What the Fran

Trying new things

Trying new things I think is inherently pretty creative, even if they are not creative things. It stops me getting into a rut, provides fuel for the fire. Being curious is a habit that needs practice.

In the earlier post about creativity and curiosity I mentioned the local print workshop's fair I went to. Which was something a bit out of the ordinary, on a street I rarely go down, in a building I'd never been in. Seeing what people are up to. Plus we tried a new (very good) pizza place.

So a shout out to Rosie and Ramona Make for the extremely cool mythological creatures, witches, and medieval vibes prints. Also Amelia Bown's beautiful and fun wildlife illustrations the niblings are going to love.

When I think about trying new things there are different levels of newness. New as in never done this before, most obviously. Also, novel, in this moment, because I've not done it for a very long time. Or a new part of my regular schedule, something I do but the newness is to do more or differently. It's closely related to just generally 'doing more stuff'. Maybe the prescription is 'try new things and do more stuff.'

My sister and her husband went to a comedy show last week and really enjoyed themselves - the comedy, yes, but also largely because it was something new or even just doing something when with three little kids their opportunities to do new things that don't involve poo have been severely curtailed in recent years.

Let us be reminded of our victories. New things I have done and enjoyed and that have made a difference in a creative/curious way recently: I made my own pickled onions, a long-standing ambition. I've been making a point of seeing live music, going to the orchestra. I started making zines over the summer, which has been a blast. And worked on a little game.

On the doing more stuff side I'd like to make a point of going to my local museum more, not just when there is an exhibition I want to see. It's on my walk into the city centre so it would be easy to just have a wander. Also a Roman museum that has been closed for refurbishment for years has reopened. And some other museums in other cities I'd like to go to. Just museums, apparently.

These are new things I'd like to try, verging on bucket-list territory towards the end:

The problem with trying new things and doing more stuff is having to leave my comfort zone, which is what I'm talking about tomorrow.