1 | (re)birth 9/28/11

And fall is off. Again. Save, this time is the last time, and the stakes seem higher than ever. I am scared out of mind. I have no idea what opportunities will be out there 1 year from now, and that not an easy thing to swallow. But I know what opportunities could be out there, and what amazing things I dream of creating. That stuff gets me excited as all hell, and that excitement far out weighs the fear. That's the "why" that drives me. That's why I'm still here.

That's also why I'm here here, in this class. I think I've got a pretty good grasp of what I want to do (though I've been wrong about that before) and this is a critical step to get there. I'm here to build my tools at creating value in my work, and to tackle the scary stuff that can seem a bit much at times. This class isn't going to be some cakewalk. I wouldn't be here if it was. This career isn't going to be easy. It's going to kick me in the shins and be tough as nails. I wouldn't have it any other way, besides, it's certainly never going to be boring.

I'm not starting from scratch. I have skills and drive and direction. But I do see this as the start of a new journey, and despite the 23 goddamn years before me, I feel kind of like a newborn. There is a lot to learn, and a long road ahead (whether talking about my whole career, this final year, or pursuing becoming a creative strategist), so it's time to take my first baby steps...

...by introducing a new member to the family of "Stuff Bret Carries Around Everywhere With Him"! Legal pad, uni-ball pen, wallet, keys, flash drive, planner and phone say hello to your baby brother, Ideabook.

I know the rest of you are all business-profesh, but be open to your new sibling. He may be innocent and blank now, but soon he will be full of all kinds of crazy that never quite looked right in the rest of you. Cousin mechanical pencil will probably stop by to help take care of Ideabook.

On a related note, I came across a recent TED Talk on doodling later Tuesday afternoon. Coincidence? I think not. Sunni Brown goes on to explain the negative stigma spontaneous drawing has held over history, and why that stigma is a load of bull. Adding such a completely creative action of scribbling concepts and random ideas a) helps us focus on the world around us and retain it better, and b) is the launching pad for the greatest creations out there. Brown mentions the creation of the Abu Dhabi Guggenheim came from a doodle. For us Northwesterners the EMP in Seattle was the result of Frank Gehry crumpling up a napkin and then deciding to draw it at a whim.

It's got to start somewhere, so here it is for me (though technically I started a long time ago). It's not a blank slate for me, but the innards of this Ideabook are. Fill it up? Damn straight. I'm somewhat newborn, and taking my first steps, but those are steps of growth and learning through creativity. Pretty exciting stuff. I love fall.


Life is what you make it...