It may be Friday, but I have no idea where the week went. A true head-scratcher…
Somewhere between brainstorming, researching, and taking a few too many breaks and naps, I blinked and the traditional work week is all but over.
As I wrote about last week, I’ve been spinning my wheels lately. Not a total creative block, but definitely a creative slump. So I’ve been using this “down” time to doodle and noodle, exploring ideas, big and small, without pressure or purpose.
The good news is I think I’ve finally figured out what’s been clogging up my creative gears. At least partially.
The bad news is I now need to get busy…playing a bit of catch-up.
For those who enjoy my montages, you know their main ingredients are vintage photos and mellow music. The photos tell a bunch of different stories and the music helps weave them together.
The problem? My go-to music library—Epidemic Sound, which I’ve been happily using for over a year now—is running low on the kind of tracks I love. And because I would rather not repeat tracks, I’ve been spending more time searching for musical inspiration than actually making montages.
This week, though, I may have found a fix: A new source of music, Artlist.io, that not only fits the vibe I’m going for but also opens the door to publish more work on my second YouTube channel—and even expand what I can offer any freelance clients I land going forward.
It feels so good to have a more music options again. Music to my ears…literally!
Sometimes “figuring things out” just means giving yourself the space to doodle, noodle, and daydream your way toward the next idea or solution.
Fingers crossed this new library is exactly what the doctor ordered.
Keep calm and play that funky music!
Clint 🌈✌️
P.S. I plan on having at least one, if not two, montages published by the end of the day. One for Substack and one for YouTube. Guess it’s time I got to work, huh?
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IN THE NEWS = THE “CREATOR ECONOMY”
Like most “content creators” I know, I hustle and struggle to make a living through platforms like Substack and YouTube. The so-called “creator economy” promises freedom and flexibility, but usually delivers exhaustion and uncertainty instead.
Watching big influencers, streamers, Substackers, and YouTubers strike gold is inspiring, if ultimately unrealistic. Their success proves it’s possible, though rarely practical, predictable, or sustainable.
Still, I’m endlessly fascinated by these behind-the-scenes “sausage factory” stories and the ever-shifting media landscape we all inhabit. If you are too, here are a couple that caught my eye:
How Hollywood Learned To Love Influencers (The Hollywood Reporter)
Like most creators I know, I’m grateful just to keep creating, cover my bills (most months), and hopefully have a little left over at the end of the day.
My “creator journey” isn’t about going viral or hitting the jackpot. It’s about making stuff, finding connections, and hoping the next posts find an audience.
FYC = FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
ON THIS DAY = OCTOBER 17
BIRTHDAYS
1711 = Jupiter Hammon = American poet
1903 = Nathanael West = American author and screenwriter
1912 = Jack Owens = American singer-songwriter
1915 = Arthur Miller = American playwright and screenwriter
1918 = Rita Hayworth = American actor, singer, and dancer
1920 = Montgomery Clift = American actor 🌈
1938 = Evel Knievel = American motorcycle rider and stuntman
1947 = Laura Nyro = American songwriter, singer, and pianist 🌈
1947 = Michael McKean = American actor, comedian, and screenwriter
1948 = George Wendt = American actor and comedian
1948 = Margot Kidder = Canadian-American actor
1957 = Lawrence Bender = American actor and producer
1958 = Alan Jackson = American singer-songwriter
1959 = Norm Macdonald = Canadian actor, comedian, producer, and screenwriter
1962 = Mike Judge = American filmmaker, animator, and actor
1964 = Gregg Wallace = English tv presenter
1966 = Mark Gatiss = English actor, screenwriter and novelist 🌈
1968 = Ziggy Marley = Jamaican singer-songwriter
1971 = Chris Kirkpatrick = American singer-songwriter and dancer
1972 = Eminem = American singer-songwriter, producer, and actor
1974 = Matthew Macfadyen = English actor
1977 = Ryan McGinley = American photographer 🌈
1983 = Felicity Jones = English actor
1984 = Chris Lowell = American actor
1985 = Max Irons = English-Irish actor
1992 = Jacob Artist = American actor, singer, and dancer
EVENTS
1771 = Ascanio in Alba, an opera composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at the age of 15, premieres in Milan.
1907 = Marconi begins the first commercial transatlantic wireless service.
1933 = Albert Einstein flees Nazi Germany and moves to the US.
1939 = Mr. Smith Goes To Washington premieres in Washington, DC.
1965 = The 1964–65 New York World’s Fair closes after two years and more than 51 million attendees.
1978 = Village People release “Y.M.C.A.” as a single.
HOLIDAYS + OBSERVANCES
LGBTQ History Month (October 1-31) 🌈🧐📚
PORTRAIT + QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Don’t be seduced into thinking that that which does not make a profit is without value.”
Arthur Miller
Fear not Clint, your mojo will return in its own way. Cheers DougT 🇫🇴🇬🇧
Clint, Love those naps! Enjoyed the music link, remember running to the disco ball reflected dance floor at my favorite discotech, drink left on the table, quick drag on the weed, poppers in hand. Where did those times go? Haven't been to a gay bar, dance floor or otherwise, for some 30+ years. Fondly, Michael