Inspiration

One of the things that I love about Los Angeles is that it is I am constantly surrounded by creative energy.

When I moved to Los Angeles to attend USC, I didn't expect to like it. I thought that I would go to college, rack up a few memorable experiences, and then hightail it back to the East coast as soon as humanly possible. That's not exactly what happened, though. Instead, I fell in love with the pulse of the city and I'm still here more than twelve years later. Los Angeles is very different from my familiar New York, but she breathes too.   

The bitter and the jaded will tell you that this city is a soul-sucking pit of despair that will kill your Muse and suck her dry of every last ounce of inspiration, but I disagree. Los Angeles is one of those cities to which people are drawn when they have big dreams of doing big things. She doesn't give up her treasures easily and those without the heart for the battle certainly do return home empty and defeated, but those who remain infuse the city with a persistent creative vibrancy.

There is a long-running joke about Los Angeles that everyone here as a "day job" and a "passion job." I know I do, and so does almost every single person I know. What do you do? Is always an entertaining getting-to-know-you question because the answer generally goes Well I do xxx to pay the bills, but I'm really working towards doing xxx. It takes a lot of energy to earn money doing one thing while pursuing another; only passion can keep someone waiting tables during the day and rehearsing / writing / performing / auditioning at night. That passion permeates the city.

I had dinner with some friends on Tuesday night and, over delicious s'mores at Luna Park, we started trading updates about all of our personal projects. We were all so enthusiastic that we were talking over one another, bouncing ideas around the table, feeling our projects grow from the rush of creative fervor. We were so absorbed in our conversation that eventually we abandoned our corner booth for a table at Starbucks where we continued to talk almost until closing. When I got home, I stayed up far too late jotting down notes from everything that had been brought to life over our simple dinner.

On the days when I am beaten down, thirsting for words while my Muse is sullen and silent, I need to remember that in this city, inspiration flows all around me; I need only reach my hand out into its cool current and drink my fill.

Comments

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Ditto.

The jaded around here will leave as many have done and go somewhere else only to realize it isn't the place they hated so much as it was the work it takes to make those dreams a reality.

With any luck some will actually find peace in another place. Those are the lucky few.

I am lucky in that I have found inspiration and beauty most everywhere, though those long winters used to test that. Here I don't have that concern. It really is only the humanity that wears on me.

One day I will be done with humanity and I will go find my place of peace and inspiration found deep within nature. However, I will always cherish every bit of time I have had here in this wonderful and amazing place.

Thanks for yet another brilliant Amandarin musing...

*hugs*