​I preface this piece with a note that what you are about to read may be a tad preachy. I tell you this out of respect for you.
                                                                            Respect your elders.
                                                                            Respect isn't just given out.

We have all known this word forever, and yet it's meaning, and the line it draws in the sand isn't so clear. While some feel respect is automatic, others think it has to be earned. The one thing we all agree upon is that respect is real. I believe it's a moving target that we all aim for, and sometimes we hit it and other times we miss. These are those times of totally missing.

I am angered by the general lack of respect that we have in our populous. The ever-widening gap of this lack of respect for those we know and complete strangers is a hidden pandemic. Our history of callousness towards each other and the world we live in has now borne its fruit. We took our marbles and went home, and now we're forced to stay home. Reflection is upon us.

Here are some of the ways we have a lack of respect. Common courtesy, healthcare, racism, terrorism, classism, global warming, and the list could go on. Where did we go astray, respectfully?

          “I’m not concerned with your liking or disliking me… All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.”
                                                                                                     -Jackie Robinson

Even now, as we are re-venturing into our world, isolation should have allowed us time to reflect on how we, humans, positioned ourselves in the world. Prior to our lockdown, we faced devastating CO2 levels and a meltdown that was going to be irreversible. A crisis arises to make us correct course, even if by happenstance, or not.

Still, we cannot see that there may be a greater force trying to help us from hurling ourselves toward our end. Not God. It's our planet. It was here long before we took our first steps on it, and it has the power to remove us at any time. Respectfully, it has been sending us warning shots, and we, collectively, have chosen to ignore them. Horrific weather, earthquakes, pandemics, why aren't we respecting the warnings? For those who think this may be a bit far-fetched, I ask for your explanation.

Let's turn now to the reflection part. As humankind, we have been forced to stay home, stay apart, and attempt to stay safe. Throughout this isolation, why haven't we taken a looked at how we got here and where we're going? It doesn't matter if you believe or don't believe in the pandemic, hundreds of thousands of our kind have died in a blink of an eye. This should give us pause to reflect.

                                  "Civilization is a method of living, an attitude of equal respect for all."
                                                                                                     -Jane Addams

Instead, we have chosen to dig our heels in and battle each other. From conspiracy theorists, to flat-earthers, to scientists, to the plain Joe not on the street, we need to see that divided we will fall. So, let's give each other the respect of our opinions and reflect enough to realize that we must put those differences on hold if we don't want to follow the dinosaurs' path.

                                         "Respecting others’ opinions doesn’t mean being untrue to our own."
                                                                                                         -P. M. Forni

If you found this preachy or disagree with this piece, I respect your difference of opinion and welcome your thoughts. I only ask that you reflect on your response and be respectful.

                                                                                                Inspired by a conversation with my mother
 
As we move forward in all the uncertainty, there is a great fear among the masses. Perhaps, it’s the middle to senior aged, since they can remember walking into a store to purchase an item. The younger generations have grown up in the online age and don’t need to acclimate.
 
“I’m too old to order something without trying it on first.”
 
Rest assured that as online access grows and the brick and mortar shopping experience dwindles, there is a connective tissue that ties this online shopping transition to the past. Like an old friend who shows up on your doorstep with a new haircut. The discomfort of not knowing is eased by a familiarity that exists, it just has to be sought out and brought into the light.

In 1872, Aaron Montgomery Ward produced the first mail order catalog geared to the general public. This was followed by other large names such as  Hammacher Schlemmer and eventually, what might be the most famous one of all time, the Sears & Roebuck catalog. From JC Penney to Victoria Secret, long before home computing and the internet, mail order catalogs flourished. Companies like car parts giant JC Whitney made its mark on the world from between the pages of mail order catalogs. 

Why did this surge in mail order catalogs grow into a multi-million-dollar business? Simple economics of supply and demand. People wanted to shop and most of them didn’t have cars. Getting down town or to a major city, to the brick and mortars, was too difficult or too time consuming. The telephone at that time made it simple to order items directly from the catalogs.

The world then saw the advent of the home computer and it was a game changer. In 1995, Jeff Bezos, Amazon’s guru, opened for business. He may have been the first to see the potential online scalability of the mail order catalog. Today Jeff has taken the internet catalog well beyond its mail order predecessor, threatening the mere existence of some brick and mortar establishments.

Let’s move forward to 2020. We are all now quarantined at home and travel to the brick and mortars is not an option. The online catalog industry already has its foothold. Demand for home delivery has found its worth in a new way. Yes, there is the option to order online and drive to a store to pick up the item, but fear has gone viral. We’re in lock down and the only way to shop safely is via the internet catalog. The term “internet catalog” does not sound common, but a look at the myriad of shopping websites where you can buy just about anything looks a great deal like a digital version of a Sears and Roebuck catalog. Everything you could ever want is in one place.
 
“I never thought I would have to do this in my lifetime.”
 
For all who are fighting the online catalog shopping reality, it might sit on your pallet a bit easier if you make the correlation that as child you may have watched your parents or grandparents place orders from mail order catalogs.  If you’re old enough, you may have placed a phone order from a mail order catalog yourself. A feeling of nostalgia could replace the angst you feel about having to shop online. Truth is that making purchases via an online catalog, takes less effort than the mail order catalogs ever did. One more fact that might help take the edge off of online catalog shopping is that while mail order catalog items took weeks to show up, today most online orders are on your doorstep in seven days or less.

As the new world might bring many fears with it, shopping doesn’t have to be one of them. This time looking to the past can ease the transition to the future. It’s like riding a bicycle. You never forget, you just need to practice a bit in the beginning. By the way, you can buy a bicycle online too.
  
For more on the history of mail order catalogs visit

1. History of mail order catalogs:  https://www.publitas.com/blog/a-visual-history-of-the-catalog/#:~:text=The%20first%20Montgomery%20Ward%20catalog,meant%20for%20the%20general%20public.

     2. History of Sears and Roebuck catalog: http://www.searsarchives.com/catalogs/history.htm   
     3. History of Amazon https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/amazon-opens-for-business
​

    Have you ever heard the term Pechakucha (Pe-chuk-a-cha)? Pechakucha is Japanese, meaning "chit chat" and the best way to understand it is on the Pechakucha website. It is "show and tell" for adults - with a twist. 
 
                                                                      So why am I blogging about a Pechakucha?
 
Because I live and thrive in the world of storytelling. And not knowing about Pechakucha presentations is like missing an arm or leg, or at least a few digits. Have I piqued your interest yet?
 
A bit of history is necessary before we dive into why doing a Pechakucha presentation. In 2003, architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham of Tokyo's Klein Dytham Architecture invented the Pechakucha presentation. Their goal was to create a way to maximize the exchange of ideas while keeping the audience's attention by streamlining long design presentations. Basically, twenty PowerPoint slides, created by the presenter, are flashed onto a screen for twenty seconds each. The slides automatically advance, giving the presenter a total of 6 minutes and 40 seconds to make presentation. The Pechakucha method is currently being implemented in schools, business, and at what is known as Pechakucha Nights (PKN). There are one thousand cities worldwide that have PKNs. Klein and Dytham held their first PKN in Tokyo at the SuperDeluxe.  
 
 
                                                             ペチャクチャ
                                                                                                  “Chit chat”
 
                                                                                Who and where are PKNs held?
 
The general format for PKN events is the same, but some hosts add their own twist to the event. A few years ago, I attended a Pechakucha event called Spark Exchange, hosted by Pire Associates Architects in New Haven, CT. At this event there were a handful of wonderfully creative, invited presenters. Then host Laura Pirie challenged the audience members to participate. A random slide flashed onto the screen and an audience member had twenty seconds to tell the story of that slide. The entire night was a success.
 
Recently I attended a PKN where a presenter spoke about her fear of heights while hiking in Peru to Machu Picchu. Another explained how he created a community-building concept called Dinner Stories to bring ten housemates closer. I left the event totally inspired and have signed up to present at the June New Haven PKN. 
 
                                                                            Why is the Pechakucha important?
 
We all have stories to tell about our life's experiences. The Pechakucha provides an avenue to share our tales, inspire people, and develop interest in something we are doing. Remember that Klein and Dytham first created the Pechakucha presentation format as a business tool. PKN is a way to share what inspires you, an experience you had, or promote what you love to do. As an author, I can see the potential of sharing my work with groups of people and grow my reader list at the same time. Klein and Dytham were onto something. Google Pechakucha with your local city's name to see if there is one near you. If not, start one yourself by going on the Pechakucha website to register. 
 
I recommend going to a local PKN first. You won't be disappointed. What's most astonishing is the diversity of presenters and topics. From aliens to zookeepers, inspirational to comical, you never know what's going to be coming your way. The presentations are always informative and if you're not interested, it's okay; there will be a new one along in just under seven minutes. 
 
If you're wondering, speaking this blog takes about 5min 34sec. Add in a few deep breaths, perhaps a long dramatic pause, and you're at the 6min 40sec Pechakucha presentation limit. 
 
                                                                     Don't wait; be a Pechakucha presenter today!

All artists, and by artists, I mean every one of us, can create in some way form or fashion. Our own creativity is as unique as our fingerprint. Creativeness isn't limited to words, drawings, or music; it includes necessity, ingenuity, and the ability to see past what already exists. Creativity is discovery in whatever form it takes.
 
Having said all this about being creative, what happens when we become stuck? When we lose our desire or misplace our will to create. Maybe it's because we've narrowed our vision, or fallen prey to outside influences. This triggers anxiety and our creativity withers, or we decide to push harder.
 
Let's take a look at the first option: The withering of creativity -Alexander Den Heijer stated: "When a flower doesn't bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower." For those who are not familiar with Den Heijer, he has written a very insightful book called Nothing You Don't Already Know. The point is that we need to take a look at what is stifling our creativity. What around us is taking over and wilting us? Has our environment changed, or does it no longer suit our needs? We are influenced by what we surround ourselves with. That statement leads a truth; we are in control of what and who we chose to have around us. We create our environment.
 
The second step is a bit harder. Why have we let the external affect the internal so drastically? Creativity comes from within. Our ability to create is personal. Whether it's writing an elegantly crafted sentence, stringing together just the right combination of musical notes to a song, or engineering the most ingenious mathematical equation, it's personal. It becomes necessary to look inward to see what may be blocking us. Emily Rose Barr in a blog for nosidebar.com depicts looking describes steps to take to look inward. She gives five easy steps on how to get back to who you are. These steps are an excellent place to start regaining your creative flow.
 
How about that second option: Let' push harder and push through it.  Wellness author Christine Arylo, in a blog at Huffpost.com writes:
 
The challenge is that most of us don't know we are pushing ourselves too hard until we have already gotten to the "bad place" -- the land of the crabby, the self-critical and the unhappy version of ourselves. The first step in transforming self-induced pressure to a more supportive, sustainable way of living is awareness, knowing the signs for when we are pushing ourselves too hard.
 
Arylo depicts there are five signs we are pushing too hard. I will not cover those five signs, but the link to the blog is live by clicking on Huffpost.com hyperlink.
 
If we are unable to craft with the mastery that we've become accustomed to and now we add the pressure of pushing harder, the only thing we have created is a downward spiral. Pushing ourselves harder; an old school thought is not the way. The flip side of that; letting ourselves "off the hook," some would call this a more modern approach, is also not the way. Both methods are ways of deterring us from looking at the root of the matter.
 
The Answer: Take a look at what has changed to cause the rift in our creative self. See why it has affected us so and find a creative way back. Yes, I said a creative way back. After all, that is our nature.
  
An important note- asking for help is not a sign of weakness; it's a sign of authentic power. Not asking for help is a weakness. It causes us to stay hidden in the shadows, silently suffering.
 
Creativity is a gift we all possess and it manifests itself in hundreds of thousands of ways. If you get in a rut or forget your passion for being creative, use that which comes naturally to you to find a way back. Know that you have it within you to do so. Your creativity is your expression; share it with the world.