Creative Work Hour

A Minute in the Clouds With Greg Day 18 

Today, instead of continuing with the discussion on Traumatic Brain Injury, I have decided to take a detour. I would like to talk about something called Creative Work Hour. Creative Work Hour was created by my good friend, Alessandra White. A small group of us meets every day at 10:00 a.m. on Zoom.

First Things First

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Creative Work Hour

Creative Work Hour is a time when we encourage one another to be creative, we meet every day over on Zoom, as I mentioned. Now, creativity is subjective. To one person, it might be writing an article for a website. To somebody else, it could be writing on social media or even cleaning the refrigerator if that’s their thing.

We come together to offer support and encouragement. Our group consists of members from various continents and countries around the world. Creative Work Hour is like my chosen family, and I genuinely mean that. Words cannot express the profound impact that being part of this tight-knit community has had on my life in numerous ways.

I Would Not Have Written This

For example, I would not have written this article, nor would I have created live videos for the last 17 days on YouTube, accompanied by an article on my website gregscloud.com. (what you are reading now). I have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Traumatic Brain Injury, among other things. I struggle with memory problems, making it difficult to remember what life was like before I started engaging in Creative Work Hour.

But this morning, as I was sharing with some friends from the community, I reflected on that. It has truly changed my life in significant ways. Today, I am much more confident in myself and my abilities. I believe I have become more sociable and social since I have been part of my Creative Work Hour family. I have definitely been more creative, assured, and confident in my abilities.

Debt of Gratitude

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my friends at Creative Work Hour, but especially to Alessandra. Creative Work Hour has provided the support, encouragement, and daily sustenance that I have needed and yearned for for so long. Creative Work Hour is more than just a group of people; it is friends helping friends. 

We are there for one another, providing strength and support. You’ve heard the saying “strength in numbers,” or to put it in biblical perspective, a rope of many strands is not easily broken. You get the point.

My thinking has improved, I trust myself more, and I enjoy creating content that my friends at Creative Work Hour seem to like. They truly are friends.

We Met in Person!

A few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of meeting two of my friends from Creative Work Hour in person. One of them was Alessandra White, the wonderful lady who started this amazing group of friends, and her partner in crime, Devin Dingler (Devin with an I), as he is affectionately known in Creative Work Hour

They had been traveling around the country for work but had also arranged their itinerary to attend the wedding of another one of our Creative Work Hour family members. Since they were just a couple of states away, Alessandra asked if they could pay me a visit. I said, “Are you f****** kidding me?” Of course, I would love that! So she and Devin (with an “I”) came to visit.

Filled With Dread

When I said that, I was filled with delight, pleasure, and at the same time, dread. Dread, you, see, is common among people who have depression, anxiety, PTSD, or a history of trauma. And of course, ADHD, and not to forget Traumatic Brain Injury. I was extremely excited, but also very worried at the same time.

Alessandra and Devin are two of the nicest people you could ever wish to meet, and I truly mean that. They even brought Tim Hortons mini donuts, which were a real treat.

Unfortunately, they were only able to stay for a few short hours, but those hours were truly special to me. I left the apartment and went with them to a bookstore in German Village, Columbus, called The Book Loft.

The Book Loft

The Book Loft is an iconic and expansive independent bookstore. It features a maze-like layout with 32 rooms of books connected by narrow passageways and staircases.

Fun Facts About the Book Loft:

Independent bookstore opened in 1977.

Referred to as “iconic” and a “tourist destination.”

Known as a “national treasure.”

Features 32 rooms of books connected by narrow passageways and staircases.

Store Interior:

• One of the largest independent bookstores in the US.
• Holds at least 500,000 books and nearly a million during Christmas.
• Garden path with patio for bargain books at the main entrance.
• Maze-like layout with narrow hallways and multiple levels.
• Offers a map for visitors describing the contents of each room.
• Covers 7,500 square feet and sells other merchandise like puzzles and posters.
• Genre-specific soundtracks created with eighteen music systems.
• Popular children’s areas.

Experience and Impact:

• Described as a formative experience by author Hanif Abdurraqib.
• The sense of getting lost in the store was significant for personal growth.

Specialty:

• Provides closeouts (“remainders”) at heavily reduced prices.
• Offers discounts ranging from 5% to 90% on all books.

Events:

• Hosts multiple events each month, including author readings and signings.
• Sponsors off-site events like comic book conventions.

Building:

• Located in red brick buildings dating back to before the Civil War.
• Originally housed a saloon and a nickelodeon movie theater.
• Transformed into various businesses before becoming The Book Loft.
• Connected to adjacent buildings to create a block-long retail mall.

History:

• Founded in 1977 by former teachers Carl Jacobsma and Roger Tompkins.
• Expanded gradually over the years by purchasing neighboring shops.
• In 1987, book buyer Russell Iler became a co-owner.
• Faced financial challenges due to Internet retailers but recovered in the mid-2010s.
• Purchased the building in 2021.

Source: Wikipedia

Softly Playing Music

Each room is filled with books from different genres, and throughout the store, there is soft music playing that matches the genre or topic of the books. For example, if you are in a room with books about meditation and mindfulness, you will hear relaxing music that is suitable for meditation.

Celtic Music

If the room were filled with Irish and Celtic items, there would be soft Celtic music playing in the background. These 32 rooms are spread across multiple levels and are linked by narrow, winding staircases, hallways, and passages. Some of these stairways and passages lead to dead ends, which greatly enhances the mystique of this unique bookstore. There is nothing quite like it; it is truly one of a kind!

Truly Special

It was truly special to go there with Alessandra and Devin. You see, I never leave the apartment unless it’s for a doctor’s appointment and I have no choice.

Isolation

I isolate myself and lock myself away, safe from the world, where the world can’t harm me and I don’t have to worry about people. Depression can be a terrible thing that robs you of your life. It robs you of your friends and it robs you of your own self. 

F****** Thank You

Now, I know that I just started talking about Traumatic Brain Injury, but I just needed to say something, to say thank you. I mean, really, F****** Thank You for the Creative Work Hour. I would not be writing this if it were not for my dear friends at Creative Work Hour.

Practice Makes Perfect

They provided me with encouragement and the courage to start creating again. It doesn’t just stop at Creative Work Hour either! Alessandra has another group called Practice Makes Perfect. 

Practice Makes Perfect is for anybody who is musically inclined or plays a musical instrument, writes songs or lyrics, listens to music or even knows what music is! It is quite similar to Creative Work Hour in that it is a small group that gathers together on Zoom. 

Short Meditation

They take a few minutes to discuss what they would like to work on for the next hour, followed by a short meditation. Then, people proceed to work on the tasks they have chosen. Some participants leave their cameras on, while others do not – there is no right or wrong approach; it’s whatever works for each individual. 

On My Saxophone (Like Bill Clinton)

I have attended some of these sessions myself and used the time to practice playing the clarinet, saxophone, or my theremini. Now, I’m sure you never knew that I occasionally played a musical instrument, did you? Well, now you do! Haha!

That is the beauty, you see. The whole concept is doing whatever works for you, but together. So today was one of the rare occasions when my memory allowed me to remember a little of what it was like before I found Creative Work Hour. And I can tell you, it was very different.

I could get on my soapbox and talk all day about Creative Work Hour and how it has changed my life. The friendships I have made, the encouragement and support I have received, and the support I have given to others – it’s truly a special thing.

Tall F****** Rockstar From Mars!

It feels like a community, a movement, a family. To quote Charlie Sheen, it’s like having Adonis DNA and tiger blood. It makes you feel like a tall f****** rockstar from Mars!

So I hope you’ll excuse the detour today. I just wanted to share my gratitude for the Creative Work Hour. Tomorrow, I will resume talking about Traumatic Brain Injury. So today, I’m grateful for the Creative Work Hour. I feel grateful and fortunate to be part of such a loving, welcoming, and affirming family.

What are you grateful for today? 

Let me know in the comments. I truly hope that you enjoyed today’s content and didn’t mind the detour. After all, taking detours and flip-flopping is the ADHD way, in case you didn’t know. So, I love you all. Thank you for reading. Be sure to come back tomorrow when I will be talking about Traumatic Brain Injuries again, unless some other crazy idea comes to mind. You know that these rabbit holes are very real!

Thank You Again

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Oh, and don’t forget to TAKE CARE OF YOUR MIND!

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