What is creativity?

 For New Year’s Eve, 2025, I travelled to Boston to be with some friends and to enjoy the snow. I stayed in Cambridge, next to my old apartment, so I could re-live the walks, sights and sounds of my old neighbourhood, which was mostly a tiny nature reserve. I had to work a little while I was there and the snow was so intense that I spent quite a bit of time inside the hotel working in the communal area. One member of staff was so friendly and helpful that we ended up staying in contact through Instagram and have chatted from time to time throughout the year. This morning I woke up and thought of messaging her to see how she was doing. I couldn’t find her… then discovered she unfollowed me and removed me as a follower. It was a sad start to the day. I only hope she is okay. 

    As the day progresses, I contemplate, what is the balance between insanity and creativity? To create, I feel that it is almost essential to loosen the grips on sanity. Although, considering it, perhaps not. It depends on the form of creativity. For example, one of my favourite bands, Bad Religion, are tremendously creative, and their songs focus mostly on scientific topics or socio-political commentary that is hardly the material of the insane. Perhaps one might argue that they do not adhere to convention and tradition and this promotes their curiosity and creativity. 

    Speaking of insanity… today I saw a video that made me laugh out loud… it was a lady saying that God pays her bills, not her. The one thing that made me laugh the most about the video was that this poor lady said ‘yes, you may call me delusional because I absolutely am.’ She went on to argue that we are not here to work a nine to five (which I fully agree with) and that we are not here to pay bills and live in misery. If you don’t want to pay bills, then don’t buy things. You are not just sent a bill simply for being alive. Yes, we need to live more, we need to spend more time with family and friends, and doing the things we love, but we also need to live within our means and face our responsibilities. 


Alewife Reservation, Cambridge, Massachusetts. 



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