This is the space for our members to discuss and share their creative projects, ranging from written works to drawings, photography, and even craft projects such as knitting and woodworking. Self promotion is welcome (websites where we can view and/or purchase your work). Please do continue to preface if content is NSFW and be sure to properly spoiler/link such content. Those of you who’d like to post future Creative Endeavors Threads, please be sure to check out the Sign-Up Sheets and act accordingly.

Memorial Day Weekend, the temps started to nudge 90 degrees Fahrenheit and, between that, my tiny apartment, and my noisy, obnoxious neighbors, I started to realize how large the potential loss of “third places” could loom in my own creative process. I used to do a lot of writing, and then drawing, in bars, and the local libraries, both public and university, were great places to hole up when it became too hot to think. The former’s been on my mind for a while, as the existence of “my world,” for lack of a better term, has been a constant inspiration, fuel, and, for that matter, imaginary and not-so-imaginary audience since I started, but the implications of the latter have only really just landed. So it almost felt fitting that my secondary local, a brewpub that’s not only been around for a quarter-century but which also helped jumpstart the revitalization of what was, until very recently, a thriving downtown, announced last Monday that it would be permanently relocating to another, non-downtown location (still unclear where, but nowhere near as convenient to where I live).

And over the next week, my country exploded in a blaze of righteous anger and outrage. I’ve been fortunate enough to hang onto a job, if not at the same magnitude as before the pandemic, and the new routine has at least theoretically given me more leisure for creative work. Even if I haven’t necessarily made the best use of the time, I can depend on a little of my previous normal hanging on as a firm-ish floor. I’m well aware that isn’t the case for a lot of other people, and it wouldn’t surprise me that, along with the real and pressing causes for the popular demonstrations throughout the country, the lack of third places and community play some kind of role. I went on a march myself Saturday and I’d forgotten what it was like to be around so many (mostly masked and more or less socially distanced) people; the effect was almost intoxicating. The day itself gave me more than a little hope, not just for the possibility of positive systemic change but also that my work can fuel from a better world.

The preceding two paragraphs were written before my governor announced yesterday that our shelter-in-place was effectively ending next week, at least for bars and restaurants maintaining proper spacing and social distancing. Leaving them unchanged as neither has the uncertainty.

How’s your work going?