Tea with McNair

• schools are killing creativty

Sir Ken Robinson is not just a "visionary cultural leader" he is an engaging communicator who challenges his audience with profound observations whilst making us laugh, authentically, throughout.

In this video, below, Ken talks about how he believes formal education destroys the natural creativity of all children. Of course, I agree—completely. Watch it at least twice as it is quite rich—even at just over nineteen minutes. (The video will take a coule seconds to load onto your computer.)

Now go grab your kids and ask them to teach you how to draw...again. You knew how to...once..and still do, you just stopped trying.

[ If you are not familiar with the "TED Talks" series, they are short videos of the presenters at the now-legendary TED conferences—Technology, Entertainment, and Desgn. (My video linked above in the "Prologue" that opens the TEA blog, was taped at TEDx in Dnever.) Do yourself the favor of clicking on the TED logo (jsut above the video) and signing up for their free newsletter. They'll send you a few videos now and then. Then, go to the TED website and watch ALL the others. ]

• a sabbath meditation

Be sure to click on YouTube and listen & watch part 2.

I'm a BIG believer in collaboration, especially across disciplines! (Call a friend and DO SOMETHING!) • This CD on Amazon - see link in left column of TEA blog "Music That Inspires."

• a musical interlude

While you are waiting for the now-epic (I'm on the fourth re-write) "doodle post", I invite you to sit back and enjoy....no stand and get ready to move your feets, this remarkable performance.

My pal, MaxPaul Franklin sent along a link to an enormously creative "barbershop quartet" (style) arrangement for one of Meridith Wilson's classic tunes—from his Broadway  triumph, The Music Man.

And the much vaunted doodle post is just around the corner—as soon as I can choke the life out of my inner perfectionist.

• up on the rooftops . . .

[ Big "Doodling" blog post still in progress. While you're waiting...]

A couple years ago I was in London on the tail end of a speaking engagement (in Spain.) My pal, MaxPaul Franklin and I were going to the world premiere of The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe. But a trip to London must always include a big show on the West End—the UK's version of Broadway.

We chose to see the then-new Disney stage production of Mary Poppins. They used many of the songs from their 1964 film version, but went back to the original by P.J.Travers and wrote a new story line. They also added wonderful new songs, new settings and musical arrangements by George Stile and Anthony Drewe. (George opens video below) These expanded the story we all remember, but exploded the magic—live!

Here is one of the most familiar songs from the  movie, joyously expanded and rearranged for the stage. Don't think you've seen it all—there's real Broadway magic toward the end as Bert goes UP on the roof tops.

< <  Be sure to click the expand image button, it's a wide screen image!

Disney's stage production is still running on Broadway and is now touring the U.S. and Europe. WHEN YOU SEE IT, try to secure balcony (first level up) seats. You will know when the last moment of the production arrives—and you'll thank me.

Here's the MARY POPPINS website for info. (Mary, Bert and the gang are currently in D.C., headed for Charlotte, NC, in Aug.)

• ready to doodle, tomorrow?

OOPS! Today, Tuesday 13 July 2010—the day after the birthday of William H. Cosby, Jr. (he's 73 now)—it became "one of those days." Thus, I did not finish the blog post promised yesterday in the post below. Can we reschedule for tomorrow. Thanks. (Hey, you've got an extra 24 hours to grab a "sketchbook.)

Several recent TEA blogs have encouraged you to get a blank book (sketchbook, journal without lines, drawing pad) to carry everyday to capture thoughts, images, ideas, recommendations. Have you got your sketchbook, yet?

Big blog coming—in the next 24 hours—about why 2DO this, how 2DO it simply, and why it will change your life.This post (the one that's coming) is for everyone, but especially those who do not consider themselves an artist. And, it's not about becoming an artist. Hmmmmm

(Below, from current sketchbook, doodle done with chopstick and soy sauce.)

• A rose by any other name...

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 What's in a name—your name? Do you "go by" your real first name as it appears on you birth certificate? What are you called? How do you introduce yourself? Is it a nickname given to you at an early age or one of those made up names because a brother or sister couldn't pronounce Elizabeth or Jonathan?

Perhaps, like the now-legendary newspaper man, H.L. Mencken, you use initials as your name. See also: J. K. Rowling, E.B. White. I.F. Stone, H.G. Welles, P.T.Barnum, T.S. Eliot, ee cummings, B.J. Thomas...

Authors often have completely made up names, nom d'plume. My friend Susan Kennedy (real name) will release her fifteenth book this fall (Glad No Matter What) under her now-famous moniker, SARK — her name Susan Aerial Rainbow Kennedy (all caps, no periods.) We all know Samuel Clemens as American author Mark Twain. But have you read John Lange, Jeffery Hudson, or Michael Douglas. All three are early pen names for Michael Crichton of Jurassic Park fame. The great screenwriter Dalton Trumbo (Exodus, Spartacus, Johnny Got His Gun, etc.) wrote nearly thirty of his scores of screenplays using various pseudonyms due to his having been "blacklisted" as a communist in the 1950's.

There are hundreds of reasons why people choose to adjust their given names.

In 1990's I moved to Northern California (from Pasadena) and began introducing my self as McNair Wilson. McNair is the middle name I share with my paternal granddad, Clarence McNair Wilson. He only told me that the name goes back several generations. I discovered it's meaning "Mc" (the Celtic prefix for son of) and "Nair" (the servant.) It is a daily reminder—to me—that my life is to be a service to others, all others. My new signature includes the "C" for Craig. I still have long-time friends who call me "Craig" and I never correct them. It's how I "carbon date" my friends. 

The 33rd President of the United States was born "Harry Truman." Not Harold, just Harry and NO middle name. As a boy they gave him the middle initial "S" for two grandfathers with different names starting with "S." Truman always insisted that his middle name is "S" and thus no period should be used. Most official appearances of his name use "S." (with period added, cavalierly.)

Besides the name we have, choose to use, get called, there is the matter of our signature. Many people give this great thought and lots of practice. Women, before marriage (if they are planning to adopt their husband's surname) may spend time developing and practicing their "new name." A few signatures have become famous almost as a brand or logo. Witness: the first signer of the Declaration of Independence, whose name is now synonymous with "signature"—John Hancock (left).

Many celebrities, especially painters, cartoonists, composers, and other artists have a pictographic signature. One of my favorites is the self-portrait that cartoonist Humphrey Lyttleton incorporated into his simple "Humph" signature. 

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Celebrity signatures were kicked up to another level of importance in the courtyard of the soon-to-be-legendary Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood  when owner and impresario, Sid Grauman accidently stepped in the wet cement. Sid liked what he saw and asked co-owners Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks to place their feet and hand prints, with their signatures (30 April 1937) and the rest is history...set in concrete, literally. (Click image to enlarge and enjoy "Bogey's" message to Sid.)

Presidents often become famous for a unique signature. Then, beginning with John Kennedy, signing laws with multiple pens became tradition. Pens are distributed to those who were influential in getting that law passed. (See video, below.)

All the President's Pens from The White House on Vimeo.

What name have you selected for your moniker on a daily basis? When's the last time you altered or changed your signature?

 [Column of signatures, above right: signatures of all 44 U.S. Presidents. Notice the differences or similarities of the two sets of father/son Presidents: John and John Quincy Adams (2nd and 6th) and the Georges Bush (41 and 43.) Eight Presidents were left-handed: Garfield, Hoover, Truman, Ford, Reagan (he wrote right-handed and drew cartoons with his left hand), Bush (the elder), Clinton, and Obama.]

Notice Reagan with gun in his left hand. Though he was a "natural" lefty, he was born at a time when it was still the custom to force children not to be left-handed. Historians believe there were probably other left-handed Presidents early on, but they, too, were compelled not to be lefties.

• once upon a storyboard

 While re-writing my new book on The 7 Agreements of Brainstorming (that's not the title) I was refining the storyboard chapter and found a great video. Storyboarding is a grand tool for communicating the plan and progress of a project from Citizen Kane to Toy Story 3 or your groups new _____________ (fill in name of project here.)

[ At right, a young Walt Disney, in a scene from the video, acting out characters in a storyboard. ]

Enjoy the video, and watch this space for release date of my book. Publishers interested in seeing the new and vastly improved manuscript...my direct email link as in the left column under my photo.

Storyboards can be comprised of words, doodles, photos, what ever communicates quickly the "story" of your project. The only wrong way is the way that doesn't work—change it.

Think of a storyboard as a large, visual  to do list. 

• happy birthday, america

The Pledge • A Baptist minister — Francis Bellamy — wrote a pledge, or promise, (in 1892) “to be true to the country he loved.” Here's his promise: “I pledge allegiance to my flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Then the National Flag Conference of 1923 edited the words “my flag” to read “the flag of the United States of America.” Next, Congress added the words “under God” to the pledge in 1954. Now we say that "promise" as: “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. And to the Republic for which it stands One Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

And now this . . . (click on image area to go to YouTube and view video in larger format.)