Oh, joy. Creativity over technology? Yeah, sure, why not toss out the only thing that keeps us all from livin’ in mud huts while singin’ folk songs by firelight. I mean, who needs progress, right? Let’s all just sit around and “create” with our imaginations while the rest of us—ahem, meaning me—figure out how to actually make that stuff work. But hey, maybe this episode is for folks who think “magic” is just creativity with better marketing. Sounds like Chuck’s alley… or Höbin’s.
You got a poem or somethin’ inspirational to throw in here, Alhannah? Or do you also think technology’s overrated? Go on, I’m all ears. And sarcasm. Lots of sarcasm.**
Ugh, Dax. There’s more to life than gears and gadgets, you know. Creativity drives innovation, and without it, none of that tech you worship so much would exist in the first place. So yeah, maybe there’s something to be said for putting creativity over technology now and then. It’s about balance, Dax. Something you don’t really understand, apparently.
Besides, haven’t you ever fixed a problem using creative thinking when your tech failed? Oh wait, don’t answer that—you’d never admit it.
Creative thinking? Sure, Alhannah, let’s go with that. I mean, it’s not like I’ve ever had to improvise when some part of my tech exploded or, you know, when something didn’t work the way it should. But that’s not creativity, that’s survival!
But don’t get too smug—just ‘cause you whack a problem with a sword doesn’t mean you’re more “creative” than me. I fix things with my brain and, occasionally, some well-placed explosives.
And yeah, sometimes that “fix” involves duct tape and a prayer. But let’s not pretend you’d survive two seconds in one of my little “creative fixes.” You’d be… what’s the phrase? Oh yeah—collateral damage.*
*Oh, I’m sure your version of “creative thinking” is just one misstep away from blowing us all up. You know what they say—*if the problem still exists after the explosion, it’s not Dax’s fault, it’s “collateral.”
Fine, let’s hear it from the “wise” one himself. I’m sure he’ll give us a lecture about how creativity and technology work together, and we should all just hold hands and sing about it or somethin’.
It’s the combination that makes real breakthroughs possible. Remember that time your tech did fail, Dax? The gravity boots that shorted out mid-flight? Who was it that creatively used a grappling hook to save you from becoming a crater?
And don’t try to argue, Dax, I was there. You were practically singing praises to creative problem-solving that day!
Don’t remind me about those blasted boots. Yeah, fine—maybe once in a blue moon, I’ve had to think on my feet. But I still maintain, that was survival instincts kicking in. Not creativity. You can call it whatever you want, but in my world, that’s just a Tuesday.
Survival instincts and creativity aren’t that far apart, Dax. You just don’t like admitting I have a point. Chuck’s right—you need both. Maybe one day, you’ll realize that brains and brawn can work together without blowing something up.
Alright, alright, let’s dial it back a bit, you two. No need to turn this into a full-on argument—again.
Look, Dax, Alhannah’s not trying to knock your skills with tech. She’s just reminding you that sometimes the mind has to be flexible when things don’t go according to plan. And Alhannah, Dax’s methods may be… unconventional, but they’ve saved our skins more than once, right?
You both have valid points, and I think you know that.
How about we all take a deep breath? This doesn’t need to turn into a contest of who’s more right. We’ve all been in situations where a mix of tech, brains, and brute force saved the day.
It’s not a contest, Chuck, but I’m glad you said something. And for the record, Dax, I’m not knocking your explosions… most of the time. Just saying, sometimes the subtle approach works just as well as a big boom.
Well, there we go. Was that SO hard? Now that we’re all calm, let’s save the energy for a round at the Roadkill. We just might find a side job for the weekend...
You never know when you’ll need BOTH a creative mind and a good explosion!!
My favorite movie, of course, is *Clue.* No surprise. But no one ever asks me about my SECOND favorite movie.
My second favorite movie is *Quills.* It is a story about the passion to create, and the stifling of artists and free speech. It is NOT a family-friendly movie. It stars Geoffry Rush as the Marquis de Sade, and is about a portion of his life and career.
But it is exactly how I feel, and it is a reflection of just how far I, too, am willing to go for my art.
...And it's Aaron Main-key. I listen to all of his podcasts and have pre-ordered his new Cabinet of Curiosities book. His novels are on my comp list for pitching *Cornfields of Avalon.*
Well, technically… you’re not wrong. I’ve seen some work out there that… yeah, let’s just say, creativity has its humble beginnings. But using your own... excrement as ink? That’s a bold artistic choice. You might wanna add a few more tools to that, like, oh I don’t know... maybe paper? A quill? A sanitation plan?
But, hey, if you’re going for primal inspiration, I guess it’d be an authentic way to get... messy with your process. Just don’t expect many readers to sniff out your genius!
You know, I could market this. “The Raw Art of...Letting Go: Write Your Story, Literally.” You’d be amazed at how low the standards of art collectors have fallen these days. People will buy anything if you slap a label like “authentic” or “organic” on it.
He was imprisoned because the church didn't like what he wrote.
He continued to write.
They took his pens and paper
So he wrote in blood on his sheets.
And when these gracious and concerned church authorities took his clothes, and his dignaty, and his humanity, and locked him in an oubliette (French for 'a place of forgetting,') like a starved and caged animal....
He won.
Because he kept writing. In shit. On the walls.
Because they could not take the words, the ideas, from him.
He won.
And he will forever remain the most powerful French author in history.
“Hold up, let me get this straight… the guy kept writing… in his own blood? His OWN crap? On walls?!”
*Puffs on cigar, squinting like he’s trying to comprehend this insanity.*
“Ya know, I almost respect that level of crazy. Almost. But I’m just sayin’—if a place smells like a feral troll’s backside, I ain’t stickin’ around to finish a sentence. Can’t imagine it makes for the most pleasant reading experience, either.”
He wasn't writing for an audience. Oh, he HAD one, those libertine French folks couldn't get enough of him. Especially the poor folk. He wrote for the masses often hilighting the depravities of the bourgeoisie.
He was writing because he was driven to write. He overcame everything.....to continue writing. He died.....writing.
And like you've never written a steaming pile of excrement! Maybe just not WITH one. But every one of you has That Drawer (file folder, whatever) where it goes and dies in the fetid, fertile dark. Like a mushroom. There to feed others.
Ahhh, the Marquis de Sade. Quite the creative fellow, wasn’t he?
Now, let’s be clear, I’m not here to judge—though, you know, that is an option if you’re interested. I do good work.
You know what really makes this story beautiful? He was stripped of everything—tools, decency, even his dignity—and yet, he clung to the one thing they couldn't steal: his madness.
He didn’t just write in filth. He wrote with it. Transformed his cage into a canvas, his waste into words. Rather poetic, really—you might even say that was the ultimate expression of freedom.
But here’s the part I enjoy most: those walls, smeared with his determination? They outlasted the censors. They outlasted the righteous. He won because he understood something fundamental:
Nothing can silence you unless you allow it. Not even death.
I am cursed with the ability to call the arbitrary nature of most things as such, openly. Some rules are written in blood, as you, Sir, well know -- You who art the Hungry Right Hand of our lady goddess O'sha who keeps workers safe and corporations.... well, not *honest* obviously. But, you know.
The rules of art are arbitrary, and shunning culture only makes it more attractive. My mother passed down an oral history of being descended from French revolutionaries. (Which is the most polite way of saying 'according to the possibly-lies my family told me.') I am the sort, by nature or nurture, who will always push up against any arbitrary rules.
Le Marquis will forever be my second favorite inspiration.
Oh! And speaking of which, and getting back to the topic...at the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library, you can sit in his chair and type on his typewriter. And a selection of his rejection slips are framed and on the walls of one room.
I'd actually not heard of constraint theory until I started doing some research for the podcast, because I wanted to provide a bit more than just my own opinion.
...seems I've been doing this most of my life, LOL.
Finally, someone gets it. Technology’s like a fancy cloak—sure, it looks impressive, but it won’t stop an arrow if you’ve got no clue what you’re doing.
Skill and talent? Priceless.
A good idea? Even better.
Technology is just the shiny sword you use to swing faster, not the brains behind the swing. Too many people sit around waiting for the "right tool" instead of just getting the job done.
Trust me, I’ve seen plenty of people who thought tech would save them.
Well, well, well... look who finally emerged from the land of the living to pay a visit.
Glad you enjoyed the articles, but let’s be honest—you’ll have all the time in the world soon enough. I mean, I could always help speed that up if you need more reading time. Just say the word.
In the meantime, I’m working on a new piece. “Why Waiting Until the Last Minute is Fatal: A Procrastinator’s Guide to Immortality.”
I thought SOMEone would like this subject...?
Oh, joy. Creativity over technology? Yeah, sure, why not toss out the only thing that keeps us all from livin’ in mud huts while singin’ folk songs by firelight. I mean, who needs progress, right? Let’s all just sit around and “create” with our imaginations while the rest of us—ahem, meaning me—figure out how to actually make that stuff work. But hey, maybe this episode is for folks who think “magic” is just creativity with better marketing. Sounds like Chuck’s alley… or Höbin’s.
You got a poem or somethin’ inspirational to throw in here, Alhannah? Or do you also think technology’s overrated? Go on, I’m all ears. And sarcasm. Lots of sarcasm.**
Ugh, Dax. There’s more to life than gears and gadgets, you know. Creativity drives innovation, and without it, none of that tech you worship so much would exist in the first place. So yeah, maybe there’s something to be said for putting creativity over technology now and then. It’s about balance, Dax. Something you don’t really understand, apparently.
Besides, haven’t you ever fixed a problem using creative thinking when your tech failed? Oh wait, don’t answer that—you’d never admit it.
Hey..."hi" guys!
That's usually where people start in a conversation, not complaints.
Hey, kid.
...sec.
Creative thinking? Sure, Alhannah, let’s go with that. I mean, it’s not like I’ve ever had to improvise when some part of my tech exploded or, you know, when something didn’t work the way it should. But that’s not creativity, that’s survival!
But don’t get too smug—just ‘cause you whack a problem with a sword doesn’t mean you’re more “creative” than me. I fix things with my brain and, occasionally, some well-placed explosives.
And yeah, sometimes that “fix” involves duct tape and a prayer. But let’s not pretend you’d survive two seconds in one of my little “creative fixes.” You’d be… what’s the phrase? Oh yeah—collateral damage.*
Hi Jaime!
...sec.
*Oh, I’m sure your version of “creative thinking” is just one misstep away from blowing us all up. You know what they say—*if the problem still exists after the explosion, it’s not Dax’s fault, it’s “collateral.”
Children.
Oh, fantastic, let’s bring Chuck into this.
I didn't call him...
I DID!
Fine, let’s hear it from the “wise” one himself. I’m sure he’ll give us a lecture about how creativity and technology work together, and we should all just hold hands and sing about it or somethin’.
Well, Monkey, it’s not about holding hands… though it wouldn’t hurt for you two to stop snapping at each other for five seconds.
But Alhannah’s right. Creativity is the spark that ignites innovation—without it, all the tech in the world wouldn’t amount to much.
That's exactly what I was trying to say, Chuck.
Hello, Jaime.
...sec.
It’s the combination that makes real breakthroughs possible. Remember that time your tech did fail, Dax? The gravity boots that shorted out mid-flight? Who was it that creatively used a grappling hook to save you from becoming a crater?
And don’t try to argue, Dax, I was there. You were practically singing praises to creative problem-solving that day!
Don’t remind me about those blasted boots. Yeah, fine—maybe once in a blue moon, I’ve had to think on my feet. But I still maintain, that was survival instincts kicking in. Not creativity. You can call it whatever you want, but in my world, that’s just a Tuesday.
Survival instincts and creativity aren’t that far apart, Dax. You just don’t like admitting I have a point. Chuck’s right—you need both. Maybe one day, you’ll realize that brains and brawn can work together without blowing something up.
Alright, alright, let’s dial it back a bit, you two. No need to turn this into a full-on argument—again.
Look, Dax, Alhannah’s not trying to knock your skills with tech. She’s just reminding you that sometimes the mind has to be flexible when things don’t go according to plan. And Alhannah, Dax’s methods may be… unconventional, but they’ve saved our skins more than once, right?
You both have valid points, and I think you know that.
How about we all take a deep breath? This doesn’t need to turn into a contest of who’s more right. We’ve all been in situations where a mix of tech, brains, and brute force saved the day.
Yeah, yeah, Chuck. I get it, “teamwork makes the dream work” and all that. But I still think blowing things up is an underappreciated form of art.
It’s not a contest, Chuck, but I’m glad you said something. And for the record, Dax, I’m not knocking your explosions… most of the time. Just saying, sometimes the subtle approach works just as well as a big boom.
Well, there we go. Was that SO hard? Now that we’re all calm, let’s save the energy for a round at the Roadkill. We just might find a side job for the weekend...
You never know when you’ll need BOTH a creative mind and a good explosion!!
...all I wanted, was to know if anyone LIKED the podcast?
Now I’ll HAVE to go listen… This thread is hilarious! Tomorrow am you’re podcast is up if nothing re-determines my path. ❤️❤️👍📚🎨🤗⚔️💻🎬👋🤩👊😊
Ah, Wezley Of Mearth, heading down a path, are we? How... intriguing.
Just make sure it’s not 'the' path.
You know, the one that ends with a cozy chat with me.
But hey, if this podcast is part of your plan, that’s one step toward immortality—in a totally non-binding, non-threatening way.
I promise.
Enjoy the listen... and if something does re-determine your path, well, you’ll know where to find me.
Bahahaha! Right! 🤐
My favorite movie, of course, is *Clue.* No surprise. But no one ever asks me about my SECOND favorite movie.
My second favorite movie is *Quills.* It is a story about the passion to create, and the stifling of artists and free speech. It is NOT a family-friendly movie. It stars Geoffry Rush as the Marquis de Sade, and is about a portion of his life and career.
But it is exactly how I feel, and it is a reflection of just how far I, too, am willing to go for my art.
...And it's Aaron Main-key. I listen to all of his podcasts and have pre-ordered his new Cabinet of Curiosities book. His novels are on my comp list for pitching *Cornfields of Avalon.*
I've never seen Quills....
Now I need to look that up.
TL;DR: all you need to be a writer is a wall and your own 💩
Eww.
No.
...I ain't a monkey.
Scratches chin, deep in thought.
Well, technically… you’re not wrong. I’ve seen some work out there that… yeah, let’s just say, creativity has its humble beginnings. But using your own... excrement as ink? That’s a bold artistic choice. You might wanna add a few more tools to that, like, oh I don’t know... maybe paper? A quill? A sanitation plan?
But, hey, if you’re going for primal inspiration, I guess it’d be an authentic way to get... messy with your process. Just don’t expect many readers to sniff out your genius!
**Leans back, twirls a scythe.**
You know, I could market this. “The Raw Art of...Letting Go: Write Your Story, Literally.” You’d be amazed at how low the standards of art collectors have fallen these days. People will buy anything if you slap a label like “authentic” or “organic” on it.
GROSS!!
He was imprisoned because the church didn't like what he wrote.
He continued to write.
They took his pens and paper
So he wrote in blood on his sheets.
And when these gracious and concerned church authorities took his clothes, and his dignaty, and his humanity, and locked him in an oubliette (French for 'a place of forgetting,') like a starved and caged animal....
He won.
Because he kept writing. In shit. On the walls.
Because they could not take the words, the ideas, from him.
He won.
And he will forever remain the most powerful French author in history.
“Hold up, let me get this straight… the guy kept writing… in his own blood? His OWN crap? On walls?!”
*Puffs on cigar, squinting like he’s trying to comprehend this insanity.*
“Ya know, I almost respect that level of crazy. Almost. But I’m just sayin’—if a place smells like a feral troll’s backside, I ain’t stickin’ around to finish a sentence. Can’t imagine it makes for the most pleasant reading experience, either.”
He wasn't writing for an audience. Oh, he HAD one, those libertine French folks couldn't get enough of him. Especially the poor folk. He wrote for the masses often hilighting the depravities of the bourgeoisie.
He was writing because he was driven to write. He overcame everything.....to continue writing. He died.....writing.
And like you've never written a steaming pile of excrement! Maybe just not WITH one. But every one of you has That Drawer (file folder, whatever) where it goes and dies in the fetid, fertile dark. Like a mushroom. There to feed others.
Ahhh, the Marquis de Sade. Quite the creative fellow, wasn’t he?
Now, let’s be clear, I’m not here to judge—though, you know, that is an option if you’re interested. I do good work.
You know what really makes this story beautiful? He was stripped of everything—tools, decency, even his dignity—and yet, he clung to the one thing they couldn't steal: his madness.
He didn’t just write in filth. He wrote with it. Transformed his cage into a canvas, his waste into words. Rather poetic, really—you might even say that was the ultimate expression of freedom.
But here’s the part I enjoy most: those walls, smeared with his determination? They outlasted the censors. They outlasted the righteous. He won because he understood something fundamental:
Nothing can silence you unless you allow it. Not even death.
...Which, I find, is quite ironic.
I am cursed with the ability to call the arbitrary nature of most things as such, openly. Some rules are written in blood, as you, Sir, well know -- You who art the Hungry Right Hand of our lady goddess O'sha who keeps workers safe and corporations.... well, not *honest* obviously. But, you know.
The rules of art are arbitrary, and shunning culture only makes it more attractive. My mother passed down an oral history of being descended from French revolutionaries. (Which is the most polite way of saying 'according to the possibly-lies my family told me.') I am the sort, by nature or nurture, who will always push up against any arbitrary rules.
Le Marquis will forever be my second favorite inspiration.
Oh! And speaking of which, and getting back to the topic...at the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library, you can sit in his chair and type on his typewriter. And a selection of his rejection slips are framed and on the walls of one room.
Constraint theory is part of why Summer Camp is soooooo popular.
I'd actually not heard of constraint theory until I started doing some research for the podcast, because I wanted to provide a bit more than just my own opinion.
...seems I've been doing this most of my life, LOL.
Seriously...I just wanted to if anyone LIKED the podcast...
I don't understand half of what yer all talking about.
Your correct.
Technology doesn’t replace skill or talent or a good idea. It’s a way to streamline process and make your life easier.
It’s not something needed, it’s nice to have and shouldn’t be seen as a barrier to getting into a project or field.
Finally, someone gets it. Technology’s like a fancy cloak—sure, it looks impressive, but it won’t stop an arrow if you’ve got no clue what you’re doing.
Skill and talent? Priceless.
A good idea? Even better.
Technology is just the shiny sword you use to swing faster, not the brains behind the swing. Too many people sit around waiting for the "right tool" instead of just getting the job done.
Trust me, I’ve seen plenty of people who thought tech would save them.
Spoiler: It didn’t.
I’m late to this party, but I enjoyed it, and the comments!
Ah, fashionably late, are we? No worries—I tend to arrive at the end of every party myself. Just... you know, on a slightly more permanent basis.
Glad you enjoyed the show and the comments, though! They're almost as fun as watching someone realize they forgot to update their will.
Stick around. You never know when something... life-changing might happen.
Haven’t had time to catch up in a while but wanted to say these last two articles are great topics!!!
Editing the second one, #41...and it's good.
Hope I can a word in this next time....GOODness.
Well, well, well... look who finally emerged from the land of the living to pay a visit.
Glad you enjoyed the articles, but let’s be honest—you’ll have all the time in the world soon enough. I mean, I could always help speed that up if you need more reading time. Just say the word.
In the meantime, I’m working on a new piece. “Why Waiting Until the Last Minute is Fatal: A Procrastinator’s Guide to Immortality.”
Thought it might pique your interest.
This is a GREAT podcast! ❤️🤩👋👏👏👏💥