Nicole Dreiske

My brain is full! To put it into terms you may understand, my computer will be rendering this for a number of days. I actually wasn't going to come in today. Wednesdays I have to get up around 3am. I was digging for excuses. One class wasn't meeting, another is starting a new section, I'm failing another. Just out of a random choice I got out of bed. Glad i did. I still ended up missing a class though.

Nicole Dreiske spoke today at Becker 3rd. It was supposed to be a big DMA meeting, but the email didn't go out. Only those who saw the fliers, or had someone tell them, knew what was going down. As much as that sucks for everyone else, I can't say I'm sad that only a few of us were there. It was kind of like seeing a shooting star. At one point I thought to myself, "Why isn't anyone recording this?!" But I wasn't about to get out of my seat. We were in the screening room, probably too intimate a setting for someone so full of energy. As an introvert, probably shouldn't have picked the front row. She was talking directly to us. She would stand, inches away, and directly looked into our eyes. She did this with everyone, and it didn't seem forced at all. There was hopping, and turning, and touching, and gesturing involved. Not gonna lie, kind of felt like running for the door.

I don't even know where to begin with what was said. Like I said, still rendering. What I can tell you about is the feeling you get when someone not only justifies exactly what you've been thinking, and finally has given you the words you've been looking for, but also points you in the direction of the next step. It's like finally getting to stand up straight after years of dragging a heavy cart behind you.

Here are the key points I'm still holding onto, as interpreted by my brain.

• You are at the center of layers of media sediment. To create, you begin tapping into this, but most will try to be like someone else who has added to the sediment. If you drill all the way down to you, the real you, then you'll have something real and true to you.

• Don't take a $h@t job! The act of creation should be sacred to you. Keep this space clear of the clutter. I set up some steep standards for myself and I can't tell you how awesome it is that someone like Nicole backs this up. The jobs I do must be true to me no matter what. Which reminds me...

• Know when to walk away. If you're not going to bring your best, and bring out the best in others, then just don't move forward.

Is there more? Lots! But yeah, back to rendering.