I Left with a Buzz…

By: Dan McCann, a local freelance writer who counts the Greater Omaha Chamber among his clients. He attends CreativeMornings because he wants to – not because he has to…

For me, the mark of time well spent – whether I’m attending a talk, taking up a seat in a movie theater or listening to a Sunday morning sermon – isn’t so much how I feel during the event but how I feel after: Have I forgotten the point by the time I get to the car? Do I feel compelled to continue the discussion? Am I energized? Inspired?

After the CreativeMornings on Friday, January 13, with guest Dana Altman, I left with a buzz… the natural kind of buzz that comes from laughing a bit, having thoughts provoked and being surrounded by spirited, creative people. (And don’t misunderstand – the title of “creative” isn’t limited to writers, designers and filmmakers. I think I was at my creative best when I was staying home with our baby – and now ten-year-old daughter – Lizzie. We are all creative in our own ways – or have the capacity to be so.)

I’ve worked with producer/director Dana in the past – so I already knew I liked the guy. But it was a trip (more like a wild ride) actually hearing him talk about his process. The title of his presentation? “Mystery: The Basis of My Insanity.” So, that set the stage. For Dana, it’s all about (ingesting as much data as possible), incubation (letting it stew and seeing what emerges), and verification (making sure the end product fits the bill). He touched on the psychology of creativity, veered into the genesis of Friday the 13^th (among other topics), and left us with a quote from Neil Armstrong: “Mystery creates wonder and wonder is the basis of man’s desire to understand.” I loved that – enough to “sticky note it” and affix it to my laptop.

The cool thing about CreativeMornings – each one is different. Dana’s talk revolved around the mystery of creativity and his process. Travelling photographer Dean Jacobs launched the series and inspired when he talked about the importance of fantasy and dreams. Ruth Meints, executive director of the Omaha Conservatory of Music, offered “Sound Advice for Igniting Creativity.” Coming up in February, CreativeMornings Omaha will welcome Omaha Street Percussion for its interpretation of the theme “Moments.”

As the tagline goes: Everyone is creative. Everyone is welcome. Whatever your profession or place, your time at CreativeMornings can be time well spent. Starting the day with the best kind of buzz? That’s just a welcome bonus.

Check out the Feb. details and register here: creativemornings.com/talks/omaha-street-percussion.