"Play is the opposite of survival mode."
This is the quote that hangs above my desk - a daily reminder that stress and burnout are the enemy of creativity. Early childhood development researchers tell us that a person's earliest, and most foundational lessons are learned through play. Why should we assume this ends with adulthood? When we allow play to become a daily practice - at work and at home - we open the door for innovation.
Playing with paints.
As an incoming college freshman I was enrolled at Indiana University's School of Art, Architecture + Design with an inkling towards an interior design tract. That path lasted a grand total of one semester, but my passion for art and design persisted. From the detailed illustrations I developed for SOPs in Dr. Lisa Pratt's Biogeochemistry Lab to the meticulous field notes I kept over three years of teaching at the Judson Mead Geologic Field Station - I never stopped making art and probably never will. These days playing with paints (and other media) is more of a hobby than a vocation, but every once and awhile they collide.
Playing with bikes.
In 2012, during my cross-country move from Indiana to Oregon, my car broke down on Interstate 90 just east of Butte, MT. The diagnosis was a blown head gasket - an expensive and lengthy repair. With only a few days to spare before my first semester of graduate school, I made the difficult decision to scrap my vehicle and finish the drive in a rental. That was the last time I owned a car. Bike commuting, public transit, and car-sharing with friends has allowed me to live car-lite lifestyle and deepen my connection with my community for the past 12 years. Over time the bike became so much more than a way to get to work. Seeing the country on two wheels has been a grand adventure, but my favorite ride is still my daily commute: breathing in my city, watching the seasons change and waving at my neighbors.
