Tag Archives: Ideas

Story – Equals Meaning

Posted on by Grace Wolbrink

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It hits. An idea emerges. Our bain cells salivate. Our creativity surges. Our imaginations soar.

OK, it’s been emphasized a million times over; the images of story guide and direct listeners to the location, the characters, and the adventures of its journey. Storytelling, being an interactive art form, connects its listeners and storytellers with the vivid imagery of story’s unfolding.

Specializing in the recording and the compartmentalization of information, our minds detail the stories and the ideas of our live’s fated and ill-fated escapades.  We use words to describe them. We use feelings to intensify them. Words, combined with emotions, add meaning and life to the images they describe.

So, what is the image of your idea or story . . . ?

An ostrich-legged cantaloupe spewing sunflower seeds from the top of an inchworm . . .

A family returns to the smoldering carcass of what they once called home . . .

A multi-legged, roving machine gobbles landfill rubbish, before transforming it into clean air, home heating units . . .

The image, or focal point, becomes the backdrop for the advancing parade of characters and their escapades. Story breathes reality and life to our ideas.

Let the images of an idea or story be your guide. See them walk, hear them talk and fly when trouble hits. Emerse your ideas and images with meaning; the reasons why; the justification who, what or how it happened; the excuses for their existence or the story of their reality. Fill them with emotion. Envision the possibilities. Then experience their reality.

Our story’s talk ignites the creativity which spurs the images of our ideas and stories into action.

Until next time . . . Let Your Storyographer’s Journey Continue!

Problem Drama – Story’s Sizzle

Posted on by Grace Wolbrink

 

ship-1366926_640Drama Queens and Trauma Junkies UNITE! Problem drama’s struggles, scandals, catastrophes and gossip continue to engage, enthrall, and entice audiences of all ages. With the captivating scent and the juicy allure of socially deviant problems, socially propelled drama, high paced gossip and devilish deeds, a story’s story line comes alive. All capturing audience’s’ attention under the common theme or the questioning intrigue of: “What’s happening? . . . OR . . . Now what? . . . OR EVEN . . . Can you believe this! . . . Let me at them! I’ll teach em a lesson!”

The saga of our day-to-day lives would not be complete without generous portions of problem drama. This type of drama often taking the form of earth shattering news, murderous rampages, plummeting profit margins, raising inflation, workplace cover-ups, extra-curricular marital affairs, gastrointestinal turmoil, and the horrifying reality of daily gossip. Drama queens of all ages, sexes sizes and trans-cultural variety packs unit in the telling and retelling of their daily adventures. The persistently constant, vivid reality of problem drama, marks the events of our lives. Also, the lives of those around us as well as the lives of the characters within our stories. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, without the conflicting struggle of problem drama our world would be in serious danger of a complete communication blackout.

From here let’s revisit the reality of struggle in the story development process. Take a few minutes to catch the buzz on the latest workplace rumors, up to the minute social media epic sagas or the routine chatter and clatter of community gatherings. For it is here that we all find the familiar, yet creatively told and retold accredited validation of daily living’s problem induced sagas. Even in the story of Snow White, the evil Queen makes reference to her educational achievements in the field of black magic while she cleverly turns an apple into a lethal weapon on her continuing quest to permanently kill off the King’s only known offspring. The three little pigs are well noted for their architectural accomplishments the housing industry as well as their structural pitfalls when presented with the bellowing blows of a ravenously hungry, huffing and puffing wolf. Robin Hood’s witty charm, coupled with his legendary bow shooting and money hoisting skills gave hope to local peasants living under the oppressive reign of greedy King John; as their lives and conversations reflected the hardships of the Kingdom’s Revenue Collection Services, debtors’ prison and general economic decline.

So grab your story, a few key characters and step into the life reflecting realm of problem drama. Snatch up some of its alluring reality to soup up your stories, their characters and their turbulent journeys and scandalous life-styles.

 

Until next time . . . Let Your Storyographer’s Journey Continue!

 

“You can’t teach a pig to fly.”

Posted on by Grace Wolbrink

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Can you teach a pig to fly? Great question! A great question desires a great answer. When I find one, I will let you know.

Now in the world of flying or non-flying pigs, I sometimes see myself in the mirror. In the world and reality of single toe ungulates, flying is probably not on their list of goals, go to favorites or even on the list of conscious or semi-conscious reality. Yet for us, in our humanoid form of being, this poses a valid question. Can we teach pigs to fly? Or more importantly, can we teach ourselves to fly.

Porking out on troughs filled with the “I can’t’s . . . I can’t do it . . . If only my boss would . . . The economy . . . I wore pink striped underwear on a blue polka dotted underwear day . . . The list of life’s I can’ts is as long and as creative as the universe itself. In moving through the well crafted, stories of life’s “I can’t’s” let’s step out of the barnyard and into a new story. One that allows each of us to fly higher than we ever dreamed possible. One which elevates us and opens us up to a new level of freedom in our lives.

In your personal life: Who or what is the “pig” you are trying to teach to fly? That ongoing, same old ending story which never seems to change? Capture an image of that story. Go into this image and visually explore other possible outcomes. See and expand on this image. Now, take a few minutes, each day and write down your “pigs” progress. It could be a change in feelings. A change in how people interact  with you. A change in the type of opportunities which come into your life. A change in . . . ? Keep a brief daily record for at least a month. OK, now, how is your pig doing on its flying lessons?

Looking back through your brief, daily logs, it’s content is the basis for a new life story.

What challenges have you overcome?
How is the ending, or where you are now, different from the beginning?
What changes have happened inside of you and your life as a result of this journey?
Who are the “unseen” helpers which have added something unexpected along the way? What are you doing to celebrate your victorious ending?

On the story-development side pig aviation;  think of a favorite story or folktale. Take the main character and ask yourself:

Where are you going?
What seemingly impossible challenges are ahead of you?
Do you care?
Are you so sick of the way life is as it is that you don’t care what might be in the forest ahead of you, or what is across that ocean across from you?
Are you trying to “figure out” how you can get there; if it is even possible; if it is worth all the time and hassle . . . ?
Who and where are you in the journey which lies ahead. Are you willing to allow yourself to do the seemingly impossible which just might be entirely possible?
Where are you in your own pig’s flying lessons?

Now here in lies a new story to tell and an adventurous life to live!

Until next time . . . Let your Storyographer’s journey begin!