TOTALLY ripped my eardrums out over the phone. So I got my act together, and got my insurance on Sept. 4th. I got in my car accident on Sept. 12th.

Unfortunately my car insurance didn't cover collision damage but IF:
-I'd been hurt.
-I'd injured another person.
-Damaged the other person's vehicle.
-Damaged property.
-Hit a litigious asshole.

I would have been SCREWED...financially AND legally. So yea, get the damn insurance already. I got mine as low as $43 a month. Here's a link to get you started.

3. Become a AAA Member.
Even before this accident, I'd already used my AAA membership three times to unlock a vehicle, get a tow truck when my car's spark plug wire came loose, and find a nearby garage (again spark plug). And it was all FREE! FREEEE! And again, who doesn't love free maps?

4. Don't go to the dealership right away.
When I towed my car to the dealership for my spark plug problem, my tow guy looked disgusted, shook his head and started moaning about what a bunch of thieves and scam artists those guys were. He made me feel positively ASHAMED for going to a dealership.

THIS time, I asked my tow truck company for a referral to a nearby collision center. They asked me if my insurance covered collision damage (it didn't) and they took me to a center that specialized in wholesale, overstocked auto parts. The mechanic went through every part that needed replacing with me, and we were able to slash the price down to almost 50% what it would have cost me at a dealership. Of course, you also have to be careful since some tow truck companies have deals/scams with auto shops, but I felt okay with my AAA tower. If you have the benefit of time, you can also do some preliminary research among friends/internet for a good auto body shop. Through Yelp, I was also able to find a bunch of great reviews for automotive shops/mechanics.

On that note....

5. Do your preliminary research.
Luckily, I didn't need one...but it's a good idea to have a personal injury lawyer that you can call or reach right away. Better to go to them rather than have them come to you. So ask around among friends and family and have that number ready in your wallet/car. Also, according to this article, most traffic accidents happen statistically 3 miles from your home (LIKE MINE!!!!), so it is good to have the number for a neighborhood auto body shop you know and trust handy.

6. Get to Know Your Fellow Car Accident Victim and then SHUT UP!
After the accident, I immediately ran to the guy I hit and asked:

"Are YOU okay?" (yes)
"Is YOUR car okay?"(yes)
"I'm insured. Are you?" (yes)

Oh yea, in between all that there was a lot of me blubbering as well:
"I'MSOSORRYI'M SOSORRY-OHMYGAAAAAWD-I'MSOSORRY!"

Which, in retrospect is NOT the wisest thing to do in such a sue-happy society.
So K.I.S.S.-keep it simple stupid:

"Are you okay? Is your car okay? I have insurance, do you?"

Follow that with exchanging your names, contact, license number, make and model of your vehicles.

7. File a Claim
After the accident, I knew my insurance didn't cover my damages, but I still filed a claim with my company. Yea, I was nervous my rate would rise (it didn't) but this is what the lady from 21st Century told me.

"You should best file that claim, cuz even if the guy you hit SAYS he's fine now...doesn't mean he's going to stay fine tomorrow. People go home, they talk to their friends, their family...next thing you know they develop whiplash overnight. You want it on record immediately that he said he's fine."

And on that note, while the memory is still fresh, write down every detail of the accident you remember on paper so you have a prepared statement ready.

8. If your mechanic offers you a ride, don't accept.
This is a shout out for the ladies especially. After an accident, you MIGHT just be a little shaken up. Your judgment might not be clear. You're a bit vulnerable. You might also be temporarily retarded. Your new friend, Mr. Mechanic But Otherwise a Complete Stranger says, "Hey, let me give you a ride back home."

DON'T SAY YES.

I totally did. He offered me a ride to work and I was like, "Sure, dude. "
My middle aged Russian mechanic seemed cool at first, until he started saying that he "could go for a beer right now" with me, and again "we should TOTALLY go out for beers TOGETHER", nevermind it was 10 AM at the time. But I have heard worse stories, where a friend of a friend had a mechanic drop her off at her home, and suggest that she could lower the cost of her repair job in return for certain favors. Vom.

9. Ask WHY?!
I've heard that bad things happen, and that you should just accept it and move on. Well, I think that's a complete load of crap. Frankly, I'm under the impression that things, especially BAD AND ANNOYING things, happen to us for a certain reason. Hitting the car was completely random. The road wasn't slick. We were barely moving in traffic. It was sunny and bright. I was distracted in my car by a DENTIST OFFICE for chrissakes. In my mind, the only justification for this event is to examine how my life has benefited from my misfortune.

It's been about a week now since the accident and I've learned:

-For some reason, asking for help is really hard for me. I hate the idea of inconveniencing others, nor do I like to appear vulnerable or weak. Hmmm...this can be a good or a bad thing.
And why am I like this? Interesting.

-I could have been more responsible with my money. I'm paying for the repairs out of my pocket, so I've completely re-hauled my budget, made some sacrifices and am staying in more. This is not a hard thing. I could have done this before the accident, but I didn't. It took this accident to give me a REASON to improve my fiscal habits. Hopefully, these habits will stick after I've saved up the money I lost.

-How to take public transporation in LA. The car is a gas guzzlin' pollutin' accidentin' crutch.
If I was able to conquer the Taipei Bus system, there is no reason I can't figure out how to commute to work for $2.50. Through the TripMaster page, I've found a brave new way to navigate the arteries fo LA. Again, this accident is giving me a reason to be less lazy.

-To keep everything in the right perspective. As I was being towed away from our apartment, my roommate happened to be pulling out of the driveway. She saw my smashed car, but was too panicked to stop because she was on her way to see a very, very sick friend in the hospital. While her friend's health was failing and his family and friends prayed for him, she still had the consideration and heart to call me from the hospital and ask if I was alright.

Me? Don't worry about me. It's only my car.

I Heart Photobooths...

...and the friends who jump in with me!
You girls are the best.
LA would not be this good without either of you here with me.

:)