7+3=Blue

I'm good at thinking outside the box, so much that you realize it's not a box to begin with.
~will.i.am

"The Box" by Chip Ghigna, son of IMPERFECT poet Charles Ghigna.

Jazz and Mistakes

The only mistake is if each individual musician is not accepting and aware enough of his fellow band member and...we don't allow for creativity.
~Stefon Harris, talking about improvising music with his bandmates

A TED talk today!

What is a mistake? By talking through examples with his improvisational jazz quartet, Stefon Harris walks us to a profound truth: many actions are perceived as mistakes only because we don't react to them appropriately.

Today's Quote: Vincent van Gogh

Text:
Only when I fall do I get up again.
~ Vincent van Gogh

A Favorite Mistake?

“But what if I make a mistake?" Will asked.
Gilan threw back his head and laughed. "A mistake? One mistake? You should be so lucky. You'll make dozens! I made four or five on my first day alone!"
~John Flanagan

It's pretty easy to come up with a list of least favorite mistakes, but what about favorites? I can think of a couple I've made that I might call favorites. Can you? There are a lot of people who appreciate these mistakes:

15 Delicious Things That Were Invented By Mistake




Sheryl Crow

Today's Quote: Vicki Davis

Text:
Make the mistakes of your past a signpost, not a hitching post.
~ Vicki Davis

Cover reveal!

THE STORY BEHIND THE COVER

When we make mistakes, show our imperfections, or wind up feeling broken in some way, we have to patch ourselves back together. The Japanese art of kintsugi is the art of creating “precious scars” or “golden repair” by filling cracks in pottery with precious metals such as liquid gold or silver.

Kintsugi is said to have begun hundreds of years ago when a Japanese military commander broke his favorite tea bowl and sent it to be repaired. When it returned, it had been patched together unattractively with metal staples. Seeing the well-loved but sloppily-mended bowl inspired Japanese craftsmen to develop kintsugi as a better, more beautiful way to fix something broken.

The breaks in kintsugi pottery are considered to be part of the object’s history, and are displayed with pride. An imperfection isn’t the end. It’s a chance for a “golden repair”!

Cover design by Vivien R. Zhu

Only Human

There is some kind of a sweet innocence in being human- in not having to be just happy or just sad- in the nature of being able to be both broken and whole, at the same time.
~C. JoyBell C.

There are a bunch of songs about being "only human." Here's one from 1985 by Billy Joel:

Take One

Have you seen "Take One" flyers? You can find them online and print them out, or make custom ones yourself. They can be funny, they can be supportive. Here are some examples. 

Take What You Need: Literary Edition

You Are Amazing
Hope, Kindness
Love, Joy
Kindness Matters
Free Compliments

Lastly, here's Astley:

Today's Quote: Angie Thomas

Spoken Word by Taz

I would deactivate every single comment on any social media. You should be able to post what you want, say what you want, be what you want without anybody judging you.
~Selena Gomez

A spoken word poem by Taz about feeling pushed to act "perfect" on social media:

Today's Quote: Kurt Vonnegut

We always like to think we're moving forward, but when is it a good idea to move backward? When you're headed the wrong way...

Bloopers

I can sing, but I’m also good at modern dance, olden dance, and mermaid dancing which is a little different. You usually start on the ground. It’s a lot of floor work.
~Fat Amy, Pitch Perfect

Everyone makes mistakes, even movie actors:

On Being Wrong

A TED Talk from the world's only wrongologist: