10 Things Fueling My Art Right Now

 Continuing the 10 Current Learnings Series. What's fueling me:

This is what democracy looks like. Photo Thomas Paul.

1. Marching with hundreds of thousands at the Women's March in NYC. The intoxicating joy of that crowded, unified energy of peace and togetherness in Midtown Manhattan last Saturday sticks with me.

2. Remembering amazing actor and exceptionally kind human Kevin Geer, who played Tate in my staged reading of Kilgore at Seven Devils Playwrights Conference 2011, and died days ago from a heart attack. A big loss. A big heart.

3. A 24-Hour trip from NYC to Boise when delays out of Newark caused a missed flight caused two extra flights early the next morning getting my partner and I home just in time to teach. Ending one adventure with another misadventure. 

4. A healthy dose of rage for this political moment. I remember Anne Bluethenthal used to ask us what got us up in the morning to work on our art? Rage was the state that most regularly got her up. Anger can be an activating force.

5. Getting back into my regular sleep cycle, work rhythms and yoga classes. Physical and mental health is crucial right now.

6. Remembering a protesting youth's chants from Saturday: "Donald Trump. Smells like a dump!" And one of my fourth grade students writing that his mission in life is to stop Donald Trump. The future is young. The future is female. The future is hope -- if we can listen to the young and loving.

7. Music. Stars. Ancients. 

8. Cream Earl Grey. Gunpowder Green. English Breakfast. Lincang Mao Feng.
Leaf Teahouse Boise!

9. The growing number of community organizers, socially engaged artists and politically active artists rising up in Boise right now. Solidarity. Beauty. Humanity.
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10. Fired up. Ready to go! Thank you President Obama. Thank you.

From the ground, a light ahead. Photo Thomas Paul.