IT'S NATIONAL CREATIVITY DAY

Fun fact: The creative content you see from Boredwalk (emails, tweets, products) all comes from me and my partner/bestie/co-founder Matt. I do the ideation, joke writing, and creative direction, Matt does the design and illustration. We take turns writing these emails, Matt writes our text message blasts, and we both contribute the jokes that we use in our ads. Our creative dynamic is kind of like a band with one person who writes lyrics and sings, and another who writes music and plays guitar.

Sometimes people ask where I get my ideas, and the answer may surprise you. The number one source of inspiration for me is stuff I don't like. I spend a lot of time looking at Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram accounts that are pretty much the opposite of Boredwalk, because I find those sources so ripe for satire and humor. Every creative person has their own creative process, but mine relies a lot on stuff I find funny that wasn't meant to be humorous.

I also try to write every single day, even if what I write isn't very good every time. Quality creative output is a numbers game, so the more output I can create, the more likely it is that I'll come up with something I like (and hopefully that others will also like).

I consider creativity both a talent and skill, which means people who are able to consistently create interesting content (movies, illustrations, books, etc.) probably have some innate natural talent, but they also have probably spent tens of thousands of hours honing that talent. This is why I find art theft so depressing. It's not just the hours the artist put into the stolen piece of work, it's all the hours that came before that work that enabled the artist to make something so good. If you see a piece of creative work online that you like and want to share, please credit the artist. It's how a lot of us get discovered and ultimately how we pay our bills.

If you've ever wanted to be more creative, my three biggest pieces of advice are:

1. find what inspires you

2. purposefully engage with what inspires you consistently

3. practice doing creative work as often as possible.  

This is not a creative process I find relatable, but it does look fun.

*****

It is, of course, Memorial Day in the US. If you're not working today I hope you find the day relaxing and restorative, while also taking time to reflect on the sacrifices military families have made over the last 246 years (give or take).

Want a few May 30th famous birthdays and historical facts? Of course you do!

• Jazz clarinetist and bandleader Benny Goodman was born on this day 1909. From 1936 until the mid-1940s, Goodman led one of the most popular swing big bands in the United States. Goodman was also an advocate for racial integration in America. In the early 1930s, Black and white musicians could not play together in most clubs and concerts. Goodman added Black musicians Teddy Wilson and Lionel Hampton to his quartet anyway. Lionel Hampton states that when someone asked Goodman why he "played with that n****r" (referring to Teddy Wilson), Goodman replied, "If you say that again to me, I'll take a clarinet and bust you across your head with it."

• Rapper, record producer, and businessman CeeLo Green was born on this day in 1975. He is known for his work in hip-hop and modern soul music, first with the Atlanta-based group Goodie Mob and then with the hit singles "Crazy" (his collaboration with producer Danger Mouse) and "F*ck You" as a solo artist. Green was a judge and coach on the reality television singing competition The Voice, appearing on four of its seasons.

• Finally on this day in 1911 the first Indianapolis 500 auto race was held.

Alrighty! Scroll on down to learn about fellow Boredwalk fan Austin G.! If you'd like to be featured in our next Monday Q&A segment, reply to this email and let me know!

We'll be back in your inbox on Wednesday morning with links to fun distractions! If you're in a shopping mood, be sure to use the code YAY10 at checkout to save 10% on orders of $100 or more! Until next time...

Peace, love, and creativity,

Meredith

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Austin looking ready for warmer weather in her Everything Is Trash and Hard Pass racerback tank tops!

1. What's your actual day job and what's your dream day job?

My title is Senior Business Manager which is essentially like herding cats, except they are not cats, they are humans and I help them make progress on their deliverables without having any incentives or authority. 🙃

I also get to help people think outside the box, which is my favorite part. I love helping people solve problems.

My dream job is NO JOB. ✨️
I just wanna live that Witchy life and help people help themselves. 🧙‍♀️

2. What's your biggest pet peeve?

Loud chewing aggghhhh! 🙉

3. You can curse your nemesis with a minor annoyance for eternity; what do you choose?

To have a fire alarm in their home that has an ever-dying battery that beeps indefinitely.

4. What experience do you most want to cross off your bucket list?

Being debt free and having human rights.

5. If you drink: what's your go-to drink? If you don't drink: what's your go-to dessert or snack?

A cocktail by the name of El Diablo at my favorite local spot, the Uptown Lounge. It's a spicy margarita and I've never had another that compares!

6. Clear up a misconception (about your job, where you are from, or some other topic you know a lot about).

My career has been in privatized health insurance. I've worked for VC backed startups, I've worked worked for 110 year old, taxpaying not-for-profits, and I have also worked for non-profits that administer state and federal Medicaid programs. I have helped manage most of the different lines of business in private healthcare, I have worked in the weeds, and I have also been at the 30,000 ft view. The only thing that is clear is that there is no fixing this broken and antiquated system. No new company or technology is gonna come in and change the game. The institution is fundamentally flawed. Universal Healthcare is the only way out of this mess.

7. Where can the rest of the Boredwalk community find you?

Instagram: @IssaCatLadyVibe
Blog: Everyday Slay

IRL when I'm not being a homebody, you can catch me drinking El Diablo's at Uptown Lounge or at a local farmers market.