The Creative Challenge

What It Means to be Creative

Creativity is the point where one reaches a phenomenon manifest itself physically into something tangible for people to view and/or hear. Back in 2002, I was 15 going on 16 attending middle school I am reading this magazine article of PlayStation Magazine interviewing Hideo Kojima. If you are familiar with Hideo Kojima he is the creator of the Metal Gear Series and Zone of the Enders and owner of Kojima Productions. I cannot remember what said, but I remember it influenced me to get into game development as a career. Since then I remember I would look at schools that offer some kind of training courses for game development. Long story short, I graduated and I now work as a simulation designer for a E-learning company. On the side though, I try to make it a point to do my own projects. Most of these projects happen to be one of creative endeavors. I have written a small novella, a small music project, and a game project. This brings me to my point Being Creative is about going after our dreams.

 

Creative Encouragement

At my job, I work with some people who majored in graphic design and I been encouraging them to go into doing some small graphic projects then post them on websites. My professor David J. Sushil who is a dear friend to me, went and created a game called Vanessa Saint Pierre Delacroix and Her Nightmare. After Sushil created the game he submitted it to various contest; he has blown up like a balloon filled with dynamite. Sushil, has always encouraged me to go after things that are creative. When I had an idea for the book The Departing Tale of Christopher Lamont and the Hereafter, so when November rolled around I hoped on the NaNoWriMo and wrote over 50,000 words. He is now encouraging me to develop a game idea I have had since 2009. Bringing me to my next point: encourage creativity. Surround yourself with other creative people, make time to sit down and just have a small brainstorming session. If you have friends that you know do creative hobbies, but feel they are just "hobbies" encourage to go after it! I have a friend who wants to do more things in art, so I been motivating this person to come out to local art shows to surround herself local artists to give her advice and encouragement. You should never let creativity die out because we will miss out on something that will probably be amazing in the future.

 

The Creative Disadvantage

I had read a few articles that being creative comes with a disadvantage of being mental disorders such as clinical depression, bipolar, and schizophrenia. It has been known throughout moments in history the most creative people have suffered through major mental issues such as Sylvia Plath, Vincent Van Gogh, and Hunter Thompson. Apparently there is a link between being creative and depression. Is this a disadvantage or an advantage? Are creative geniuses doomed to show mankind beautiful projects and then collapse on themselves like a dying star? By the way, I would like to point out that I do suffer from Clinical Depression. This runs in my family and as do other mental illnesses. However, I am lucky to have friends who know about it and are willing to be there for me when I have my little "moments," but at the same time these are the same friends who encourage me to be the creative me. This is the final point of this post: being creative a double edge sword. I ask my fellow people who are creative who do suffer from any mental illnesses to be sure to inform those around you. Life is short enough as it is, but I know we have a lot of new things to see before our lives end.

 

I am Andrew Christopher Dieppa and I thank everyone for reading. There is more to come in the near future about my life in technology, indie project, and artistic endeavors.

Terrifying Thoughts

The Manifestation of Fear

It is the day after the Ever Popular Commercialized Holiday of Valentine's Day and I came to a sudden realization about my life. On Valentine's Day we want to be able to say we have someone close in our life. The one thing is I don't have someone in my life at the moment; it really is not a big deal for me because I been in this place before. However, I had this bit of an epiphany about the emotion we call "love," and what it really means to me. Saying "I love you" is said very often by people who really have no idea what the emotion's manifestation. What it truly mean to love someone is meaning to truly open yourself up to another person. To make yourself just purely and emotionally naked! In other words, you are emotionally vulnerable and being so vulnerable leaves you open to magnitude of pain if the relationship goes awry. Honestly, that truly is the most terrifying thought ever! To show yourself bare to another person who is not related to you and has known you for a short period of time.

I am pretty used to being by myself, but sometimes I wish I can be in a relationship. To put yourself out there like that to share yourself with another person. Metaphorically it is as though you open chest up and say "Please invade my heart, but I ask that you be most careful in there because it is the most fragile part of my body and my soul." To reiterate, that is a very terrifying thought. That is fear manifesting itself as another emotion and you ask yourself "Should I risk it with this person." But Life is an adventure and sometimes we got to take the good with the bad. A broken heart can be healed over time, but that brings me to an interesting thought: I have a love/hate relationship with Time. I say this because Time can heal all wounds, but at some point Time makes fools of us all. Then it really upsets me is Time is cyclical which basically means: my wounds are healed and I get on with my life, meet someone, heart broken, and now I look like a damn fool, but overtime I will be okay again. Life is Pure Irony Sometimes. So suck it up and learn how to live with it because these roommates are terrible at times but have their beautiful moments.

 

Once again this is another bit of a thought as opposed to something that is worth reading. For that: I apologize to my readers and I promise my next post will be something worth knowing :) Love & Peace
Andrew Christopher Dieppa

The Eve of Valentine's Day

Mark the date: February 13, 2011

Hello to all my followers of my blog. I post on the Eve of Valentine's Day, and I did something I never done before. Most of my friends and my family will tell you that I, Andrew (Middle Name Left Out) Dieppa have never been one for Valentine's Day nor other holidays. However, something is different about me; I feel open. Almost as though I have been touched by some kind of spirit that influenced me to dive into this commercial based holiday which is really about martyrdom than love.

What Did I Do?

I decided to take it upon myself to sit down and write my own Valentine's Day cards. Then go into PhotoShop to make digital cards, and finally make a website to host all the cards. This is where it gets good; since I am Andrew (Middle Name Left Out) Dieppa I decided to put a twist into the mix. All eight of the cards I made are part of a series that are actually one big puzzle. Each card has a deeper meaning then its intention, and when a reader has them all together and figures each of them out they add up to something bigger. There is a hidden message within the collective whole of the cards. I am of course Andrew Dieppa the Enigmatic Brain Mind and I had to do this. However, no one really has to participate because the cards themselves meaningful individually to the specific person I written for.


This is my entry for the time being, but I will be back for an update about my life in the world of game design, technology, satire and literature. Ta, for now readers :D and Happy Valentine's Day <3