fabiochiu/medium-articles huggingface dataset:
Creative Writing Challenge
By: Dee Leigh
Tags: Creative Writing, Creativity, Writing, Creative, Personal Writing

Hello! Here is a piece I wrote for a creative writing challenge back in October of 2020! The words of inspiration for this challenge are “rescue” and/or “treason”.

Photo by Thom Holmes on Unsplash

I am like a ship lost out at sea. No Captain at the wheel. No lookout in the crow’s nest. No crew beneath the decks. An empty vessel bobbing along dark waters with no final destination and no one to bring it home. It is forgotten and left to the heavy fogs of night, eventually drawing it toward an inevitable end, sinking into inky weightlessness where it would be gone forever.

The ghosts of my past walk the floorboards and lurk within corners, always out of reach, but rarely silent in their approach. At times they call me to the rails where sirens sing in murky waves and tempt me to lean down from a precarious place. I know their cold fingers would quickly grasp my wrists and pull me beneath the surface, all while singing their sultry lullabies as I thrash for escape.

There is no lighthouse shining a beacon of hope upon my lonely journey of desolate prayers. As much as I want to harbor myself within the warm embrace of those I love, it is my own anchor buried deep within sand and rock that leaves me in solitude.

Perhaps one day I will once again feel life within these empty halls. For now, I can only wait for the vessel’s integrity to finally crack beneath the weight of a thousand accusations.
Launching Design In-Sanity
By: Sudeshna Adhikary
Tags: Blogging, Design Thinking, Mental Wellbeing, Design, Creative

Launching Design In-Sanity

Hi!!!!

So, after lots of lazying around, I‘m finally launching my new blog, which I have named “Design In-Sanity”! Yaayyyyyy!!

I had initially planned for it to be a podcast but given the fact that there’s a lot on my plate now, I’m launching it as a blog now, and will later launch the podcast.

So, what is Design In-Sanity?

Design In-Sanity believes that to be creative, one must be crazy enough to imagine and believe in impossible things. The world calls it innovation. I call it imagination.

And why the hell is it called “In-Sanity”? And, since when did the word “insanity” adopt a hyphen?

Design In-Sanity is dedicated to this pure love and craziness that allows an individual to create something new over and over again, regardless of the fact that their peers and competitors might call their work “pointless”.

I believe that within every ounce of sanity there is a part that is totally insane, and that’s what keeps us going in this reckless world. That’s what drives us to face and slash through all kinds of challenges.

In this blog, I shall talk about not only design-related stuff but also touch upon topics related to mental well-being and coping with mental blocks because ultimately, mind is where the magic begins! Right?
Creative Writing Challenge
By: Dee Leigh
Tags: Creative Writing, Creativity, Writing, Creative, Personal Writing

Hello! Here is a piece I wrote for a creative writing challenge back in October of 2020! The words of inspiration for this challenge are “reconcile” and “cemetery”.

Photo by the blowup on Unsplash

Her heart a cemetery; a solemn place haunted by pieces of family, lovers, and friends that had left. Very few were remembered while the majority crept in shadows behind headstones or giggled like children from deep within ivy covered mausoleums. Echoes of the past could be read from engravings barely legible, weathered away throughout time. Statues of angels who follow every step made, though their wings had been desecrated in her anger to further damage one she had once held so closely.

None redeemable. Reconciliation an impossibility. All who gather had either been burn victims to her own self-destructive ways and the bridges she set ablaze, or had been major pivotal moments within her life that had caused deep, unrepairable hurt and a defective thought process.

Dead or alive, each would continue to live on inside a dysfunctional mind. Each soul a piece of the various masks worn to better shield and present herself appropriately. No one needs to know the real her anyway, because at this point, she doesn’t even know herself.
How I Separate My Comments From My Stories
By: Kr Franklin
Tags: Fellowship Writers, Writing, Creative, Advice, Writing Tips

Why do Medium Writers Hate the “Comment as a Story” Function?

The answer is simple. It creates a jumbled mess in the Stories page.

The Stories page is found in the personal menu (click on the profile picture located next to the bell-shaped icon in the top right corner); it is the second selection in that menu — pictured below.

Screenshot captured by the author | Medium

Within the Stories page, each member will find their well-crafted articles mixed in with their random comments. Now, imagine the horror when a distinguished author finds their well-crafted essay, 50 Subtle Gestures of an Exceptionally Thoughtful Friend, mixed in with an impulsive response, “cool story, bro.”

Yes, this is an extreme example, but the point has been made. It is not the best experience.

Now imagine the next scenario, the Stories dashboard shows 359 published titles, but less than 15% of them are actual stories.

Stressful?

In the above scenario, the writer would have to scroll through numerous comments to locate a story. It could take minutes when it should take seconds.

And here is the primary annoyance and displeasure with the comments-as-a-story function. Like previously mentioned, it is a mangled mess.

Well, despair no more. There is an easy fix. It’s so simple, one can’t go wrong.

But before jumping into the solution, the Stories page will be broken down to understand its features and why members rarely need to access it. The sooner one reduces their dependence on the Stories page, the sooner they can overcome the platform’s most disliked feature.
War against corona virus-part two
Tags: Covid 19, Creative, Facts, Part 2, Mythbusters

War against corona virus-part two

Strengths are the advantages of our opponent and weakness are the ways we can stop them a way to stop them.

Their strengths are:-

They are new of their kind and we have no weapon to kill them. They are so small that they are invisible. They are spreading quite quickly. They are similar to their relative common cold hence most people can not differentiate and ignore it.

Our Strategies:-

Washing our hands with soap at least for 20 seconds. Stay at home #quarantine Maintain social distancing Maintain proper hygiene wear a mask if you have any symptoms or if you go to public places.

Should we hide like cowards? No, we just have to fight from our camp base(home)so we stay out of their range. Also, we have to keep a strong border around and near our camp. How? By following the above protocols.

Myth busters

We have to make sure our facts are right so we do not hurt ourselves. It is like knowing which way to hold a gun. So, here are some rumors you should not follow:-

Heat does not kill the Virus

The virus is not life long it can recover on its own.

Garlic does not kill the virus

Drinking or spraying alcohol does not help
How to hang your Christmas wreath (damage-free!) using festive ribbon (and have the most stylish front door on the street)
By: Charlotte C-B
Tags: Holiday Season, Creative, Wreath Bow, Christmas Wreath, Christmas Decoration

Simply thread the ribbon around the wreath, arrange so it is facing where you want it, and pull the ends of the ribbon over the inside of the door. Once you have the wreath hanging where you want it, you can carefully pull the door closed, while holding the ends. You will probably need a stepladder for some of this!

Keep hold of the ends of the ribbon for now, so the wreath doesn’t fall. Then carefully tie the ends into a bow, keeping the wreath at the height you want it on the outside (this was easier for me as there is a window in the door!). You can let go at this point, as the closed door and bow will hold the wreath in place.

Next, stick the Command hooks near the top of the door in the centre, following the instructions on the pack. Note: you need to position the hooks upside down, as shown below, and fairly close to each other.

This will hold the bow, and the weight of the wreath (the door is also holding some of the weight).

Once you have pressed the hooks firmly, and left to bond for the required time, you can carefully pull the bow down and hook it underneath, as below.

Then arrange the bow how you want it, and finish with a small piece of clear tape across the hooks if you like, for extra security.

This is the finished wreath hanger from the inside.

After Christmas, you can carefully remove the Command hooks, and wrap up the ribbon ready for next year.

And that’s it. A pretty, modern, and damage-free way to decorate your door. And send your neighbours wild with envy at your style and creativity :)

Now let’s just hope that Santa hasn’t been too affected by the travel restrictions..
Singularity
By: Scott Leonardi
Tags: Creative Writing, Creative, Poetry, Poetry On Medium, Self

Image from stock.adobe.com

I chase a singularity

A singular pursuit

To find the point of all things to come

To catch it at the birth of the bloom

There isn’t room

for peripheral distraction

There isn’t time

to test the wind

before the ritual detach

There is only the transaction

of trading seconds

from one hand to another

and the quality of time

of which you offer

I chase a singularity

The only speck of which to speak

The glint in the eye

of the Tinker on high

Never stooping so low

to put the restless

at ease

But nevertheless

a star among the many

Seen only in flitting moments

A double-take from beyond the veil

A passing slice of light

from a runaway keyhole

The source of its cast

already settling dust

by the time you turn your head

Never mind

The light behind it

I chase a singularity

The single spot we forgot

But it sees

our minds manic

our fingers frantic

desperate to catch it

eye to eye

and lock ourselves in the gaze

of All Things

To stop our hearts

settle our minds

and allow our beginning

to show us

the end
An Auction at the Manger
By: Rose Rosetree
Tags: Creative Writing, Creative, Life Lessons, Christmas, Poetry On Medium

An Auction at the Manger

Copyright© by Rose Rosetree 2012

But just as relevant in 2020. So get your auction shoes ready.

Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

You could be standing in the manger right now.

Imagination will take you, or love.

You could be there as a lowly ox or a humble drummer boy

or the radiant mother, for whom even childbirth was pure miraculous delight.

You could even be the Christ child, God’s perfection made flesh, ever-fresh.

Let inspiration guide you for a few minutes, and go where you wish. This is good for you. Good for the times when you don’t really live in a stable, thousands of years long ago. Good preparation for now, when you can rise up and take yourself to an auction.

Because right now you happen to live at an auction.

Similar to Imagination World, where one could spend all or part of a lifetime,

also available on earth is your chance to live in Action World.

Action World, containing real live Action Figures (of which you are one).

In Action World, you can become whatever you wish. Become, not merely be. Only beware that you must pay the price. Yes, it’s an auction, folks. First you bid, then win. Next you pay. Each day’s work will be heaped upon more, until you have paid in full. Yes, it’s one auction after another. And they can be held anywhere, even a manger.

Bid, then become what you choose. Only know:

Your labor may not feel remotely like

Mary’s immaculate conception or her festive birth.

Okay, definitely will not feel remotely like. But who cares?

Because that growing is why you came here, to the stable outside the stable,

to Action World, made for learning and love.

Made just for you. All sacred. Right now.

Audio Recording Available As Well

Blog-Buddies, I have made an audio recording of this Christmas Season poem.
The Will of My Sobering Plight
By: The British College
Tags: Creative, Writing, Beauty

Beauty unrivalled

and virtue of gold

I swear my honour to you

As I come closer…closer still

I know nothing

but you to be my most ardent desire

Even Kings are made of clay,

So, could I not touch you

and feel the body of the divine?

Can you feel my heartbeat from there?

For I feel the winds whispering tears,

What could this mean?

If the devils come gather and crown me their lord

still, I would seek your peace

In my pledge of heart to yours

So, like water to a dry soul

will you bathe me in divinity?

and call me your own?

Kevin Gurung

The British College

BBA (Level 6)
A (sort of) manifesto for creative women seeking safety on the wrong shores.
By: Amy Domenica
Tags: Writing, Self Improvement, Creative, Women, Lifestyle

Obsession “the domination of one’s thoughts or feelings by a persistent idea, image, or desire.”

She was obsessive. My god, she was the most obsessive person ever. In the past, those obsessions propelled her into unknown territory. But these weren’t unchartered waters.

Many brilliant women had sought safety here before, only for the harbour walls to fall at the slightest breeze.

Like them, she learned to make her obsessions power her to better shores.

She didn’t have time to seek shelter in places that didn’t serve her. Only to bring things to life.

The beauty of ideas, words on a page, to words out loud, to pictures, to sound, to change.

She was a powerhouse. An unstoppable force. She took whatever was inside of her and made it become. A thing. Something.

She asked what the quieter voices wouldn’t get the chance to ask. A chance to say.

She was dedicated to herself. The smartest thing to do.

She found peace with her face, her weight, her soul, her skin, her teeth, her heart, and with peace her words could find the light. And in the light, her words could become things.

It was her, she did not try to become another human, it was her.

Dealt cards made her powerful and strong. She was already enough, right here in the now and then in every moment after.

She did not wait for a sign. She did not wait for a weight.

At times the breaking waves were tall. But she understood the yin and the yang. She understood that shadow cannot exist without the light. The world turns and with honesty, effort, and self-love, the seas calm. Eventually.

No excuses kept her from herself. She did not seek value and connection in diets, drugs, red flags, parties, sex. Instead with recognition and a slight bear to the left, she sailed on.

She challenged perceptions built by the experiences of a mind that had not acquired all it needed yet, and she only asked of others, what she herself was willing to do. With a finger to the wind, she listened for truth, pausing before reactions.

God, she was so obsessed, the most obsessive person ever. But she quietly knew how to harness the wind, adjust, and glide over the seas.

An unstoppable force. No match for any storm.
…On Sharks
By: Caitlin Rebecca
Tags: Thoughts, Covid, Creative, Quarantine Diaries, Prose

It’s a myth that sharks die if they stop moving. Well, it’s not a myth but it’s only kind of true. The words are pretty, but the substance is lacking which only makes for a more fitting false analogy with which to entangle this prose.

Quarantine was easy, for me. An island nation, tucked away from the relative chaos of the world. Less time to worry about real problems, more time to sit alone and think. A lot of time to think.

When you stop moving for the first time in five years, the tidal wave of shit that washes over you guts you from the inside out.

It’s not a, “I woke up one day and realised…”, its a, “I heard the rumble and felt the vibration of the train coming closer as I distracted myself with how cool the rails were on my forehead.”

A lot of things you forgot to deal with notice the the drop in armour and begin to demand attention. Screaming like children, clutching at you from inside your chest and climbing up your left arm like a heart attack.

Then it’s only a matter of time before the card pyramid of a life you built on distractions, on non stop movement and flashes of colour begins to tumble. One thing to another to another to another then slammed into a brick wall so hard I can hear my skull rattle.
Hit Sync to Reach Your Creative Goals
By: Charles Parsons
Tags: Creativity, 2021, Creative, Community, Synchronicity

The new year is upon us. You could say it’s inevitable. After a topsy-turvy 12 months that shall remain nameless, you’re probably feeling a bit like me: A little out of tune, wondering how to get your bearings.

Hopefully, you’ve got some goals. Maybe it’s writing that screenplay, publishing that manuscript, finishing that story, creating that trailer, taking that series of photos, or starting that podcast.

If not, that’s OK too. I’m here to say it — you don’t have to know yet, you just have to be ready to explore.

In the Tip section of The New York Times a few weeks ago, contributing writer Malia Wollan (@mwollan) wrote about “How to Get in Sync with Someone.”

What stood out to me was the idea that synchronicity equals unity. Not talking — just making the same movements — can put you in rhythm and get you on the same frequency. You can even get this feeling by closing your eyes and visualizing walking together in lockstep.

Now I if this could apply not just to people but to things. To goals.

It’s a challenge, for sure, for so many creatives to get out there and experience community. To connect. Worries crop up. We might wonder what will happen if they don’t like our work or, even worse, if they’ll steal some brilliant idea we plan on having (someday). We’ve probably also been taught that creativity happens in a vacuum. That the true artist is a lone wolf.

Here’s my suggestion. Insert yourself. Maybe through a course, digitally — one that has other people in it (those other courses have their time and place, but this is not the time and place!). Maybe volunteer at a journal or publication. Maybe join an organization like Literary Cleveland (or whatever the equivalent is in your city).

Challenge yourself to give a Zoom reading or promote your work in some way. Or call up that collaborator you used to work with in college. Sign up for your trade’s publication and see what others are doing. I, for one, am renewing my subscription to Poets & Writers magazine.

But, for a moment, indulge me. Close your eyes and imagine how you can get in sync via creative community.

Don’t keep them closed for too long though!

Get out a pen and jot down all your ideas. Post them somewhere. Start ticking them off one by one. And tell me about it! I want to improve my creative habits by hearing about yours.
Advertising Agency in india
By: Blackgoat Creative
Tags: Advertising, Creative

Blackgoat Creative is a full-service creative agency mainly working in the field of logo designing, website design & development and graphic designing.
Very creative my dear.
By: Dr. Preeti Singh
Tags: Creative

… wrapped neatly with ribbons & bows would be well received

Santa — not the usual this year, please. Make it special,… wrapped neatly with ribbons & bows would be well received

Santa — not the usual this year, please. Make it special, mak e us smile again.
Wednesday, December 16, 2020
By: Lukasz Laniecki
Tags: Writing, Creative, Artist, Art, Writing Tips

Woke up 4:15 am

I prefer keeping doing what I’m doing to worrying about the fact that certain things I did have not been received well by certain group of people (because that’s not what they expected or imagined, or deemed proper). Because if I keep doing what I’m doing without worrying about the fact that certain things I did have not been received well by certain group of people then there is always a very good chance that some part of it will be great (or very good or good, or decent).

There is nobody in this world who produces only great things. They all have their worse periods or worse works. It doesn’t matter.

Who said everything we do must be great? And based on what? And why should we listen to that person? It’s always better to keep doing what you’re doing. Naysayers, complainers, haters, Debbie Downers, people who think they’re such smartasses, but actually haven’t thought things through, they’re here forever / guaranteed — you cannot live in a world without them, so it’s better to know how to live with them.
Book dragon
By: Baye Amina
Tags: Nonfiction, Creative Writing, Creative, Reading Books, Books

Fall in love with a writer, they say. And if they love books, be ready for whatever comes at you.

Are you sure you want an ink drinker?

Yes? Be ready to share a third of your home with living, breathing books. It would always smell like pages, new and old with a tinge of their favourite drink. The brew they drink when they get lost in other worlds.

Your conversations would weave between reality and alternate realities. They would not leave you be till they talk about their latest read and how they think it would end. Don’t worry, you would come around when you see the twinkle in their eyes as they speak.

On some days you would feel invisible and it is no fault of yours. They are just hung up on the death or life of their favourite character as they chart a course through the pages.

Your dialogues go from real to surreal and even fantastical from one moment to the next. It is an unpredictable loop. Maybe you would learn to look forward to it. You would get used to their periodic monologues, you do the same too.

They would behave slightly unusual on some days. Don’t get worked up, they only mirror the world they were previously immersed in.

If you ever get with a book dragon, don’t be scared, they won’t breathe fire from her nose. But try not to interrupt their reads for no just cause. Be ready to find their head laid upon a book at odd hours of the night—the stories become realer then. If you can, wake them so they go lie on the bed lined with books and whimsy journals.

And if you ever make them wait for you, be certain there is a book to keep them occupied while you run late.

The wealth of experience and perspective gained from many books would find them reacting in the best way possible to the weirdest things you say. Over a thousand characters from the past and they are likely to see through you. Don’t be surprised.

Don’t you ever think they are detached from reality, each time their nose gets buried in books. They just experience different angles of the same reality.

If you ever get a book dragon, it would be unwise to let them go but if you do, know that they would remember you, just as any other character from a previous read.
Ruined
By: Nirbhya Singh
Tags: Poem, Couples, Creative, Relationship, Love

Photo by Jacob Rank on Unsplash

The pain in my heart keeps flickering for not talking to you

For so long I long for you

I’m getting ruined day by day because of you

then, it is worth the pain in getting ruined for you.
28. Dense Fog at Night
By: Lucas Schleicher
Tags: Writing, Sound, Creative, Poetry, Poetry On Medium

Arlington, Massachusetts. May 4th, 2014. Photo by Lucas Schleicher.

Cool air rushing runs reverse the round

motion of hours where dry descending

earth sat in the pierce-white sun, rounding

west. The slide of silver light stretched

inflated Wilshire blue

and silver screen thickness left-look

to east miles up the pass

and ballooning:

these lights witnessed and other

summits

summited

in the dense fog at night.

The remembering comes landward

out of civil dusk, mild and solitary,

spit like cold foam blown salt breath

over everything hard and soft.

Surrounding, arching backward,

producing past signs rusted and rent,

regarded roughly for the occasion

that announced itself through eyes and ears

and returned out no sense whatever, shouldering

wakeful apparitions: tongues patchworked and naked

toes tipping toward order, thought after, taught,

not timeless, tendered twice over.

A long house on the verge, ping pong

and pools plying happiness on an afternoon,

the pink eggs and rusted silos abandoned, abandon

and basketballs through gray skies matted.

The grass waves spring shushed nostalgic

sibilance upon straight Pontoon roads and circuses

revolve ribbon and tricycle alphabets trained in circles,

twisted taut on November cardinal coats.

The plot now sandboxes, now water fountains

where ice sits on my nose.

And horsehair whips pastward,

saturates darksome dim.

Touchless and illuminating in satellite snippets,

it is a lightless projector of the inward

decades slowly parading. Home is that way

but not home, far and needful in the particle gray.
‘If it has your name on it, then it must be yours’: Skapto’s gratitude initiative.
Tags: Advertising, Burger, Ad, Creative, Tvc

Brief & Background

In an attempt to alleviate the negative financial effects from the pandemic, a prominent Bulgarian television provided free ad slots. The purpose — help local brands maintain at least a portion of their sales and bring awareness in such peculiar times.

And one of our more exciting burger-making clients — Skapto — was also granted several TV spots.

They took this opportunity to simply say ‘Thank you’ to their loyal audience.

Insight & Idea

It is no secret that burger lovers are as loyal as it gets. They know which their preferred burger place is and they stick to it.

And when they go there, they love every second of it. Nobody judges you for what you eat or the way you eat it. You are happy and loose.

It feels like home.

And you know you’re home when it literally says your name on the things you interact with there — the coffee cup, the chair, the special cake plate.

Execution

So, we helped Skapto express their genuine gratitude by dedicating items in their restaurants to few of their most loyal customers.

In this series of 4, we showed how the smiley Skapto people would be when they return home.

Static shots. Bright background colours. Nothing short of cute.

Results

Paradoxically, it is in times such as the pandemic when we remind ourselves of what the truly valuable stuff in life is.

Skapto was aware of all that. There’s nothing to be ashamed of or to be mad about any business struggles, when the entire planet is clearly going through a phase.

But in the meantime, might as well seize the opportunity and exhibit supreme gratitude and appreciation to the ones who made you who you are.

What’s better to do anyway?

___________________________

creative director: аngel iskrev

copywriter: аngel iskrev

head of strategy: Nikolay Dievski

directors: Angel Ivanov & Vladimir Gerasimov

producer: handplayed

_________________________________

If you enjoyed what you just saw, don’t be shy — follow us: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn & Behance
Let’s Be #OpenLikeNeverBefore
By: Varvara Nikolaidou
Tags: Advertising, Creative, Marketing, Open Like Never Before, Coca Cola

How a Coca Cola Ad Made Me Re-think My Perspective on the Pandemic

Photo by Laura Chouette on Unsplash

The ‘normal’ beginning

This year started just like any other: on January 1st at 12am we watched the fireworks and wished each other Happy New Year. Then we scribbled down lists of resolutions and made plans for 365 days of excitement, adventure and Instagramable moments. We complained about going back to work after the holidays and our kids groaned about the prospect of returning to school after weeks of fun and extra sleep.

The big surprise

And then 2020 happened… and it swept us off our feet (but not in a good way). We got scared and locked in our homes, we stopped hugging our loved ones and going to work, we got bombarded with information about COVID-19 and we kept counting victims all over the world. But most of all, we felt vulnerable and insecure. When will we get back to normal?

The ad

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

During all those endless months, stuck in front of a screen, I came across a lot of honest attempts from various brands to make us feel better, boost our mood and reassure us that everything is going to be ok. But there was only one that caught my attention and stayed with me long after the commercial was over: Coca Cola & George the Poet ‘Open Like Never Before’.

George the Poet is delivering a message about all the things we should reconsider before ‘going back to normal’: stop taking your job for granted, enjoy every minute of travelling because you don’t know when it will be the next time, spend quality time with your family and don’t let the daily routine turn you into a stranger. Stop and reflect, reassess, be open.

The impact

So, what was so special about this ad by 72andSunny?

I think it was the magic ingredient that turns a good campaign into a great one: the human element. Within two minutes I watched people of all races, skin colours and backgrounds talk about all the things they want to keep from this adventure, not what they want to get rid of. I was encouraged to look at my post-pandemic life from a different perspective. I was the receiver of a well-made commercial full of gratitude and hope.

The poem is delivered in a slow pace, so that the whole message sinks in; it’s not rushed, it reflects our life pace in 2020. It brings to light thoughts that we’ve all had at some point or another, it feels 100% relatable but not forced or condescending. Most importantly, it makes you feel good! Isn’t this the fundamental value of marketing after all?

The afterthought

Image by StockSnap from Pixabay

It’s been a tough year, no one can deny that, and we still have a long way to go. What we can do is try to visualise the positive things that can come out of this and focus on them. If you run out of ideas, a Coca Cola ad might be able to help!
KIDS
By: Zeno Faber
Tags: This Happened To Me, Writing, Short Story, Creative, Kids

KIDS

„Today, NOTHING has happened. I got on the train. I rode the train. I got off the train and walked home. NOTHING has happened today, NOTHING that‘s worth to tell about. What has there ever been, what has ever happened, that was worth telling a story about?

NOTHING.

NOTHING at all.“
Ep 10: Production Assistant & Co-Ordinator, Elida Charlotta Skjærstad
By: Grit Pod
Tags: Nrk Super, Production Assistant, TV Series, Creative

Elida Charlotta Skjærstad

Elida graduated a bachelor in media production in 2019 with internships at Monster in Oslo and PMA Film & Television in London.

Upon graduation she started as a production assistant at NRK Super working on flagship show Fantorangens Verden. She is now operating in a co-ordinating role.

In this episode we talk about the important and multi-faceted role of a production assistant, starting out in the industry, leaning into vulnerability and building up confidence. Along with the intimate nature of puppeteering kids TV. All this and more.

Listen Here: Episode 10

Behind the Scenes of Elida’s Work:

Superbussen Kommer

Behind The Scenes at Fantorangens Verden

Superbussen

Fantorangen Crew

A Puppet Life
Making Short Films and The Dunning Kruger Effect
By: Jon Kuhn
Tags: Freelance, Skill Development, Creative Journey, Creative, Dunning Kruger Effect

For three years I have been back at it. Last night I watched the first youtube video I made. It was published on May 3, 2018. In my experience it is always hard to look back on old work. It never gets any easier. In fact as I gain more experience in life. What some would call wisdom. The pain is even more apparent. I can now look back and remember how confident I felt in my newly developed skill. Just being able to take a couple video clips, music, and a generic title was more than I could do in January of that year. I felt like I had cracked the code.

Now I have the confidence to film, edit, and even to do a little creative consulting with regional brands. At this point you would think the confidence would be out of control. It is in fact the exact opposite. I am wildly aware of how little I know about this industry. I feel like I know less now than I did in May of 2018.
Why are creatives important for social media?
Tags: Social Media Marketing, Creative, Social Media, Content, Instagram

Before anything else, we need to understand what is creative? Creatives are what we see on every social media channel — image, video, GIF, etc.

Creatives are one of the most important aspects of social media. They help us showcase what we wanna show our audience. Through an image or video, we show a story, engage with our audience, showcase our products. Creatives can achieve a lot if used properly, creatives can bring a lot of engagement and reach. It opens a wider range of possibilities to create, to engage, and to have fun with the storytelling.

Today when people have a low attention span and the screen is getting smaller day by day creatives are the most powerful tool to engage with the audience. They hold the power to engage the audience and attract them towards our brand.

The creative should be engaging enough to be shared by a target audience, intending to drive beneficial consumer action. So to do that the first step is to have a strong creative that can stop the audience from scrolling down and look at your page which in turn can bring sales and brand recognition.

Two steps are the most important in generating strong creative. The first is what kind of consumer insight you have that the consumer feels connected with your message. The second is how creative are you in communicating your message, how are you staging it

Social Media is a content generation destination so too little content or too much content can harm too. Creatives are important and help brands to engage, to showcase their products, to interact with the audience.
Topsy Turvy World of Art
By: Ayfar Khan
Tags: Creativity, Creative, Art, Change, Artcollege

Topsy Turvy World of Art

Art it self used in various mediums to substantiate and visualize concepts. People join art college to get degrees. But no one understands the fact that art is hidden inside the human soul.

One only discover it when he or she will be able to explorer his or her own soul. What I define here art as is the extreme need of the soul. It can be in any form. We love music cause it soothes our soul.
數位行銷人必修！三個簡單小行動，讓創意思考在生活中成為肌肉記憶。
By: Nan Chu
Tags: 邏輯思考, 專案管理, Creative, 創意發想, Social Marketing

Learn more. Medium is an open platform where 170 million readers come to find insightful and dynamic thinking. Here, expert and undiscovered voices alike dive into the heart of any topic and bring new ideas to the surface. Learn more

Make Medium yours. Follow the writers, publications, and topics that matter to you, and you’ll see them on your homepage and in your inbox. Explore
High up on the hills
Tags: Poem, Creative, Poetry, Historic

By xa-xa-xa on DeviantArt

High up on the hills,

Stood an old Victorian house

built in the Gothic style.

Deserted, it had been

For over a century now.

Ignorant, so it is

To the changes, it is going through.

Glasses all shattered

Yet the panes locked tight.

Brocade curtains clinging

to their fading shine.

Walls hung with faded silks,

Echoing a long monotonous story

of the dynasty that lived.

Dusty old portraits

Swing with the dull song.

The dynasty is long gone,

But the house still stands tall.
Dutch Digital Design collective warms-up for Cannes trade mission with video interview series
By: Dutch Digital Design
Tags: Creative, Programmatic, Web Design, Digital, Public Relations

Original publication date: Jun 6, 2018

In advance of taking part in the fourth ‘Embassy of Dutch Creativity’ trade mission to this year’s Cannes Lions, the Dutch Digital Design collective of agencies has released a series of video interviews with a selection of the Netherland’s key digital players.

Exploring topics such as Dutch influence on digital design globally, the advantage of a Dutch outlook to digital production and the coming of “a new Dutch Golden Age”, the video series features figures including Wesley ter Haar, founder of MediaMonks, Dick Buschman, founder of Achtung! mcgarrybowen, and Bert Hagendoorn, the founder of the Dutch Digital Design initiative. All seven interviews are available to watch online.

ter Haar of MediaMonks, a digital production agency with offices around the world, believes the Dutch mentality is particularly well-suited to digital creativity: “There is a practicality and creativity to it, but we also don’t take ourselves too seriously. If you look at the Internet — or digital in general — it is about not taking yourself too seriously. The weirdest things work online. So, I think we as a culture have a natural connection to that and we are now finally finding our voice in a sort of aesthetic style.”

In his video interview, Buschman of digital agency Achtung! mcgarrybowen, also discusses the Dutch character as being an important factor in the nation’s digital design output. He says: “The Dutch are Calvinistic, maybe a little bit, so they cut all the unnecessary things off. That can lead to digital solutions being very functional, but I think what a lot of Dutch agencies also bring is that they add a subtle something to it, that takes it from functional to something more likeable.”

Hagendoorn of Dutch Digital Design expands: “The Dutch are very focused on putting the user first. The other thing is we dare to experiment and explore boundaries, to come up with innovative ideas. And the Dutch accustomed to working with different cultures and disciplines. We do not only care about the aesthetics, but also how it works, making it effective.”

The Embassy of Dutch Creativity trade mission will take place between 18–21 June at Plage Long Beach, Boulevard de la Croisette, Cannes.

Credits

Interview Concept / Direction: Jessica Hartley

Camera: Tim Arnold

Second Camera: Cassandra Pizzey

Editing: Onesize
Vodafone’s Get the Flow app: tackling stuttering with a rap
By: Dutch Digital Design
Tags: Creative, Marketing, Ditigal, Mobile, Dutch

Vodafone’s Get the Flow app: tackling stuttering with a rap

Original publication date: Mar 21, 2018

Vodafone is tackling stuttering among Dutch children with a ‘rap app’.

Background

5% of all Dutch children stutter, and as a result, many of them become victims of bullying. This causes low self-esteem. Therefore, they choose to communicate via their mobile phone, rather than practise their speech in public. When Vodafone asked DDB & Tribal to create a ‘Powerful Connections’ campaign to convince people that mobile technology connects people and can make a positive difference to their lives, the Dutch agency tapped into the issue and developed the Get The Flow app.

Strategy

DDB & Tribal were keen to prove that mobile technology really can make a difference by giving children who stutter a chance to practise their speech in a fun but effective way — through rap. The app allows users to connect with other children who stutter, practise together and share their tracks, boosting their confidence in the process.

Process

The agency collaborated with famous Dutch rappers, singer songwriter Miss Montreal (who stutters herself) and the Dutch Stutter Federation. The rappers wrote special rap lyrics for every exercise, using tongue twisters and alliterations, especially hard to pronounce for children who stutter. A custom-built timing system automatically detects when the child does not stutter. And the app also allows them to monitor their improvements throughout.

Visually the app is inspired by the period when hip hop began to develop: the 1970s in the Bronx, NY. Using primary colors, graffiti typography and hand-drawn illustrations, giving children a cool hip hop experience, throwing in some fun, bold animations too.

Outcome

The campaign, consisting of a launch event, a social video and a social media campaign, generated an earned media value of €5.3m and reached 66% of the Dutch population. It has given people a positive feeling towards mobile technology and the Vodafone brand.

Two out of three children in The Netherlands who stutter have used and loved the app, and it is now used as an official stutter therapy.

All of this makes the Get The Flow campaign Vodafone’s most successful ‘Powerful Connections’ campaign to date, winning several major awards along the way, including: Cannes Lions’ Bronze for Media, PR, Entertainment for Music and Sound Design, a Eurobest Silver for Entertainment and Gold for Healthcare/PR, 4x bronze and the grand prix in Healthcare Promo & Activation and the FWA Site of the Day.

This case was brought to you by the Dutch Digital Design collective.
About me… I live in Tasmania with my artist daughter and four rescue cats. We’re a creative household filled with painting paraphernalia, up-junked furniture, half-finished canvases, and an eclectic…
By: Sarah J. Baker
Tags: Australia, Creative, Women, Writer, Tasmania

About me…

I live in Tasmania with my artist daughter and four rescue cats. We’re a creative household filled with painting paraphernalia, up-junked furniture, half-finished canvases, and an eclectic collection of vintage and unusual stuff. Urban agriculture is my jam, sustainability my song. And when I’m not doing all that, I’m writing… on social issues, feminism, fiction, and even the occasional bit of humour. I sweat the little things and I do it in the Queens English. And yes, of course I’m on Instagram.
Creative minds run the world.
By: Zarina Maizel
Tags: Online Learning, Design, Creative, Courses And Training, Online Courses

Creative minds run the world. They are responsible for the foods we eat, the sights we see and the brands we use everyday.

Honing in on creativity can unlock so many new opportunities and change lives for the better.

Do you want to develop your creative skills? Try Skilleton.net

That’s where Skilleton comes in!

Skilleton is the number one platform for creative minds, with a wide range of interactive courses available. Skilleton will further develop your creative skills and enable you to go on and achieve great things in life.

Topics include design, fashion, architecture, animation, marketing and more!

Enjoy classes including graphic design trends, how to build a fashion empire, technical landscape design and so much more.

Learn the in’s and out’s of topics you are passionate about from industry-leaders.

Find a course that’s perfect for you! There are three levels of interactivity available: flex, assist and concierge, so you can learn at your own pace.

Access the platform anytime, anywhere! Learn in a fun and engaging manner that fos- ters growth and development. Unlock your full potential. The sky is the limit!



As a Skilleton user, you will also gain access to a supportive community where you can chat with experts and classmates alike.

Expand your capabilities and unlock new potential with Skilleton.

Join the Skilleton community today and experience what’s possible!

www.skilleton.net
My Dear Ma. My mother is the hero of my life, well…
By: Divyosmi Goswami
Tags: I Love You, Creative, Birthday, Mommy, Family

My Dear Ma

Our Family At Airport

My mom

Dear Reader,

Today it is my mother’s 37th happy birthday. Her name is Esha Goswami. She is my mentor and she is a teacher. I love my ma. she is great. she always is there with me on my problems, I lover her dearly. she is the best mom. When it comes to family she takes our care with all her effort. she works day and night, and sleeps so less. she just walks past opportunities to take our care. She could be a great and famous person but she choose to take our care. She left her job of teaching after my sister was about to get born, just some 3 or 5 months before. She started home tution. She is Great. she is honest and bold, I love her a lot. She loves singing, drawing, dancing and cooking. I love her a lot and a lot. If I start writing about her I am afraid I wont stop. I am afraid I cannot use words for lying, I cannot flatter. My ma is the best person i have met with. She is an HUMAN. She knows what her work is and she is the best in her trade.

I LOVE MUMMUM

Thank you.
Creative Strategists
By: Meshu Lear
Tags: Creativity, Creative

A creative strategist is not easy to find. A good one is even harder.

Creativity is being original over cheeky. Honest over manipulation.

A creative idea isn’t necessarily something that’s ‘different’ or ‘ unheard-of’. It’s about looking at the scene as with a child’s eye-view. What’s the core of the problem or challenge, and what would an Alien do. Don’t look at what others have done. Be original. Like Adam. Nothing behind, just forward.
My sister got a coin
By: Divyosmi Goswami
Tags: Memory, Creative, Tales, Family, Tooth Fairy

My sister got a coin

Dear reader,

Yesterday night something happened. My sister eats lot of sweets and chocolates and hence a tooth of her was aching. Then yesterday at night after dinner her tooth came out, she was happy like nothing. I asked her that because it was not aching anymore, no, because she was going to get a coin from tooth fairy.

Today she woke up and found a rupee under her pillow,she was amazed and surprised. She was running like mad and telling “I can’t believe tooth fairy gave me one coin” she was laughing with a fallen teeth. She is now all confused and telling I can’t beleive that tooth fairy exists and I think we are acting well too.

So yesterday night when she was sleeping papa went and gave her the coin under her pillow and took away the tooth.
— — — -CONNECT WITH ART>>>>>
By: In Little Rhody Sphere
Tags: Storyteller, Creative, Art, Paul Michael Glaser, Collections

— — — -CONNECT WITH ART>>>>>|||||\/|

Storytelling is a tradition that reaches back to the beginnings of human civilization. It is how we share and experience our humanity, and how we pass that experience on to those in the next generation who will carry on after we are gone. Storytelling is what connects us, and reminds us to have compassion for ourselves and one another.

Paul is, first and foremost, a storyteller. While Paul’s celebrity arose from his role as Detective Dave Starsky in the 1970’s smash hit TV show, “Starsky and Hutch” (which aired in over 170 countries), that show comprises just a small part of Paul’s lifelong journey as a storyteller. He is also an accomplished stage and movie actor, director, motivational speaker, writer, and artist. The foundation for his success is comprised of his commitment to hard work, adherence to high ethical and quality standards, intelligence, creativity, sense of humor, and his core desire to help people feel connected to one another, and to life itself. These attributes underpin not only his professional success, but also the way he has dealt with personal tragedy. He lost his first wife, Elizabeth, and first daughter, Ariel, to AIDS, after Elizabeth contracted HIV through a blood transfusion following Ariel’s birth. He now uses this indescribably difficult experience to help others find connection, belonging, awareness and peace.

Paul deeply appreciates the power of imagery in storytelling, and has spent the last several years creating sketches, painted sketches and digital art. Each piece has a story to tell, a story that arises out of all of Paul’s life experiences, and evokes memories, emotions and sometimes laughter in the observer. Many people who have viewed his original pieces have urged him to print reproductions of his work on T-shirts and other items, so that they can enjoy his creative and inspirational imagery in their daily lives, and spread his message of compassion, acceptance and awareness. PM Glaser Connect is Paul’s answer to those requests.

To follow this artist visit :

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/paulmichaelglaserofficial

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/paulmichaelglaserofficial/?hl=en

Material presented on “In Little Rhody’sphere” by R Giacomini

Video directed by P .M. GLASER

Edited by R. GIACOMINI (2020)