# How do you exercise your creative side?



## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Jan 26, 2019)

Most of us are engineers and predominantly left-brained, but I have a hard time believing I'm the only one who needs to utilize his right brain at least as much. So how do you use it?

For me personally, I play guitar, bass, piano, and a little percussion, and also sing (choir and solo). I kept my sanity through high school and college by participating in choir as much as I could.

I actually wanted to be a career musician for a long time but, at the advice of my parents (who both majored in music in college), ultimately decided I didn't want to be one of the majority of musicians who can't land a decent job.

Definitely don't regret my choice to be an engineer; you can be a musician without the degree, but it's difficult to be an engineer without one.  :th_rockon:


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## wilheldp_PE (Jan 27, 2019)

I have CNC machines and run a side business doing laser cutting/engraving.  Designing in CorelDraw kills my CAD/Engineering soul, but I can see the artistic benefits of the way the software is configured.


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## Flounder (Jan 28, 2019)

I sometimes use my imagination instead of watching porn when choking the chicken.


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## JayKay PE (Jan 28, 2019)

@ChebyshevII_PE YOU AND I ARE THE SAME.  My parents are both musicians/both went to school for music/teaching and my dad was like, "Get a job so you can enjoy your hobbies, don't make your hobbies your job."

I'm not involved with as much music as I'd like, not counting the lessons I hear on the weekends at my parents, but I do a seasonal choir with my mother and do a couple gigs with them (aka; guilted into doing, but I get paid, so it's all good).  I def think this year I want to get involved in more classic choirs again.  I'm not that great of a soloist, but I was classically trained as a coloratura, so I can hit high notes and make them pretty.  Which is a bit of a requirement since half the sopranos in volunteer/fun choirs either belt or screech the higher notes.


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## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Jan 28, 2019)

Flounder said:


> I sometimes use my imagination instead of watching porn when choking the chicken.


Well, not exactly what I meant by “exercise”, but...I guess points for creativity?


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## User1 (Jan 28, 2019)

I paint, have spontaneous dance parties, and figure out better ways of doing things (kind of like engineering my life, or the things in my house, or whatever). I always have a project (or seventy) on deck for a creative outlet and am always trying to learn new things. 

but mostly right now i'm just studying forever.


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## MA_PE (Jan 28, 2019)

Flounder said:


> I sometimes use my imagination instead of watching porn when choking the chicken.


What did the chicken ever do to you?  I'm going to contact PETA.


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## Bluto Blutarsky (Jan 28, 2019)

My advice to you is to start drinking heavily.


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## MA_PE (Jan 28, 2019)

what do you mean "start"?


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## txjennah PE (Jan 28, 2019)

I really enjoy being creative and it keeps me sane!  I really like music and used to play drums back in the day, but haven't played for awhile.  I read a lot.  I'm also very crafty - I love knitting, crochet, etc.


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## Audi Driver P.E. (Jan 30, 2019)

I put it on a treadmill. On an airplane on a treadmill to be exact.


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## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Jan 30, 2019)

Audi driver said:


> I put it on a treadmill. On an airplane on a treadmill to be exact.


That ain’t gonna fly.


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## JayKay PE (Feb 6, 2019)

slackercruster said:


> I do photography.
> 
> Infrared flash (Candid)
> 
> ...


This is really cool looking!  Was this a pic taken at night/in the dark, or did the flash somehow separate out the colors (I ask this as someone who is completely ignorant of photography and never takes her camera off 'auto')?


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## Supe (Feb 6, 2019)

I take all of my income and convert it into racecars.


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## Orchid PE (Dec 18, 2019)

Music, photography, take a penny thread.


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## ChebyshevII PE PMP (Dec 18, 2019)

Chattaneer PE said:


> Music


Playing or listening? If playing, what instrument(s)?


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## Orchid PE (Dec 18, 2019)

ChebyshevII PE said:


> Playing or listening? If playing, what instrument(s)?


Mainly guitar (and then mainly electric) and banjo. Though I used to play piano, and occasionally hook up my midi keyboard and play around with MainStage sounds. I also dab around with my mandolin. Then there's the didgeridoo I made.

I also enjoy making tube amps (working on perfecting my current 40W design). Also, I'm working with a friend of mine to possibly start an electric guitar company. The first one we made was a success, but needs a few minor tweaks for any sort of production.


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## Orchid PE (Dec 18, 2019)

Here's the first prototype. Spalted maple body and neck with a rosewood fretboard and mother of pearl inlays. Medium Jumbo frets. Seymour Duncan P90 pickups with vit q caps. Chrome hardware. 12" Fretboard radius with C shape neck.

I think this would look really good with a tortoise shell pickguard or solid black/white/black.


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## Orchid PE (Dec 18, 2019)

He's the woodworker, so I designed everything and printed off templates and measurements. Then he worked his magic and this popped out.


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## Master slacker (Dec 18, 2019)

I dabble with bass guitar


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## csb (Dec 18, 2019)

Chattaneer PE said:


> Music, photography, take a penny thread.


What's take a penny thread?


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## leggo PE (Dec 18, 2019)

Lately, baking! But what else is new?

I really, really, like really, want to get into watercolors. I took a watercolor floral workshop some time earlier this year/last year (gosh, I can't even remember, that's how bad I am!) and really liked it. There's a book, called The Field Guide to Color, that is a watercolor workbook I've been intrigued by for a while. I just darned need to make the time for it!

I also really want to get into sewing, a la @csb, but I don't have a sewing machine. Signs are pointed to me taking this more seriously, though, as I have created a separate Instagram for my future sewing habit... This is a big step for me, because the things I have my separate Instagrams usually turn out to be legitimate hobbies for me. Cases in point: fitness IG account and baking IG account.

Honestly, I've always thought that if I had a creative side hustle, it would be creating fonts, or maybe doing some sort of modern calligraphy. I have a couple hand-written "fonts" if you will, that I employ for writing cards in my personal life.


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## Orchid PE (Dec 18, 2019)

csb said:


> What's take a penny thread?


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## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 18, 2019)

I bake. And once our desk is done, ill be painting ceramics again. And im gonna sign up for a pottery class.


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Dec 18, 2019)

I play (well, still learning) violin. Some light woodworking and I make bicycle frames.


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## txjennah PE (Dec 18, 2019)

Chattaneer PE said:


> Here's the first prototype. Spalted maple body and neck with a rosewood fretboard and mother of pearl inlays. Medium Jumbo frets. Seymour Duncan P90 pickups with vit q caps. Chrome hardware. 12" Fretboard radius with C shape neck.
> 
> I think this would look really good with a tortoise shell pickguard or solid black/white/black.
> 
> ...


This looks awesome. My husband has been wanting to move into guitar building. How long did it take you to get to this point? I imagine quite awhile.


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## Orchid PE (Dec 18, 2019)

txjennah PE said:


> This looks awesome. My husband has been wanting to move into guitar building. How long did it take you to get to this point? I imagine quite awhile.


I think I spent a couple of months designing it, then my buddy spent a couple of months making jigs, building, then finishing. Then I spent a couple of days doing the electronics and setup. Start-to-finish it was probably over a year, but if we did everything back-to-back it would only be 6-8 months. But now we're all ready to go and can probably push out a guitar every two weeks or so.


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Dec 18, 2019)

I forgot to include: SPAMMING.


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## Orchid PE (Dec 18, 2019)

squaretaper LIT AF PE said:


> I play (well, still learning) violin. Some light woodworking and I make bicycle frames.


You make bicycle frames?


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Dec 18, 2019)

Chattaneer PE said:


> You make bicycle frames?


Yeah, I just make onesy twosy  bikes for friends. It's been a little while, but I have a jig, oxy-acetylene torch, and a bunch of lugs (I primarily do fillet brazing, but I can do lugs, it's just more of a pain so I don't prefer it). I'd like to get into metal sculpture at some point. Right now I'm thinking of doing a carbon steel fence for my front yard (and let it rust, I saw a cool configuration at these modern apartments downtown so I want to copy it). Too many hobos digging around my recycling bin.

Edit: this is the fence I want to clone


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## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 18, 2019)

I also like to fight ikea furniture and come up with modern art


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## LyceeFruit PE (Dec 18, 2019)

Also:


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## Edgy Cheesy Graphite PE (Dec 18, 2019)

I used to play trumpet back in school, but haven't really since.

I dabbled in writing poetry back in the day. It was terrible.

I don't listen to music as much as I used to.

Does playing the occasional video games count?

Um, I like building and fixing stuff.

I help my wife with her balloon decor business. I do all her framing and rigging.

Sometimes reading ... but it's mostly nonfiction.

Damn, I need to do more creative stuff.


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## JayKay PE (Dec 18, 2019)

Tbh, I gave up a lot of creative stuff when I lived in NYC because I was working such crazy hours.  Now that I'm in Indy, I kinda want to look around and see if I can start vocal lessons again.  The vocal lessons...I wanted to join a choir around here, but I def want to brush up on my sight reading and range.

I also really enjoyed doing metal sculpture, but sculpture in general has been something I really wanted to get more involved in.  Not ceramics - making pots, but ceramics like slab-sculpture?  Glasswork has also been something I'm ultra interested in...but terrified of getting glass in my lungs.

I mean, I really liked building gundams when I was younger/doing model kits, but I stopped in middle school because it def was not cool.  I really liked building that Shelby for my dad.

*Edit* Actually, because I was thinking about this, I really liked volunteering.  Like, with animals (I used to work with a therapeutic riding company and I enjoyed it).  I might make that one of the new year resolutions, to get more involved with animals again since I'm not sure I want to adopt anytime soon (I'm going to be traveling too much during the next year and it wouldn't be fair to them).


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## Master slacker (Dec 19, 2019)

JayKay PE said:


> I mean, I really liked building gundams when I was younger/doing model kits, but I stopped in middle school because *it def was not cool*.


false


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## JayKay PE (Dec 19, 2019)

Master slacker said:


> JayKay PE said:
> 
> 
> > I mean, I really liked building gundams when I was younger/doing model kits, but I stopped in middle school because *it def was not cool*.
> ...


I mean, if stopping making models meant I wouldn't get curb-stomped, yeah, def not cool.


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## goodal (Dec 20, 2019)

I play the saxophone some

Sing at church some

Read fiction some

I suck at being creative.  I like rules and structure and typically have a hard time thinking outside of the proverbial box.

I imagine my creative side is starving for attention most of the time.  Too much design work to be done...


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## Orchid PE (Jan 24, 2020)

We have some more guitars coming along. I wanted to try headstocks with Lichtenberg instead of an inlay. I think they came out nicely.


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Jan 24, 2020)

Chattaneer PE said:


> We have some more guitars coming along.


Neato! Do you know how to make violins?


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## Orchid PE (Jan 24, 2020)

squaretaper LIT AF PE said:


> Neato! Do you know how to make violins?


I don't. But I wouldn't be opposed to designing an electric violin.


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## Orchid PE (Feb 6, 2020)

The redhead is coming along. We added forearm relief and a belly cutout to these two new bodies.


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## JayKay PE (Feb 6, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> *Edit* Actually, because I was thinking about this, I really liked volunteering.  Like, with animals (I used to work with a therapeutic riding company and I enjoyed it).  I might make that one of the new year resolutions, to get more involved with animals again since I'm not sure I want to adopt anytime soon (I'm going to be traveling too much during the next year and it wouldn't be fair to them).


FYI.  I started volunteering at the animal shelter (IndyHumane).  Tuesdays 5pm to 7pm with the kitties.  It was so relaxing to just go, clean a litter box or two, and give them some loving.


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## squaretaper LIT AF PE (Feb 6, 2020)

JayKay PE said:


> FYI.  I started volunteering at the animal shelter (IndyHumane).  Tuesdays 5pm to 7pm with the kitties.  It was so relaxing to just go, clean a litter box or two, and give them some loving.


I. Love. This. Good for you!

LadySquare and I foster with the city shelter. We're 3 for 3 so far in getting them adopted!


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## JayKay PE (Feb 6, 2020)

squaretaper LIT AF PE said:


> I. Love. This. Good for you!
> 
> LadySquare and I foster with the city shelter. We're 3 for 3 so far in getting them adopted!


I think a lot of the people who volunteer play with the cats, whereas I just sit and pat/pet the ones who are older and don't really move to come see you.  Those are the cats I like, so I give them extra loving.

Not sure if I can foster, since I'm renting and don't want to pay more each month if I don't have to?  But that's amazing you were able to get yours all adopted!  I might start doing a Tuesday-night instagram post with kitties to keep me happy!


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## Edgy Cheesy Graphite PE (Feb 10, 2020)

I'd like more of a creative outlet. I'd really like to start building stuff (woodwork, welding, etc), but I need time, space, and money.


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## leggo PE (Mar 31, 2020)

I broke out the watercolors last night! I'm not an experienced water color painter at all, but it's so pretty and relaxing.


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## Master slacker (Mar 31, 2020)

As i read that, I wondered who _IS_ an experienced water cooler painter.


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## leggo PE (Mar 31, 2020)

Probably the people who have businesses revolving around it... Or certainly, someone who's done it more than once in the past couple of years (which is me). So that could means kids, too!


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## snickerd3 (Apr 1, 2020)

I bust out the cross stitch or quilting...monotony is the best stress reducer for me


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## User1 (Apr 1, 2020)

Master slacker said:


> As i read that, I wondered who _IS_ an experienced water cooler painter.


https://drawntohighplaces.com/

i follow her and she hikes and watercolors on site. so freaking goals.


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## Ble_PE (Apr 1, 2020)

Master slacker said:


> As i read that, I wondered who _IS_ an experienced water *cooler* painter.






leggo PE said:


> Probably the people who have businesses revolving around it... Or certainly, someone who's done it more than once in the past couple of years (which is me). So that could means kids, too!






tj_PE said:


> https://drawntohighplaces.com/
> 
> i follow her and she hikes and watercolors on site. so freaking goals.


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## User1 (Apr 1, 2020)

Ble_PE said:


>


but there was no typo on the original post so i just assumed that one was a typo!


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## Ble_PE (Apr 1, 2020)

tj_PE said:


> but there was no typo on the original post so i just assumed that one was a typo!


He said "as I read that..." indicating he read it incorrectly. Man, explaining these things is no fun!


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## User1 (Apr 1, 2020)

Ble_PE said:


> He said "as I read that..." indicating he read it incorrectly. Man, explaining these things is no fun!


I'm on day 15 of not leaving the house okay  OKAY OKAYYYYYY


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## Road Guy (Apr 1, 2020)

so superman was creative?


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## Supe (Apr 1, 2020)

I'm an experienced water cooler painter.


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