An inspiration tag is just a phrase or two meant to give you a jumpstart on your creative expression. So read the tag below and interpret it in a creative way. There are no limitations on the medium. In fact we’d love to see a visual or listen to an audio interpretation. Admittedly, some of the tags will lend themselves more to a written format than any other.

So here it is - Tag! You’re It! Have fun!

Life is a gamble worth the turn of the card.

The idea behind Break Away is to let your mind go and see if it will break away from your normal thought patterns.

The word is “Pet”

Here’s how it works:

1. Write the Break Away Word in the center of a paper (or if you’re lucky - a whiteboard).
2. Write/Draw the first thing that comes to mind when you look at the Break Away Word.
3. Write/Draw the next thing that comes to mind.
4. Continue the process for 10 minutes or until nothing new comes to mind

Let your pen or pencil find its own way, don’t try to force any associations into a pattern.

When you’re done, take a look at your paper/whiteboard. Where did you end up? Are there any connections that surprise you?

Here’s this week’s Say What?

“People that are really very weird can get into sensitive positions and have a tremendous impact on history.”

–Dan Quayle

How many times have you turned on the radio and come to a song that just begged for the rest of the story? It’s always been said that there’s a story behind every song and that music inspires.

Well, inspiration comes in many forms. And even the song writer had to have been inspired to write his music. But, what possessed them to write that line or tell that story? While we can’t get their point of view on what works, we welcome yours in this creative bent on lyrics.

We’ll offer you a verse from a song (all credit given where credit is due), and it may or may not be something you recognize. What we’d like to see is your story behind that verse. What do you think happened to have those lines so poignantly written?

Today’s verse comes from Vicariously performed by TOOL:

Credulous at best your desire to believe in
Angels in the hearts of men
Pull your head on out
Your head believes it give a listen
Shouldn’t have to say it all again
The universe is hostile
So impersonal
Devour to survive, so it is
So it’s always been
We all feed on tragedy
It’s like blood to a vampire
Vicariously I, live while the whole world dies
Much better you than I

Let’s play a little name game This one will be a bit harder than the first two Name Games.

You can use any resource you have available to you - the internet, books, friends or strangers, your address book - whatever you need.

In this name game we’re going to start with a title and the next person must use the last word in the title to post a second title. Each comment needs to begin with the last word used. Please try and use titles are are two words or more.

• Example:

• Silent Night
• Night of the Living Dead
• Dead Zone

That’s how easy it is. So, lets begin with:

• Die Hard

An inspiration tag is just a phrase or two meant to give you a jumpstart on your creative expression. So read the tag below and interpret it in a creative way. There are no limitations on the medium. In fact we’d love to see a visual or listen to an audio interpretation. Admittedly, some of the tags will lend themselves more to a written format than any other.

So here it is - Tag! You’re It! Have fun!

Experience is rarely a gentle teacher.

The idea behind Break Away is to let your mind go and see if it will break away from your normal thought patterns.

The word is “Money”

Here’s how it works:

1. Write the Break Away Word in the center of a paper (or if you’re lucky - a whiteboard).
2. Write/Draw the first thing that comes to mind when you look at the Break Away Word.
3. Write/Draw the next thing that comes to mind.
4. Continue the process for 10 minutes or until nothing new comes to mind

Let your pen or pencil find its own way, don’t try to force any associations into a pattern.

When you’re done, take a look at your paper/whiteboard. Where did you end up? Are there any connections that surprise you?

Here’s this week’s Say What?

“We’re not lost. We’re locationally challenged.”

– John M. Ford

How many times have you turned on the radio and come to a song that just begged for the rest of the story? It’s always been said that there’s a story behind every song and that music inspires.

Well, inspiration comes in many forms. And even the song writer had to have been inspired to write his music. But, what possessed them to write that line or tell that story? While we can’t get their point of view on what works, we welcome yours in this creative bent on lyrics.

We’ll offer you a verse from a song (all credit given where credit is due), and it may or may not be something you recognize. What we’d like to see is your story behind that verse. What do you think happened to have those lines so poignantly written?

Today’s verse comes from X Amount of Words performed by Blue October:

I’m Sick of shaking never waking
From the hell I achieved
I never knew you till you left me
With the crying disease
Another curing reassuring way to buckle the needs
“So mistreated,” I repeated never blessing your sneeze
Now deleted & defeated I will stand on my own
Yeah, your memory that punches me
Has broken the bone
Give me recipes for sorry I’m admitting I’m wrong
Still your memory that punches me
Has broken a bone
OH!
(Reporting…I only want to see)
(Reporting, reporting, I can’t believe)
Oh!
(Reporting, I only want to see)
Oh!
(Reporting, Reporting)
(I can’t believe)
The main game…
I only want to see
The Main Game!

Here’s a simple, but not necessarily easy exercise to expand your creativity and attention. For each letter of the alphabet, come up with a television show. Note the network or an actor next to each show if you can.

Can you complete the list without using a TV Guide or online database? How many can your friends come up with? Which letter was the most difficult to find a show for?
How many of the shows you listed spawned mini-lists? How many have you watched? How many brought back memories? Did any make you think of movies, books or songs?