I too have the same love hate relationship with the web, but it doesn’t affect my creative life as much. I still make sure I practice my repertoire and screw around on the piano everyday, so what does happen is that I end up staying up late at night to catch up on everything, which affects my creativity the next day. It’s a struggle, but it has made me really good at finding the most efficient way of consuming all of it though; Google Reader for feeds, smart playlists on my iPod for getting through lots of podcasts, Instapaper (maybe?). It’s really important to regularly evaluate the quality and relevance of the information coming at you; cleaning out my feeds every now and then adds hours to my week.

It certainly wasn’t intended to depress anyone! What I had intended to do was give people a window into how I approach the social media consumption, and maybe, give them some idea as to how they could organize their time. I would expect for many, this is daunting, if they want to make it part of their lives, and as, over time, I am asked how I do it, I thought I would share. But there’s no one right way.

@louis, i was smiling when i wrote that, of course. but for me it really highlighted the struggle all of us are having just keeping up. i think seth is right that as we all become more engaged the wires are getting crossed and its hard to get a clear signal. i love playing with the toys but want to make sure i continually review my boundaries. that it doesn’t become about the toys.
btw louis i really like your blog

I have to agree with you David, there is much that is good and much that I end up having to fight against. I LOVE the connecting with people and ideas. I don’t like how it can take over my life. I’ll look up from my screen and realize 2 hours have gone by…

Right now I should be working on preparing and uploading images related to my latest exhibition, and sending out reminder emails to people about the opening reception. I will get to it shortly, but hours later than I intended.

On the other hand, I have connected meaningfully with a few people I haven’t been able to see in person for ages (one because he lives in Vancouver). Status updates on Facebook and Twitter are seductive and addictive. They’re like soundbites aren’t they? And feed into the illusion that we are keeping up with the lives of our friends. On the other hand, when something in a status update prompts me to start an actual correspondence, then meaningful connection is being made and it matters again. Maybe that’s what makes it all REALLY addictive…

I wish I could say this stuff hasn’t interfered with my creative output, but I know it has. I am on MySpace (rarely), Facebook (regularly), Twitter (ditto) and have two Flickr pages I am constantly trying to update. As well I am on mailing lists that send me info on shows, competitions, opportunities and professional development, which I read through faithfully. I have found lots of valuable things there, and not just for me, but it all takes time doesn’t it?

Do you find as I do that your creative process becomes more pressurized as a result of the demands on your time and attention created by all this plugged-in stuff? I know the difference between how it feels when creative process is natural and unhurried so stuff can just emerge out of it, and when it’s being produced under the gun, to a deadline, forcing me to be more results- rather than process-oriented. The one is deeply nourishing and gives me energy, the other is draining and empties my tanks.

I’m planning to go on a self-directed artist retreat for a couple of weeks to try and gain back some of that natural process.

It definitely is tough to manage sometimes. My life is full of social media. I am a developer/business owner so I am constantly researching the new tools, integrating with them etc. I feel you have to really be selective when you are getting involved in the space. I used to use google reader but then I found it was just too much for me to handle (and was getting in my creative way) so I haven’t opened it for a few months (and definitely don’t want to now! lol).

For creative fun I am learning how to play the drums also… sometimes it’s hard to get to the things we love doing so I have been making it a major point lately to step away from the computer and practice on the drums and also read a lot like i used to in before I was being consumed with social media. That being said I love the social media phenomenon that is going on right now and am really excited to see where it goes from here… very interesting!

Also, I think it can be said that we can be creative in the social media space no matter what we do (artist, drummer, home builder, etc). I think if we embrace it and use it to it’s fullest potential it can have a very positive effect on our lives/careers!

When it’s afternoon and you are still in your pajamas then it’s time to re-evaluate! LOL. I use youtube a lot to spark creativity. I watch a lot of skating videos to get ideas for music, footwork or breaking down a jump or spin for technique. I have a hundred or so videotapes, but I find it so much easier to go to youtube to find a skater I want to watch or study. I also use the web to connect with collegues and friends or write my poetry.

I Google a ton and of course I spend at least some chunk of time navigating David Usher pages and this blog for inspiration. I embrace the computer, but also hate the time I waste on it. Prioritize…prioritze…balance…balance! When you feel addicted, take a break

I spent way too much time connecting yesterday and too little actually designing. No it wasn’t connecting on facebook or twitter or some other social connecting channel, it was the connecting of ideas and resources and others’ designs. In the end it consumed more time than I care to admit. As inspiring as it all is, sometimes I need to disconnect from the online to be focused and productive.
Ever write a song with your radio blaring beside you on “seek”.

You are right David, the addictive side of the net is the darkest result about this media. But, I think that we can choose to slow down when it became crazy…or when we realize it. My kids are looking for me directly in front of my computer you know(maybe cause I’m writing)when they get back home…Do I’m addictive? Certainly! Addictions are parts of creator’s life don’t you think…Spending time on net’s just another way to be addictive.
Thanks! I’ve just spend 45 minutes and during that time I didn’t smoke cigarets or anything else!!!
Bonne nouvelle non?

I started hacking around with some home recording this year. I was in a short lived hard rock band many years go before my children were born. So I found out from a musician fiend down the street (Tim Bovacontti - Ron Sexsmith’s guitarist) that you can do just about everything yourself these days. This suited me fine as I hated the band thing. I was writing all the songs and was in the horrible position of having to punish all the band members for not doing thier homework learning the stuff - I quit.

So now I find that I can do all the music myself and it’s good enough to be described as a ‘concept’ - i.e. It’s not a slick studio recording but you can get the general idea of what it might potentially sound like if a real musician were to adopt one of your pieces which is what I’m hoping for.

Then I find out that there are sites like Fuzz.com and MySpace etc., where you can put your music up for review with others ranging from hacks like to big-time pros (like Dave here) and actually have them leave comments. I haven’t meet one person who hasn’t been very gracious about thier comments, even when it is critical. There are more good people in the world than bad! Believe it.

This is something I wanted to do my whole life and the web, these sites, and recording technology have allowed me to fullfill that dream. I have no complaints other than “there are so damned many of us!”

Best to all, Steve Nixon

Sorry that’s friend NOT fiend!! lol.

Steve

Great post Louis! I do feel kinda embarrassed now though, it forced me to look at my daily web routine and yikes!.. makes me think i should be outside enjoying this weather instead of at this screen here!

But alas, both of my businesses are on the web and i can’t escape all of this no matter how bad i may want to. But then again, i’m doing something i love, especially when i’m creating beautiful sites for people to view. After all, nothing is worse than a poorly designed website!

Let me know if you ever need a graphic designer Stephanie!

Steve

I think too many artists hide their creativity behind fancy gadgets rather than letting their creativity speak for itself!

Wow, just reading about Louis Gray’s social media day gave me a headache!

I only have a few top sites I go to every time I log on…Hotmail, Facebook, DavidUsher.com! But as I’m logging out of Hotmail, I always check the news headlines on MSN. And lately I’ve been using Google and YouTube more, searching for beading lessons and tutorials. As I said in a previous post, I make beaded jewellery (probably the most creative thing I do) and I like to keep learning new techniques.

Even the small amount of websites I regularly use end up wasting lots of my time, because I check them too frequently!

One thing I forgot to mention is that I wasn’t doing a n y t h i n g until this opened up. Then there was a way forward….

Steve

Sorry, I forgot to add that I created a radio show which would have been impossible without the web and e-mail.

http://www.astraeamagazine.com

Steve

Concerning Mike Arrington claiming to have “gained thirty pounds and developed a sleeping disorder” because of blogging…would you rather do this or make one of those “ships in a bottle?” Didn’t you talk about that with Steve on his radio show? Glad you picked blogging! LOL.

We haven’t had any reports of weight gain from listening to show but we have had a few reports of analysis paralysis.

Steve

I should have clarified! I was talking about Steve Anthony’s radio show.

LOL! Ok yvette.

Steve

I have to say that the web do not affect too much my creativity, simply because I limit the time I spend on it. I follow you blog and very few others (mostly blogs from people I like). I spend some time on facebook almost every week, but not every day (I have only 17 friends on facebook, which are pretty much “real” friends).

I think that what follows is interesting:
Recently I lived a very strange experience about creativity…I had to study for really though exams and I spent 3 and a half months doing so. Three days per week, including weekends and some nights (and I kept working 32 hours per week). During that time, I read, studied, read, studied…and was mostly disconnected from the web and from other people. Plus, I found time to read a few books (novels). Strangely, my creativity litterally exploded…I had many, many ideas. Could you call that brain overload?

I personally dont follow the media for the simple reason that it stomps out creativity, imagination, and simple joys. I get my media from music artists sing about things that infulence thier lives so you can actually find out a lot about the world through thier words.

Generally, I think “online” as a whole has helped motivate me in the creative department. I try not getting too wrapped up in the intricacies of social networking - but its a good place to gain exposure to artists, writers, musicians that I wouldn’t have otherwise found in my non-virtual life.

There’s also that endless access to news and information, the option to go more in depth on stories or headlines that I hope to pull artistic ideas from - something I could never get from the out-of-date print resources at, say, the library.

But mostly what I like is how it gives me more immediate outlets for my art. Big projects (like books or exhibitions) take so much time to put together (with so many other people involved), its easy to get lost or disheartened in the process. I think things like my flickr site, my blog, even my myspace or facebook help motivate me to make and share smaller art every day… to take the pressure of being creative and start looking at it like an every day habit.

my creativity sparks from a lot of things. most of the time music, seeing the works of my masters, conversations, reading books, and contemplating are what gets me started. generally, sensing things–experience is what keeps me interested and working.

Well since you asked. I guess growing up around alot of what I was so much of my being was repressed into this little creature who spoke when spoken to Only and eye contact, well forget that. There is alot of life experience here not just the net, but the net really helped me see other ways of doing things, other ways to fight, to be creative in my fight, to connect with people in Pristina as their universities were bombed and other atrocities that are happening in the world, to help me gain an educated opinion rather than the whatever response. I have learned how to speak and be heard. I have heard how to listen and respond. I have studied comparitive religion and know that I have only scratched the surface of what is out there. I have broken stereotypes and stigmas and shattered the people who placed the L upon my head. And the music good gracious the music, transformed my life. I am excited again. And David, I have learned how to kick in the balls without raising my foot. Creative?
I think so.

I think as the internet becomes more congested, it is impossible to reduce the ratio of noise to substance. The problem resides with the sheer volume of information and the number of people who are using it. Before we had the spectrum of print, radio and tv, they controlled the media and we received our information from what we assumed were valid sources. There is simply too much information now that we cannot control it, there is noise of valueless posts which serve no purpose to many, and there is the sheer duplication of everything. Blogs often reference information from another blog thus creating duplication. It also means that there are so many specialty sources that I spend at least an hour a day sourcing information on various topics from many sources (thanks to RSS feeds it is doable).

I see the whole issue as something I have to embrace although I do hate it at times. I hate that for every new tool there is a new requirement to keep up…from facebook to myspace, twitter, flickr, blogs…i simply do not have the time. I also hate that we are at the mercy of those who control the content, I have seen irrevocable damage done to companies who cannot control blog comments or file sharing. But sadly this is the way that the world is changing and it has to be embraced. There will be only more noise increases until the web collapses under its own weight.

One person who continues to drive home such impacts is Kurzweil (http://www.kurzweilai.net/).

basically, the computer is my life…i work in front of a computer screen: creating, designing, modifying designs…the web is a big part of my everyday job, it takes me to all directions i want to go…it doesn’t affect my productivity and creativity because it comes in handy…

I certainly agree about the addictive side. I find myself on the computer A LOT!! I try to watch myself but I think it’s a bit hard when there’s not much else I can do because I’m supervising my baby play all day and I’ve to get up to prevent her from getting into harm’s way every few minutes and so I get distracted too often to do anything else except escape on the cyberspace.

But then, that being said, I have done much creative stuff online and on the computer, and having watched many creative videos online, it has inspired me to take that up as a hobby (it used to long long long time ago). Reading up on information and researching online has given me much knowledge, and given me lots more resources. And that help me when I work on my projects. And being in online communities have opened up doors for me with my writing and publishing, and performing etc.

So with all that, I think we have to remember that media and internet is a tool, and to use it as such. Hiding behind it will defeat the usefulness of these tools because then things don’t get done…only ideas form, but what good use will that be if nothing is created out of them. Just getting and hoarding ideas become more of a possession, an obsession and soon, an addiction. It becomes greed. Sometimes we have to learn to let go and take space to use what we have acquired instead of hoarding and seeking endlessly. But of course, it’s easier said than done.

rescuetime.com finally showed me my attention profile with such precise and brillant visualizations that I am now transforming how I consume my attention.

It was one of my prediction of 2008, Attention Profiling. We are humans…our cognitive capacities are linked to our attention. Let’s make sure we make good use of our attention because it is link to something luminous and still very not clearly understood…Our Intentions.

Yes, love/hate with me as well. And yes, you don’t want it to be about the toys but rather the art. However, as Marshall McLuhan said, the medium is the message, and sometimes it is the medium that takes centre stage for a lot of people out there. I know myself at work where we have guest speakers, some people will say “wow, didn’t he/she deliver a well-spoken talk?”. My response is “but what did they say?” I try and be more excited about what a person says and what is it they do I like rather than what tools they use, but it’s difficult I must say.

Although I woefully admit I spend more hours online than I do painting or practicing guitar, I find other people’s projects to be enlightening and inspiring.

Without Fark, I wouldn’t have heard about this band who used security camera footage to shoot a video. Brilliance!

Without Facebook, I wouldn’t be reconnecting with old friends and finding out how many of them ended up as professional musicians. (A strangely high percentage from our small town - must be the radiation!)

All of these amazing artists give me a kick in the pants to create more. When the day job is wearing me down, I need that kick.

a life as a student, i cant help but acquiring tons of new knowledge through the internet. the web is a much much more bigger and wider library than the real libraries located any institutes.
though i have to be more considerate and more careful when using the information on the web but it really worth it.

i also have gained a lot of inspirations through the social network (so much from you too, david ^^)

another good part of it is that i love to get to know people, to have new friends esp. those who shares the same interest with me. i even get to know my real life friends more and more when we talked through the web.

my hate part of it is also the addiction, i always think i have to take more control of myself! ;P

and back to the issue, normally, i have to be with myself when creating anything. i mean i always need the concentration. i have to focus on the stuff and think back and forth on the things. i just cant be both online and create things at the same time.

i dont use the web much to create my music though I’ve been encouraged to. I write songs on my computer, in microsoft word, then I record them on a program in entertaiment for windows XP. I am disacouraged from posting my stuff on the web. Hey David, i would love to share a song with you. I have only Like 3 songs recorded, but there’s one I really like. Maybe you;ll like it too.

The internet gives me a great outlet for my creativity. With my youtube I can share my music with the world, even if it’s stupid.

I don’t really think I have to filter my songs anymore.
A great song, 1/10 people will like it. And average song 1/100 people will like it, but 1/1000 people will like it better than your great songs. So I put it up, and there’s always that one person who says it’s their favourite. I didn’t spend any money on it, and I made a fan. Also, back in the day, if I was thinking “lets do a punk cover of a backstreet boys song” I’d do it, maybe play it at a show, get a laugh. Now I can do it, put it on youtube and get 100,000 views in the next year. Get people to find me through that and check out the rest of my stuff.