Every year some pranks are pulled on April Fool’s Day.

My kids were big into putting a rubber band on the kitchen sink sprayer. They would high five every time I forgot about it. (I let them have their fun and kept it rigged for most of the day, as they were at home on holiday.)

Redbox did a funny and enjoyable one too.

(click for full prank…it’s worth it for the cheese alone!)

I have been so occupied with my obligations of work, family, and grad school that I didn’t get to poke around and see what other pranks were had on a bigger scale.

What did I miss?

Offer some links to your favorites of this year (or any year) and let me know what I missed!

YEP. Good news about free stuff!

Right after we feast like mad and express our gratitude and thankfulness we charge out to buy and shop! I’ve always thought this was the strangest thing…But, the sales do seem unbeatable, right?

Confession: I can’t handle the bustle. I grow weary so fast from shopping, let alone doing it amid crowds and while fighting chock-a-block traffic. What about you?

Perhaps Cyber Monday is a different kind of bustle?…nevertheless….

I have some things for you. It won’t cost anything. And you don’t have to get “malled” or drive anywhere.

Click  ”Kindle Bookshelf”. (4 FREE books)

On Monday 11/26/2012 all four of my digital (Kindle) books are free for the taking. ONE Day only. (One of the four has not been offered for free until now, and it won’t happen again anytime soon.)

Here’s a secret! If you DON’T have a kindle or a kindle app, you can still click to buy, and Amazon houses them for you, for whenever you want them, on which ever device you choose. So, if you’re getting a kindle for Christmas, click to get them now, and enjoy them later.

I do hope you enjoy them.

If you would please leave an Amazon review, I would be most grateful! I have lots of people reading, but hardly anyone leaving reviews yet. So, I need your help!

Season’s Blessings!

-Lisa

P.S. Spread this good news with a Tweet or two, please?

(If you miss your chance, don’t fret. Each is only $3. Way less than a latte at Starbucks. Amazon lets you read sample pages. Try each one and see what you like!)

I’ve surfed Niagara Falls.
It was a hyper realistic dream that I could control. I woke up inside my dream and went down that thing about 5 times.
Loved it!

It’s called lucid dreaming.

I’ve been doing it since I was about 7 years old.

Did you know that you can Learn Lucid Dreaming! You’ll love it.

Even someone that can’t usually remember dreaming at all can learn how to remember more dreams (sometimes 3-7 a night). You can learn ways to control aspects of your dreams (great when you have a nightmare or nasty reoccurring dream), and even become conscious and prolong a consciousness while in a true sleeping/dreaming state.

It helps with anxiety, building good relaxation habits, and empowers you in waking life! You can have experiences you could never have, or problem solve in ways you didn’t think were possible. It’s a huge creativity boost too.

You spend 1/3 of your WHOLE LIFE sleeping, why not make the best of it?

I just published a Guide with everything you need to know at Amazon. (Sparky’s Go-to Guide for Dream Control)

You may notice that it’s co-written by Sparky Pronto…that’s another upcoming surprise. I’ll keep you posted with more news soon.

Even better, this Go-to Guide is FREE this Monday, 11.12.2012.

I hope you like it!

One More Thing:

Do you have trouble sleeping, or with nightmares or unsettling reoccurring dreams? Do you want to know what a certain dream might mean? Contact me for guidance. There’s no charge for a consultation, but I can only accommodate 10 requests.

So enjoy

&

Sweet Dreams!

Just a short a reflection on the nature of weirdness, today, from the jumping off point off…

Photography.

(You thought I was going to say Vice Presidential debates, right?)

It’s occurred to me that with copious current technology (like iPhones, and Instagram, etc) all of us can be photographers.

Not good ones, necessarily, but we can all attempt to capture a real life image to keep for later.
Photos are plentiful. So, what rises up above the noise?

Two things:

1. A unique or usual perspective

2. Weirdness

What is meant by the word “weird” anyway?

It’s something that catches off-gaurd or seems “not quite right”. Weird can be interesting or ghastly.

Most of all, weirdness provokes thought or response. It engages us somehow.

We need it. As people and as artists. Otherwise we somehow fall asleep…in all the wrong ways.

At the Story conference in Chicago, Erwin McManus said poignantly,

You don’t have to have hope to create art, but you have to have hope to create beauty.

Art can be both weird and beautiful.
Sometimes art needs to be ugly. It serves an important purpose. But in “ugly” themes we shouldn’t stay put, because then we arrive at inaccuracy. Lasting and excellent art (and creative expression) is where beauty and accuracy intersect. Not asethetic beauty, mind you. Something more. Something deeper that exposes underlying ideals of goodness or truth in its many facets.

Tell me…What was the last WEIRD thing you created or found?

Also…what do you think about the featured man-dog photo? weird? cute? funny? creepy?

(photo source)

Here’s my first video of my STORY 2012 adventure in Chicago: packing.

It’s an introduction and a few packing tips I’ve picked up along the way. (Perhaps the only usable skill I gained as a kid from a divorced home. Thanks mom and dad!)

Most videos from my journey this week will go straight to the special youtube channel (for this and other adventures), and not be posted here on the blog. So, after today get the latest news and adventure in video form when you go here.

I’ll post updates and include videos and photos on my twitter and Facebook outlets.

(photo is of sheepish cake pops…not BAhhhhd)

When was the last time you had amazing CAKE? I had a cake pop (like the one you see pictured) and I thought, “Why did I think I didn’t like cake. Hello, awesome!”

The other cool thing. 3-4 cake pops is about the portion of a typical slice of cake. So, hello, variety!

Want some?

Today, I’ll tell you how you can get cake FREE:

I was far away camping ( I had to drive 2 miles to get phone service) for much of last week and I didn’t get to promote this yummy addition like I should have. So, here goes!

I’m asking that you back this project, and share it with others.

Threat Level “Cake” means that the word is out. Backers get a chance at cake. Whoot!

That’s hard to beat! GO HERE to get a slice of what’s happening.

The offer ends midnight on WEDNESDAY (eastern standard time)

So, I’m now officially a Social Media Consultant. A Pro.

This blog has been about communication and creativity for a while now, and today I want to offer a few bits about using social media optimally.

If you have questions about communication or using social media for your new projects, leave them, and I’ll answer then in a future post.

1. Social Media is already over polluted by useless information and peacocking. So, Add VALUE.

2. Add Value by making real connections and conversations

3. Add Value by being a link to helpful resources (and not just your own stuff)

4. Add Value by being other-focused. (Limit announcements of what you’ve just done like: “Had a great taco, now I’m going to an awesome show.”)

5. Ask what other people think adds value…

(this is were you come in….leave your thoughts…)

I’m excited to tell you this update.

Some of you have been following the STORY of my STORY and here. For the sake of time I won’t recap, just click the links if you aren’t in the loop…

It was  lovely surprise, and I was taken aback on Friday. Well, in a surprise twist, and a gracious gesture going to the STORY conference in Chicago is now possible.

I’m blown away!

I just need to scrape together some lodging and a plane or train ticket. But, it’s GOING TO HAPPEN!

Choices: Plane ($266 + tax and fee via Southwest, trip take a few hours.)

or  Train ($168 + tax and fees via Amtrak, trip takes 19-20 hours, but I can really see the countryside)

Seriously…What would you do?

If anyone knows someone I could lodge with in Chicago, that’d be awesome. (Did I mention I was poor?)

I’m super stoked to record my journey and share it with you as I travel to #STORY2012. Look for more on this in mid-September.

WEDNESDAY’S post will be on using Social Media better.
With that in mind: How do you need help with this for your project? Do you have any questions about social media? I’m going to set to helping with this. Stay tuned.

I mailed out an #Everythingbook MAIL ART postcard to author Mary DeMuth. I’m on her Launch Team, and I’ve learned so much about community and allies in such a short time.

You’re going to love the book when it releases in October. Stay tuned for details at Mary’s place.

In reply, Mary posted:

‎Lisa, beautiful and very humbling. I’m not quite sure how to thank you. :) Here are some gold stars…. ******

Here it is on Pinterest (and check out the very inspirational pins done by launch team readers using quotes from the book).

Sam Javanrouh via Compfight

When you’re doing a project, starting something creative, or otherwise trying to upgrade your life, sabotage comes at you from many angles.

Think of it as a sign that you’re on the right track.

A little prep work can serve to inoculate you from intentional or unintentional sabotage.

5 Ways Others Sabotage Your Creative Mojo

1. Diversion. Fun opportunities, a needy spouse or friend, or a buzz of busyness will pervade your surroundings splitting your energies, and stretching you too far. Sometimes your focus and determination will draw others to you like a magnet. But instead of giving useable support,  they’ll be agents of distraction. Strict boundaries are the best defense.

2. Guilt-trips. Phrases like,
“You don’t seem to have time for me.”
“I never see you anymore.” 
“You seem so busy.” give you the sense that you’re not being a good person as you pursue your project. Reassure these saboteurs while claiming ground. Tell them you have to balance your life differently now.

3. Bargain-makers. “If you do “this” for me, I’ll do “this” for you,” type phrases signal that your creative energy or determination is being met with a subtle attack. It’s a way to be manipulated away from your task at hand, too. You might need to clarify you needs succinctly and repeatedly: “I’m sorry I can’y get off-task right now. I’ll be able to do more in a month (or whatever time you decide).

Just in writing this very post, I’ll had to say this to my two children 8 times in the last 15 minutes. The “broken record” tactic sends a solid message like only repetition can. But, you must persist!

4. Punitive Words and Deeds. Be it the “cold shoulder”, the passive aggressive responses, yelling and confrontation, or subtle bullying, when others pushback at what you’re doing you must muster the mental toughness to soldier on. Do it before the punishment comes from them.

5. Threats.
When others say, “If you do that, this will happen.” Or, “I don’t think I can support you if you go in this direction,” they may be trying to manipulate your creative mojo off-task for selfish reasons. If/then statements offer a tipoff that all or nothing attitudes pervade your interactions and risk derailing you. Minimize threats with a calm resolved response and carry on.

Surely there are others. What trips you up?

(Bloggers: Help the cause. Copy and paste this Story into your next post. Let me know, and I’ll drop by and field reply comments.)

I’m hand-crafting a Superb Snail Mail Package for Chris Guillebeau the best-selling author of $100 Startup and The Art of Non-Conformity.

It’s a tribute of gratitude really to some of the things I learned from Chris, especially from his guest post at Tim Ferriss’s blog: Chris advises,

Put happiness in a box…and make people feel special.

That’s infused into the premise of Superb Snail Mail.

Though Chris is aware of the upcoming delivery, he won’t know what he’s getting until it arrives. I’m shooting for memorable, personalized delight and wonder.

My Startup that has it’s challenges…
to really know how good Superb Snail Mail is one should experience it. But a pre-customer hasn’t experienced it.

I say pre-customers optimistically…
because I have this gut feeling that with some diligence the value and “preciousness” of Superb Snail Mail will gain bona fide traction, and not merely among postal enthusiasts. In many ways this can be possible because of the power of surprise.

It’s sobering: Surprising someone runs the risk of misunderstanding…failure.

While most people like good surprises what a good surprise is varies from person to person. So, it takes some work ahead of time to do well.

What I love is that when we offer a surprise that brings delight there’s a positive payoff: A relationship is built.

TRY THIS:

Figure out how you can offer a good surprise for your team, your customer, a new friend, or someone you care about. Remember that good surprises build relationship. That means something and it builds your legacy.

How will you build relationships this week through good surprises?

psst.
Ready for my Surprise?

I just got some postcard love from across the country. Lara lives in this amazing hostel near the Golden Gate bridge. I haven’t been to the West Coast yet, but now I know where I’d love to visit! I’ll take that Hostel Environment any day!

Reaching out though my creative experiment Super Snail Mail has brought new friends into my world. It’s been far more fun than I even imagined with surprises almost everyday. The power of shiny stickers, some creativity, and generosity has a Pay It Forward vibe, and I’m feeling the love.

If you want in, check out this page.
Or you may get your postcard featured here
if you send it to me:
Superb Snail Mail, PO BOX 10 Cressona, PA 17929.

 Create your own 4″x6″ card and send it my way.

Peace out.

-Sparky

So, I have this story to tell you…

I enjoy reading blogs. I read dozens regularly, and this summer I stumbled on a discovery that has really changed how my day goes.

I stopped reading cranky bloggers. It sounds simple, right?

Hang in here with me for a moment, because there’s more.

I didn’t set out to read cranky bloggers, but since I’ve subtracted them from my reading diet things have improved in amazing ways.

• For one, I  feel more hopeful on many levels.

• I have more creative energy.

• I can think more clearly about my goals.

• And, best of all I don’t feel so dragged down, overall, you know in that way that’s hard to pinpoint what exactly what could be wrong. You just feel restless or bothered on an emotional subterranean level. 

Granted, lots of cranky bloggers can be interesting, entertaining, or provocative, and I have enjoyed reading them … but I also discovered that more is at stake as I write, create, and interact.

Grouchy people (bloggers or whoever) stifle my creative energy flow:
The fall out comes in terms of…

• problem solving,

• idea generation,

• interpersonal interaction,

• and the resolve to finish ideas all the way through.

It’s all become the higher priority for me rather than staying with the latest controversy or who-done-it tongue wagging.

A captive no more!

So, I unsubscribed to a bunch of writers who were routinely griping or negative. Sadly, I’ve found a number of Christian bloggers had to be cut from my list. They’re just not the cheery bunch you’d expect really. Some of them are quite popular, but oh well. It was a tough decision actually, but a good one…for me. Life-giving really.

I realize that maybe you’re different. Maybe the tit-for-tat cranky bloggers complete with their fiery commenters spark and enthuse your creative Muse. Do they? Maybe it’s their passion gives you a boost that you need to problem solve or unearth new ideas and projects, and carry them out.

But, does it? Really think about it:
After you read a rant post, or someone’s beef or complaint, and the string of ensuing comments, do you feel energized for your own work or creating your own unique art, or do you feel drained?

See, my creative Muse gets peeved. She distances herself from me, it seems. She finds a huff and leaves in it. Maybe out of embarrassment? Maybe out of frustration frustration? Maybe because it’s all so empty to be even a small part of what is ultimately fleeting and hallow. It’s beneath her. ”She”…yeah sure…I suppose that might seem silly to personify my creativity… (and pull a classic Steven Pressfield).

Nevertheless, I just know full well now that a diet of reading that includes grouchiness creates a dead weight I’m not willing to drag along anymore.

Incidentally, I’ve found the same thing holds true regarding viewing cable news shows (humorous, provocative, or otherwise), political pundits, or too many advertisements. Again, that’s my experience. The return on investment (of my time) doesn’t warrant a close tie.

Cynicism puts a machete to the roots of your creative Source. 

Here’s the surprise ending:

Originally, I thought to myself,

“Okay. I’ll just unsubscribe to this and that, and then in the mornings when I read my email I won’t see the latest and I won’t get sucked in to read them. Sure, that’s the ticket. Then I won’t creatively derail. Yeah! I’ll just find them later, or check after a week, and see what I missed, if anything.”

You know what happened?

I didn’t even miss it. I stopped caring about the hype. I hardly ever went back. I stopped wondering if I was missing a controversy or some buzz about the interwebs. It didn’t matter. It was chaff. I just felt better and had more to give. Perhaps I felt “cured” of that honey trap.

TRY THIS:
Try a diet of without cranky bloggers for just one week. Don’t open the email, or unsubscribe for just a week, and see if it makes a difference in your life. See if it increases your ability to be creative and amazing.

I think it will, and I wish you all the best!

Thanks for reading.

I’d love to hear from you on the topic.

I snapped this shot of a restored vintage Ford camper van when I was at the grocery store this week.

It was like a go big or going home, sort of thing…big Pink van style.

I enjoyed the brash van, and even more I enjoyed what it stood for.

Non conformity.

Today remember this 1 Thing:
• Make sure you have your own Big Pink Van Moment. Maybe once per week, if you can’t handle the good medicine of once per day.

That means, screw convention, and say, “Heck with the norm.” Everyone does things a certain way. We fall in line. We act like sheep in the flock of sameness. We dress with the conventions. Drive a conventional car. Live in a conventional home. Eat conventional meals. Find conventional entertainment. Know conventional people. There’s no rule that says you have to do that. I’ll go further:

Conformity is a threat to innovation and full-bodied creativity. (Click to tweet this adage.)

Conformity becomes an unconscious mode of operation. It’s stifling. We must break out of that, routinely. Otherwise, it’s like we get involved in a slow creative death deprived of the oxygen of innovation.

What did your last Big Pink Van Moment look like?

What dream do you have that falls into this category?

Sorry to send you into a sugar coma with the cuteness today!

Today’s question is “What Quiets YOU?”

I was pleased to hear blogging and leadership superstar Michael Hyatt give out some serious props recently for naps and people who take them. I like working late, but my family needs me early. I need my naps. No, I don’t get them regularly. When I don’t something happens. I fall asleep reading. I go right into REM sleep too…as you might imagine.

Except for when I’m exhausted I can only nap when one other thing is in place:

I must feel safe.

If threats loom I am disquieted.

Trust is what quiets down my soul so I can wade through the rest of it, and lay me down to sleep. Trust in God, Trust in myself, and Trust in others.

In finding what quiets our souls we find not just peace, but vitality, and fullness. (click to tweet that reminder)

The hush may come from acceptance, wonder, rest, or satisfaction from a job well done, but it must be found.

Without it we just keep on wandering.

So ask yourself. “What Quiets Me?” How and where am I most settled?

Write down one word to remind yourself, and tape it up somewhere.

It will help you not just remember to find it, but it’ll help you remember who you really are.

I just got my stickers!

10 people will be selected (randomly) to receive Superb Snail Mail gift letters (free). Your delivery will ALSO contain 10 stickers which can be used to send your own Superb Snail Mail, or given out as cherished heirlooms to family and friends…and by “cherished” I mean that most people like shinny things…Now YOU can certify whatever you want as Superb.

To enter just express your interest contact me using the contact tab on the lower right.

UPDATE:

Beta Tester Spots are all filled, but you can still get 5 FREE Stickers (while supplies last) when you purchase a Superb Snail Mail option click here, OR send a SASE to Superb Snail Mail PO BOX 10, Cressona, PA. (They’re now collector’s items for postal lovers and pen pal enthusiasts.)

Yep. Everyone loves getting awesome mail!

…What am I talking about?

Here’s what you can expect if you receive Superb Snail Mail.

[It's the latest creative experiment I've been up to...and the beginning of some innovative and wonder-producing stuff, like the beginning of an amazing Story and you get front row, baby. Stay tuned for more details in the days and weeks to come.]

Inspired by the STORY conference, and the piece I wrote for the official attendees notebook (on Little Free Libraries), I decided to start telling a very amazing Story of my own. It begins this summer, and unfolds a bit at a time.

Officially, nothing has happened … no advertising or promo blitz… but if you want to poke around, you’ll see some new things. Actually, if you don’t want to poke around and sniff out the new, semi-hidden stuff you won’t much care about what it is in the first place.

Since creativity is married to curiosity you get your creative juices going on adventures, mysteries, discoveries, and treasure hunts of various kinds. It’s hard if not impossible to have one without the other.

I’m up to something, and you can start to find out what it is. But, yes, it’s all up to you. And I’m not worried about spreading the word because it’s the anti-release…A good Story doesn’t need the same kind of advertising. It grows its own legs and walks the Story around for you.

There will be more revealed throughout the summer. Stop back when you can.

one more thing, by way of introduction (anti-introduction)….
The first phase has everything to do with “the letterbox”. You know, that old thing that holds bills and circulars, political flyers, and sometimes the random greeting card.

When was the last time opening the mail was magical?

Perhaps Now?

(There is a contest running all summer. See if you can find the tab under “Spark My Muse!”)

Photo Credit: Emre Ergin via Compfight

I wanted to call attention to a fascinating article from my bud, Ed featured at Prodigal Magazine.

Launching from a tumultuous topic that men should “bring in the bacon” Ed talks about cultural constructs, expectations, and his upcoming fatherhood. He also touches on something I’d like to highlight here today. That is, the nature of the artistic personality type. Creatives.

Recently, I watched the season finale of the drama series MADMEN. Megan is married to wealthy ad man Don Draper. She pursues a career as an actress for the love of it. She doesn’t need the money, unlike many of her aspiring thesbian friends. Still, failure is difficult to handle for her.

Whether the stakes are one’s livelihood or one’s artistic ambitions an artist desires to succeed. This time, Megan’s mother rues the fact that Megan has an artistic temperament but not the artistic talent…

It was an intriguing comment. When considered it has big implications on many creative types. It’s about temperament. For who else is this true? I wondered.

But maybe this insight from the artist’s mother doesn’t reveal the whole story…maybe the talents are just unidentified or underperforming at the moment. Maybe the niche hasn’t been discovered or one hasn’t found “the zone” for their artistic endeavors. All the angst that comes with that is immense. Finding our way as creatives is the “epic hero journey” (a la Steven Pressfield) that involves mostly struggle.

Do you have “the artistic temperament”? 

What has it cost you?

 Photo Credit: Royce Bair via Compfight

transcendent |tranˈsendənt|

adjective

• beyond or above the range of normal or merely physical human experience: the search for a transcendent level of knowledge.

• surpassing the ordinary; exceptional: the conductor was described as a “transcendent genius.”• (of God) existing apart from and not subject to the limitations of the material universe. Often contrasted with immanent.

List of Transcendent Things:

• Beauty

• Hope

• Creativity

• Truth (Revealed within all quality artistic expressions)

• Justice

• Love

Will you help me and add to my incomplete list?
What did I miss?