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[0:00] Unknown Speaker: The Spark File podcast may contain profanity and other adult content. Please use your discretion.

[0:10] ♪ Musical number ♪

[0:36] Laura Camien: Welcome to the Sparkfile, where we believe that everyone is creative, but smart creative people don't go it alone.

[0:43] Susan Blackwell: I'm Susan Blackwell.

[0:44] Laura Camien: And I'm Laura Camille.

[0:46] Susan Blackwell: We are creativity coaches who help people fear less, create more, and bring their creative visions to life.

[0:52] Laura Camien: If you are an OG member of the Sparkfile community, welcome back, Sparkler!

[0:57] Susan Blackwell: If you're joining us for the first time, what?

[0:59] Laura Camien: Welcome, new friend.

[1:00] Susan Blackwell: Know that just by listening to this podcast, you are joining a warm and wonderful clan of creatives.

[1:07] Laura Camien: But what what hold up?

[1:09] Susan Blackwell: You may be asking yourself, what exactly is a sparkfile?

[1:13] Laura Camien: A sparkfile is a place where you consistently collect all your inspirations and fascinations.

[1:19] Susan Blackwell: If you're like us and you're making stuff all the time, or you want to be making stuff all the time, you know, if you're not careful, your campfire of creativity can flicker out.

[1:27] Laura Camien: But do not despair.

[1:29] Susan Blackwell: We are collecting kindling in the form of fresh ideas, images, and inspiration that spark creativity and pique curiosity.

[1:38] Laura Camien: To light a fire under our collective asses to make things like this podcast, or one of several things that we've been working on that we're excited to share with you today, friends.

[1:49] Susan Blackwell: That's the sound of my head exploding.

[1:50] Laura Camien: And feathers, feathers, feathers float to the floor.

[1:55] Susan Blackwell: Because my head is filled with feathers, Candy.

[1:57] Laura Camien: With feathers.

[1:58] Susan Blackwell: I think that's evident.

[1:59] Laura Camien: Every episode, we're gonna reach into our spark files and exchange.

[2:03] Susan Blackwell: Take your part.

[2:06] Laura Camien: And from time to time, we're gonna talk to some folks who spark us too.

[2:11] Susan Blackwell: Do you know what that means, listener?

[2:12] Laura Camien: That means we have more sparks than we can possibly use in this lifetime.

[2:16] Susan Blackwell: So if something lights you up, please we encourage you to take that thing and make something out of it.

[2:23] Laura Camien: So without further ado, let's open up the spark file file.

[2:30] Susan Blackwell: Oh, we got a little spooky there.

[2:33] Laura Camien: Is that a creepy door?

[2:35] Susan Blackwell: Yes, I don't know why I'm acting like it's still Halloween.

[2:38] Laura Camien: Hey, but here we are.

[2:40] Susan Blackwell: Here we are.

[2:41] Laura Camien: I feel a little nervous going into this door into this room through that doorway.

[2:47] Susan Blackwell: I know that's the doorway that enters into season three of the haunted spark file.

[2:53] Laura Camien: Welcome.

[2:54] Susan Blackwell: Enter with trepidation.

[2:56] Laura Camien: We've changed up the format of the podcast a little bit.

[2:59] Susan Blackwell: And now we're just telling like ghost stories, stories of the unexplained, the supernatural.

[3:05] Laura Camien: These are lies.

[3:07] Susan Blackwell: These are feathers, people don't fall for the feathers.

[3:11] Laura Camien: It's just not true.

[3:13] Susan Blackwell: We're just chasing, we're just chasing listeners and trying to get our numbers up.

[3:17] Laura Camien: So yeah, really on trends.

[3:19] Susan Blackwell: Just kidding.

[3:20] Laura Camien: This is a creativity podcast.

[3:23] Susan Blackwell: It is.

[3:29] Laura Camien: We're just excited to introduce you to people that if I mean this is it if you've never listened to the podcast before, I'm acting like these these listeners have never heard us before.

[3:37] Susan Blackwell: Some people have, some people haven't, some people have flown before.

[3:41] Laura Camien: This plane is headed to creativity.

[3:43] Susan Blackwell: If that's not your final destiny today, it's you are on the wrong flight.

[3:50] Laura Camien: Please take a look at your ticket.

[3:52] Susan Blackwell: Camien, welcome back, season three.

[3:55] Laura Camien: Blackwell, it's fun to be back.

[3:58] Susan Blackwell: It is fun to be back.

[4:00] Laura Camien: I just want to, I just want to take a moment.

[4:02] Susan Blackwell: And I I always, whenever I think about the inception of this podcast, I don't know what you picture, but what I picture, one of the things, one of the images I hold in my mind is of us at that Irish pub near Penn Station.

[4:22] Laura Camien: Yes.

[4:22] Susan Blackwell: Patching plans and scheming.

[4:25] Laura Camien: Yes.

[4:26] Susan Blackwell: And you had just met with Edelstein.

[4:31] Laura Camien: Beloved client of the Spark File.

[4:33] Susan Blackwell: Beloved client.

[4:34] Laura Camien: And I met you there.

[4:35] Susan Blackwell: So I got to meet Jess.

[4:37] Laura Camien: And then we did, we got out our little notepads, our little scratch pads, and we kept working because we had we had some ideas of brewing.

[4:48] Susan Blackwell: And now cut to this season three.

[4:51] Laura Camien: I think of us in this tiny, tiny little apartment.

[4:56] Susan Blackwell: Um, and we had small apartment, ginormous post-its.

[5:04] Laura Camien: So there was like a whole blank wall, and we put these huge post-its on novelty post-its.

[5:11] Susan Blackwell: Novelty post-its that we wrote all over our like with our hopes and dreams, including the formation of this podcast.

[5:19] Laura Camien: And the amazing thing is, all these many moons later, we're entering into season three.

[5:26] Susan Blackwell: Yes.

[5:26] Laura Camien: We have all sorts of fun things that we're going to talk about today that we have made.

[5:31] Susan Blackwell: We still like each other, perhaps even like each other and know each other better.

[5:36] Laura Camien: Even more.

[5:37] Susan Blackwell: Even more after than after 20 years of friendship.

[5:41] Laura Camien: Yeah.

[5:41] Susan Blackwell: And I do not take that for granted.

[5:43] Laura Camien: That might be the crowning achievement of all the things we're going to talk about today.

[5:47] Susan Blackwell: Oh, that might be the winner.

[5:49] Laura Camien: You know what?

[5:51] Susan Blackwell: There's always work to be done.

[5:53] Laura Camien: I don't want to act like it isn't without challenge, but we fucking clean as we go.

[5:58] Susan Blackwell: So that's right.

[5:59] Laura Camien: All of that is to say, welcome to season three.

[6:02] Susan Blackwell: Welcome to your season three.

[6:04] Laura Camien: And I hope you're enjoying it as much as I am.

[6:07] Susan Blackwell: We're like fine wine people.

[6:09] Laura Camien: Getting better as we age.

[6:11] Susan Blackwell: Better with age.

[6:13] Laura Camien: Laura, how did you spend your breakopotamus?

[6:16] Susan Blackwell: You know what?

[6:18] Laura Camien: Well, what I think the major thing I did was move back to New York City full time.

[6:24] Susan Blackwell: Welcome back, baby.

[6:25] Laura Camien: Thank you.

[6:26] Susan Blackwell: Good to be back.

[6:27] Laura Camien: Welcome back.

[6:28] Susan Blackwell: Yeah.

[6:29] Laura Camien: Oh, that was on the wrong key.

[6:30] Susan Blackwell: I know, but I love that because I do sing it around the house.

[6:34] Laura Camien: I would not do that to everyone here.

[6:37] Susan Blackwell: Um, but I sing that.

[6:38] Laura Camien: I love Welcome Back Cotter.

[6:40] Susan Blackwell: Fucking love that.

[6:41] Laura Camien: I love James show.

[6:43] Susan Blackwell: So good.

[6:44] Laura Camien: Can I just share a memory about Welcome Back Cotter?

[6:47] Susan Blackwell: A what?

[6:48] Laura Camien: Shout out, shout out a memory.

[6:49] Susan Blackwell: A memory.

[6:50] Laura Camien: Oh yeah.

[6:52] Susan Blackwell: Now I really liked the show, Welcome Back Cotter.

[6:54] Laura Camien: I feel like it was a great show for kids, but my friend Jay Pierce loved uh Welcome Back Cotter.

[7:01] Susan Blackwell: Now, Jay was a little bit older than me.

[7:04] Laura Camien: I had a huge crush on Jay.

[7:06] Susan Blackwell: So you were crushing on Jay.

[7:08] Laura Camien: I was crushing on Jay.

[7:09] Susan Blackwell: Jay's mom and my mom studied together.

[7:13] Laura Camien: So they would be studying for their nursing school and for their tests and things like that, like on a blanket in the park, and we kids would be like running around while they studied.

[7:24] Susan Blackwell: And Jay loved Welcome Back Cotter.

[7:27] Laura Camien: He loved Welcome Back Cotter.

[7:28] Susan Blackwell: He had fan magazines.

[7:30] Laura Camien: And one time uh I was in the middle seat of the station wagon.

[7:34] Susan Blackwell: Jay and my brother were sitting back in the backback seat that faces out the back of the station wagon.

[7:40] Laura Camien: And they were like, they were teasing me, and I was like, oh, I wasn't having it.

[7:45] Susan Blackwell: They I feel like one of his magazines got like dangled into the middle seat, and I took it and I threw it and it went it through out the back window of the moving car.

[7:56] Laura Camien: Oh no.

[7:58] Susan Blackwell: And Jay was really, really upset because we were little kids and he loved Welcome Back Cotter, and it was a prize.

[8:05] Laura Camien: That was a really, really prized possession of his.

[8:08] Susan Blackwell: So I just want to apologize to Jay Pierce.

[8:11] Laura Camien: Sorry, Jay.

[8:12] Susan Blackwell: You didn't have a shot with him after that.

[8:15] Laura Camien: Did it?

[8:15] Susan Blackwell: It's so funny too, because then we grew up, we were we didn't see each other for years and years.

[8:20] Laura Camien: And again, he was a little bit older than me.

[8:22] Susan Blackwell: And I was I saw him as an adult, I think performing, and I was like, holy mother of God.

[8:29] Laura Camien: Because he was so talented.

[8:31] Susan Blackwell: He's beautiful, beautiful voice.

[8:32] Laura Camien: Oh yeah.

[8:33] Susan Blackwell: But who knew that both of us would grow up to be performers?

[8:36] Laura Camien: It's incredible.

[8:37] Susan Blackwell: Also, I want to just say my affinity for Welcome Back Cutter um has everything to do with my dad's a teacher and he was a shop teacher specifically.

[8:46] Laura Camien: And so through the 70s, like he looked to me, that was just like watching my dad at work.

[8:52] Susan Blackwell: Because he was like the kids in his class.

[8:55] Laura Camien: First of all, he was always like, when I got older, he's like, You will not be dating any of them.

[9:01] Susan Blackwell: Um but he would talk about the kids in the shop class as a bunch of hoodlums.

[9:09] Laura Camien: So, but he said it with such love and such joy.

[9:12] Susan Blackwell: Like he was always, you know, like a bunch of hoodlums in the class, knuckleheads, thing like just this sort of like group of guys that needed a little extra love and attention.

[9:24] Laura Camien: And my dad was both like tough coach slash teacher and loved them dearly.

[9:31] Susan Blackwell: Do you know what I mean?

[9:32] Laura Camien: Like, really had such a sense of pride.

[9:34] Susan Blackwell: Welcome back, Cotter.

[9:35] Laura Camien: Your dad was played by Gabe Kaplan.

[9:37] Susan Blackwell: Uh honestly, like I didn't have any idea until I got older why I loved that so much.

[9:42] Laura Camien: But when I look at it, I'm like, oh, but of course.

[9:45] Susan Blackwell: I thought I'm just sitting there like, here's my dad at work.

[9:48] Laura Camien: This is what work must be like for my dad.

[9:50] Susan Blackwell: That's sweet.

[9:51] Laura Camien: Yeah.

[9:52] Susan Blackwell: But you were sorry for the big tangent, but Laura, you were saying that you relocated back to New York.

[9:58] Laura Camien: So welcome back, Cotter.

[9:59] Susan Blackwell: Thank you.

[10:00] Laura Camien: And relocating as an adult is a oh my God, it's a big, big job.

[10:06] Susan Blackwell: Yeah, but Suze, I don't know if we talked about this.

[10:09] Laura Camien: Um, I don't know if we talked about it.

[10:11] Susan Blackwell: If we did, you can cut this out.

[10:13] Laura Camien: But we Wes and I had an estate sale when we left Florida.

[10:18] Susan Blackwell: So, you know, we had mid-century uh home filled with mid-century goodies, and we were just like, you know what, let's let's let it go.

[10:30] Laura Camien: These little items will find their way into the hands of someone else who will love them.

[10:35] Susan Blackwell: So that was really a big, a big thing.

[10:38] Laura Camien: Estate sale, moving in here, supply chain issues, of course.

[10:43] Susan Blackwell: We probably were a month with just like a folding chair and nothing, like nothing really to sit on.

[10:50] Laura Camien: But all in all, not a single complaint.

[10:53] Susan Blackwell: Loved being back in the city.

[10:54] Laura Camien: The moment the shows opened, just started to devour every possible show that I could.

[11:00] Susan Blackwell: You have been going to see some theater.

[11:04] Laura Camien: Seeing some shows.

[11:05] Susan Blackwell: I'm gonna see Dana H tonight.

[11:08] Laura Camien: Because it closes momentarily.

[11:10] Susan Blackwell: So I wanted to get that in before it closes.

[11:12] Laura Camien: I think in a couple days it closes, I think.

[11:15] Susan Blackwell: Oh my gosh, we've we gotta get this podcast going.

[11:17] Laura Camien: I know.

[11:18] Susan Blackwell: Look at us just reminiscent about Jay Pierce and welcome back, Cotter.

[11:22] Laura Camien: You've got a curtain to make, sister.

[11:23] Susan Blackwell: I gotta.

[11:24] Laura Camien: Okay, but what have you been doing?

[11:26] Susan Blackwell: Well, what have I been doing?

[11:28] Laura Camien: I wish I could tell you that I've just been resting and a lot of self-care, but really, let's be honest.

[11:34] Susan Blackwell: I have been, I took a little bit of a I don't know how to characterize it, kind of a little bit of a pandemic survival job, and I've been surviving at that job.

[11:45] Laura Camien: And um, you know, I'm a thankful for any I'm thankful for paying work, and I'm thankful for health insurance.

[11:57] Susan Blackwell: Yes.

[11:58] Laura Camien: But what else you say?

[11:59] Susan Blackwell: Well, we got an air fryer, and I'm super excited about that.

[12:04] Laura Camien: Laugh if you want, but I'm laughing because you buried the lead.

[12:08] Susan Blackwell: Obviously, the air fryer is the the headline of this paragraph.

[12:13] Laura Camien: Well, I think it might be the road to ruin because the things you make in an air fryer are like tater tots, wings, chicken wings.

[12:24] Susan Blackwell: Um, but people also like russ, they do roasted Brussels sprouts.

[12:28] Laura Camien: So we'll see.

[12:29] Susan Blackwell: We'll see.

[12:30] Laura Camien: Two roads diverged in a yellow air fryer, and we'll see which road I take.

[12:35] Susan Blackwell: When Wes and I first moved into our home in Florida, a dear friend of ours bought us a fryer fryer because Wes loves fry dry.

[12:44] Laura Camien: Like a fry daddy, yes.

[12:47] Susan Blackwell: And like 20 pounds later, Wes was like, this has to go.

[12:52] Laura Camien: We have to go.

[12:53] Susan Blackwell: Yeah, we can't.

[12:55] Laura Camien: Oh my god.

[12:56] Susan Blackwell: What are you gonna make in that? Except fried chicken, donuts.

[12:59] Laura Camien: It ties to the other thing that I've been doing with my time.

[13:02] Susan Blackwell: So I have my little survival job, and I have been um looking at a lot of TikTok and looking at a lot of air fryer recipes.

[13:12] Laura Camien: And I will say again, you can cook a Brussels sprout, but you can also, I hear make great donuts. So don't judge me.

[13:21] Susan Blackwell: Will I put on weight? Who cares? Who cares? It's fine. I'm enjoying life. As long as I stay healthy, I think it's all good.

[13:29] Laura Camien: But speaking of TikTok, let's talk about TikTok.

[13:32] Susan Blackwell: I know it's taken grandma a long time to get on the TikTok train.

[13:35] Laura Camien: The path to hell is paved with TikTok.

[13:39] Susan Blackwell: It's like these delicious little candies that somebody just keeps popping in your mouth.

[13:44] Laura Camien: But I will tell you, there are some people on there making some content that I think is so good.

[13:50] Susan Blackwell: And here's what I know has to be true. Even if you can work very quickly, the quality of those little mini movies that they're making, some of them, I know it must take the day to make one of those entries.

[14:03] Laura Camien: It must be like a 15 second or 30 second video took you the day, and you posted it, and you're like, Well, I got that done today. I did that.

[14:12] Susan Blackwell: Yeah. But now the world is enjoying it.

[14:15] Laura Camien: Yeah.

[14:16] Susan Blackwell: But I've been looking at air fryer recipes. I've been looking at there was one I was telling you about last night, Lorel, which is a woman that just does like gift guides.

[14:25] Laura Camien: So it's like smart. I have to go do a gift exchange with eight women. And the thing is the limit is under $50. And I don't want the last to be the last gift chosen. And I'm just like, this woman's doing God's work giving me gift ideas for the holidays.

[14:39] Susan Blackwell: Yes. Yes. So smart. It can be used thoughtfully and I think for entertainment.

[14:46] Laura Camien: I gotta put it down. I mean, you have to know, like it is obviously devised to be addictive. I might have been seeking out comfort to balance that job. I might have been seeking between my air fryer, and it's all coming clear to me in this conversation.

[14:59] Susan Blackwell: But speaking of holiday gift giving, can we share? Can we share some information?

[15:04] Laura Camien: I think so.

[15:05] Susan Blackwell: I'm super excited. Where are you gonna start?

[15:08] Laura Camien: I would like to talk about the merch store.

[15:10] Susan Blackwell: Ah, the Sparkfile merch store has gone. If you're listening to the sound of this podcast, that baby is live.

[15:18] Laura Camien: And right now we have a nice selection. It's just like a nice selection of the Sparkfile merchandise.

[15:26] Susan Blackwell: And we've collaborated with the great Juliet Gray, whom we adore to help us get this baby started and to learn how you like design and run a merch store.

[15:35] Laura Camien: Susan, I feel like you were a really, really big champion of this merch store. So I want to give you an invisible trophy.

[15:42] Susan Blackwell: Um, thank you for the invisible trophy. I was just thinking back to merch merch merch was also on the giant oversized post-its.

[15:52] Laura Camien: It was.

[15:53] Susan Blackwell: And it's dreams coming true. I mean, Juliet Gray, thank you so much for helping us. But this is dreams coming true.

[16:00] Laura Camien: And also I will say, listen, this is not, this is like, I'm not trying to be disparaging in any way. We are in love with our merch store. But here's the thing we talk about all the time B plus work out the door is better than A plus work that never sees the light of day.

[16:18] Susan Blackwell: Yeah.

[16:18] Laura Camien: So we were like, A, we need help. So we got help in the form of Juliet Gray, who is fucking amazing. B, we're on a tight timeline. We're gonna get this going and we're gonna keep adding to it and it'll keep expanding and growing as our ideas for it expand and grow.

[16:39] Susan Blackwell: And so we had to take a bit of our own medicine, but I'm so happy and proud that we have. Guess what everybody's getting on our Christmas list this year?

[16:48] Laura Camien: Did you guess items from our merch store? You're right. You're correct.

[16:52] Susan Blackwell: Will you say your two favorite things from the merch store? Or it could be like the two things that you're gonna order for yourself or your loved ones, and then I'll go.

[17:01] Laura Camien: Uh-huh. Okay. Well, first of all, it will come as no surprise to you that I'm probably gonna order 10 of those coffee tumblers. They're like Yetis, you know, with the lid and everything. And I've been known to lose a few of those. So I'm just going to stock up.

[17:17] Susan Blackwell: Leave a few at TSA checkpoints.

[17:20] Laura Camien: That's right. And that's how desperately we need coffee in the morning. But um, the other thing that comes to mind is I'm gonna get a long sleeve t-shirt, probably either in a bright yellow or bright orange.

[17:37] Susan Blackwell: And I'm not sure which one I'm going to get yet, but probably iHeart Creative Weirdos. I'm probably gonna get that one because I fucking love creative weirdos. And now I can announce that to the world.

[17:52] Susan Blackwell: What are you gonna get, Suze?

[17:54] Laura Camien: I wanna say, I just want to clarify, we're not just shilling here. This has been a real creative collaboration and a real act of creativity on our part. So we are celebrating uh some hard work and some creativity.

[18:09] Susan Blackwell: So, you know, suck on that. Um, it is a I'm really torn. I love I love that.

[18:16] Laura Camien: Well, if people are just like, oh my gosh, this is an extended commercial for the your mercy store. No, really, this has been this is one of the manifestations of our creativity.

[18:24] Susan Blackwell: It is true, it's an act of creativity, yeah. I am torn. I also I'm borrowing from you and saying I will probably get a couple of those Yeti insulated tumblers because I love having my smoothie in those.

[18:39] Laura Camien: I use one a day to put my giant smoothie in.

[18:42] Susan Blackwell: Yep. I there's a shirt on there that looks like the 70s coughed it up, and it comes in a really bright Kelly green, it comes in other colors too. But the Kelly Green, the Irish green is like really 70s feeling to me, and it's got a gigantic spark file logo on the front.

[19:02] Laura Camien: Come on.

[19:02] Susan Blackwell: And what I plan to do is get one of those and then really age it. You know how I like to distress my clothes.

[19:09] Laura Camien: Yes.

[19:10] Susan Blackwell: I want to scrub it with a with a like a scrubby pad. I want to wash it in borax several times. I want to put little holes in it.

[19:19] Laura Camien: Yeah.

[19:19] Susan Blackwell: So it looks like it is about two decades old.

[19:22] Laura Camien: Yes.

[19:22] Susan Blackwell: So I want to get that. Because we've been around that long.

[19:24] Laura Camien: Yes, we have.

[19:26] Susan Blackwell: Yes, we have. And I think I want to get the Spark File, the big uh hoodie with the Sparkfile logo on the front. And I want to get it like 2XL because you know I like to put a dog in my sweatshirt while I work and podcast.

[19:40] Laura Camien: And I lied, I have one more. I want to get a um nobody's above me, nobody's below me, haters to the left t-shirt.

[19:47] Susan Blackwell: Well, of course.

[19:48] Laura Camien: Because that is my motherfucking jam. Rules to live by.

[19:51] Susan Blackwell: Hell yes. I thought we were just listing top two. I broke my own rules. But yeah, I mean, to be honest, I'm getting it, I'll get a bunch.

[19:59] Laura Camien: Yeah.

[19:59] Susan Blackwell: But yes, I'm really ruminating over the fact that you're going to take one act of creative expression, which was the forming of the merch store and this green Kelly Green t-shirt with the big old logo from the 70s. And then you are going to express yourself again creatively by turn then turning that into another expression of yourself as you distress it.

[20:25] Laura Camien: Creativity on creativity, baby.

[20:26] Susan Blackwell: I fucking love it. So congratulations and thank you. I feel like you really were the fuel, the driving energy. And then you really partnered with Juliet Gray, who has been a dream to work with.

[20:38] Laura Camien: If you ever get a chance to work with Juliet Gray, you have to do it.

[20:41] Susan Blackwell: Listen it's just been I think full transparency. We should tell the truth. This is actually a commercial for Juliet Gray.

[20:50] Laura Camien: Let's be honest.

[20:52] Susan Blackwell: Hashtag ad thing. It's an ad for Juliet Gray, who is amazing. So we are very we're very excited about dreams coming true. And um both ours and our clients.

[21:05] Laura Camien: I think we should also mention Suze, Suiz like uh during so kind of during our break from the podcast, we launched another select group program, and we've got people fulfilling their dreams and creating things they've been thinking about creating for years and years. And so nothing delights us more really than watching that happen.

[21:28] Susan Blackwell: This group is such a group. We had a we're recording this on a Saturday. So we had a meeting of the Sparkfile Select group earlier today, and we're in the midst. You may have heard us talk about this before, but we're in the midst of our creativity shares, and that means that people are sharing works in progress with the group, and then you know, we we engage in a very, very kind, loving yet rigorous feedback process.

[21:54] Laura Camien: And you were in your own room with that group of artists.

[21:57] Susan Blackwell: That's correct. I was in my own room with that group of artists, and those creative we like to mix it up so everybody gets to work with everybody, but that I concluded today that group of creativity shares. I felt like the Holy Spirit had entered me. And I am not religious, but it was so uplifting.

[22:16] Laura Camien: Oh so grateful for those people. If y'all are listening, well, what a group.

[22:22] Susan Blackwell: I feel the same. There was magic afoot, and people, you know, it both in the sharing and the responding. We have a very specific feedback process that is based more on what is working than what is not working, I would say.

[22:39] Laura Camien: So it is less about like me uh pointing out all the problems and more about us all holding up an oil lamp to light the way.

[22:49] Susan Blackwell: And a mirror so they can see.

[22:51] Laura Camien: And a mirror so they can see. So, yeah, it was uh it was a magical day there in the select group. Just so much gratitude. I feel very, very grateful for all the dreams that are coming true.

[23:03] Susan Blackwell: I think this is a fine time to talk a little bit about if any of this sounds interesting to you and you want a little taste of what it might be like to work with us or sort of uh step into that community, then I think it's a fine time to talk about the Sparkfile Annual New Year's Creativity Kickoff for 2022, which is coming up this January 1st and 2nd, and it's virtual.

[23:29] Laura Camien: So you can join us from anywhere in the world as long as you have a good internet and a good little computer.

[23:37] Susan Blackwell: And if you want more information about that, you can find it on our website, thesparkfile.com.

[23:43] Laura Camien: There it is the we have a limited number because Zoom, you know, there's a limitation to how many people that we can have there and that we can be of a service to. So if you're interested in that, sign up now, sign up now.

[23:55] Susan Blackwell: Registration is open, baby. That's the sign up now song. It's just a really, really great chance for people to taste the magic.

[24:06] Laura Camien: It sure is and see if if it's for you, but if if nothing else, just to get your head on straight for 2022 and really solidify and clarify for yourself what kind of commitments you're making to your creativity, sharpen up that vision.

[24:26] Susan Blackwell: What do you want to step into this year?

[24:28] Laura Camien: That's right, really, and leave with a foundation. Just know that you have like set yourself on the course.

[24:35] Susan Blackwell: And we are sitting here. I'm just reflecting on the fact that we're sitting here talking about things that have transpired in just this one year for us, Suze. This entire uh select group program, all of the the merge store, um, this all these things that we're talking about, it's less than one year.

[24:57] Laura Camien: It's because we take our own medicine. You know what I mean? Like the thing that we're asking our group members to do in terms of like just their clarity, their goal setting, and making those motions towards their creativity, it's because we're doing it too.

[25:10] Susan Blackwell: I just wanted to say that in case there's anyone sitting there thinking, yeah, but you know, I've set resolutions before, I've tried to make, you know, I've tried to change course before. We are here to tell you that you truly can transform what your life looks like creatively. That's the area that we know, but you can transform what your life looks like creatively in less than a year's time. And when you have a group of people like that group of people, when you're rolling deep with that group of people, it really does make you want to keep those commitments to yourself.

[25:43] Laura Camien: Yeah.

[25:43] Susan Blackwell: You know who I'm putting a call out to? I was thinking about this. This is who I want to magnetize into this New Year's creativity kickoff and maybe into the group. Folks who are creative professionals, like you make your living doing this, you're successful doing this, but you're also like, I want to make something that is mine, something that's something of my own. We have a number of those folks in our group. We have like multiple award-winning producers, and we have actors, and we have these people who are incredible writers who are incredibly successful and they get paid a lot of money to do their work, but they're in this group making something that is theirs. It is personal, it is pure.

If you've had that thought in your mind that, like, I've really given my talents and my skills to this company or this organization or this industry, that is great. But if a little voice inside is just curious, like what would happen if I applied my talents and my skills to my own project, to my own thing that I could put my name on that is exactly bespoke to me and my vision the way I see it.

[27:06] Laura Camien: That includes entrepreneurs. I'm just thinking as you're talking, and I count you and I count me in this as well. We have invested a lot of our time and talent and capacity in other people's visions. And it's really fun to redirect that into your own vision. And so we're talking to all you, all you people. If it's you, you know it. You're sitting there thinking, yeah, I've been thinking about this for a long time. And if it's you, just dance your little fingers over to the sparkfile.com and register for the creativity kickoff or reach out to us. Let's get this party started.

[27:45] Susan Blackwell: So, Suze, I knew we would probably talk about how grateful we are for our group and for the things that we've been able to do and the people we get to spend time doing it with who are phenomenal. But I didn't tell you, I thought, like, since we're launching season three, the day before Thanksgiving in the US, I put together just a little tiny mini spark to spark you with.

[28:07] Laura Camien: What?

[28:07] Susan Blackwell: Just a little bit.

[28:08] Laura Camien: Well, welcome back, mini spark.

[28:09] Susan Blackwell: Yes, a tiny, tiny, tiny little surprise.

[28:12] Laura Camien: Oh my gosh.

[28:13] Susan Blackwell: But I just hope it's just like a little palette enticing. A little just a little slice of pumpkin pie.

[28:18] Laura Camien: No, no, no, no, that's too big. Can I just have like half of that?

[28:22] Susan Blackwell: Yeah.

[28:23] Laura Camien: Who wants to share it with me?

[28:25] Susan Blackwell: And then just like a big, big, just a big spoonful of whipped cream.

[28:29] Laura Camien: Yes, the whipped cream's the best, anyhow.

[28:32] Susan Blackwell: I'll take it. Susie B, I'll give it to you. Again, I just thought because of the timing, I think this, I think we're gonna put this little baby out the day before Thanksgiving. And it feels appropriate, yes, to express some gratitude, but also at the same time to acknowledge that Thanksgiving is also recognized by many Native Americans as the national day of mourning to pay respect for those who were lost to disease and violence when Europeans settled in the Americas. I understand like this is a bit of a disruption to people who've been celebrating Thanksgiving for many, many, many years, you know, as a day of gratitude. And so I do believe that both things for me personally, I believe that it is possible to hold both of these truths in our minds and in our hearts at the same time, and we're capable of teaching and learning and having respect for the whole history.

[29:30] Laura Camien: If you're interested, this is what I was thinking about. Just you know, if you're interested in incorporating just a slightly broader viewpoint on your Thanksgiving day.

[29:40] Susan Blackwell: I love this.

[29:41] Laura Camien: I am interested.

[29:42] Susan Blackwell: I just thought of just a couple of things. Just a couple things that you could start by doing. Number one, um, and Suze, you did a whole spark on this, but you could learn about the land that you live on, and maybe just try slipping in a land acknowledgement at your Thanksgiving dinner. Just try to find a way to work it in. You know, we're on the Lenape lands. Um, but Susan, you again in your Spark, you told everyone about the Native Lands app, which—

[30:09] Laura Camien: Yes, that website.

[30:10] Susan Blackwell: Yes, I love that website. I was I check that website about once a week, depending on where I am, where other people are, just to see what native land they are on. You literally plug in your address and it will tell you, you know, to the best of its capabilities, which tribe or tribes lived on those lands at any given time. So that's one thing. Just challenge yourself of like, how can I work? Maybe I could work this into conversation at some point at the Thanksgiving dinner. Let us know how that goes.

[30:39] Laura Camien: And then number two is and this is a real creative act, you might even try a Native American recipe at your dinner. Not long ago, the New York Times ran an article about Sean Sherman, the founder of the Sioux Chef, spelled S-I-O-U-X for the Sioux Indians, and it included what he considered 10 essential Native American recipes that use local ingredients. According to the article, the Times asked Sherman to choose dishes that viewed together, form a portrait of Native American food in the United States. The 10 recipes in the article reflect Sherman's work and the work of his team over the course of five years as they traveled all across the US and worked in tribal communities.

[31:28] Susan Blackwell: You would love this article.

[31:29] Laura Camien: This is tremendous.

[31:31] Susan Blackwell: I love this.

[31:32] Laura Camien: You would love it. So Sherman said, in piecing together so much of the story that has been lost, I learned that the original North American food system was based on harvesting wild plants for food and medicine, employing sophisticated agricultural practices, and on preserving seed diversity. My ancestors used all parts of the animals and plants with respect, viewing themselves as part of our environment, not above it, nothing was wasted. So in 2014, Sherman started a business called the Sioux Chef, which he said has a focus on identifying, sharing, and educating people on the authentic indigenous foods of North America from Mexico to Alaska with dishes free of the colonial ingredients that Europeans introduced, which are wheat flour, dairy, cane sugar, and even beef, pork, and chicken.

He goes on to say, and this is specific, like this list of recipes, it's good to know. He goes on to say, I'm not interested in recreating foods from 1491. Rather, I hope to celebrate the diversity that defines our communities now. And so these recipes offer a glimpse into the range of dishes indigenous chefs and cooks are making today and highlight ingredients from the regions that they reflect.

[33:00] Laura Camien: Suze, these dishes look delicious.

[33:04] Susan Blackwell: Just to name a few.

[33:16] Laura Camien: And crawfish and shrimp pot with spiced sweet potatoes and so much more.

[33:23] Susan Blackwell: It look they all look so delicious, and they're so like potentially if you're making the food from the land that you live on, they're so fresh. Do you know what I mean? They're so fresh and so real.

[33:35] Laura Camien: But check out this article in the New York Times. Google Essential Native American Recipes, or you could probably Google like Sean Sherman and the New York Times, and you'll find it. It's amazing, and it was super inspiring for me.

[33:52] Susan Blackwell: I am so doing this.

[33:54] Laura Camien: I am so into this.

[33:55] Susan Blackwell: You could like I have zero doubt that you truly could, Suze. You could find the ingredients and you could make the freshest dish from the Lenape lands.

[34:05] Laura Camien: I love this.

[34:06] Susan Blackwell: Laura.

[34:07] Laura Camien: Yeah.

[34:08] Susan Blackwell: That is beautiful.

[34:09] Laura Camien: Thanks.

[34:10] Susan Blackwell: I just feel like we have so much to be grateful for and so much to reflect on. We are just, I don't know, I'm just wishing all the love and kindness and acceptance and joy. And that's what's in my heart these days. That's how I'm feeling.

[34:26] Laura Camien: I love it and I love you.

[34:29] Susan Blackwell: And I'm so happy that we're back.

[34:31] Laura Camien: Me too. Did we tell the people everything they needed to know?

[34:35] Susan Blackwell: Maybe.

[34:36] Laura Camien: Maybe not. When we come back next week, we'll either have fresh sparks or a fresh make or so.

[34:42] Susan Blackwell: Oh, we are definitely going to have fresh sparks. We're having we have fresh sparks because my spark file has been brimming over. So it's just about like letting them out and getting them onto the page so that I can share them. There are things to be made, people, and we can't make them. So please, please take these ideas and let them live in the world. Get them out of my spark file.

[35:07] Laura Camien: Oh, get out of my spark file and into my car.

[35:10] Susan Blackwell: That was a delicious little slice of spark pumpkin pie.

[35:14] Laura Camien: It's a little bit. I'm excited for season three. I'm so happy to be back podcasting with you.

[35:20] Susan Blackwell: Me too. This is the love of my life, in addition to my husband.

[35:24] Laura Camien: That's right.

[35:25] Susan Blackwell: And my dog POTUS and my dog Kitty Bunny.

[35:28] Laura Camien: You all the loves of my own.

[35:29] Susan Blackwell: Oh, okay. Thanks, Sina. Grateful for you. And I think that's it. This welcome back episode of The Spark File was made on the lands of the Lenape people.

[35:39] Laura Camien: Yes, indeed.

[35:40] Susan Blackwell: And as always, we hope it put another bunch of sparks in your file. Listen, if there's a spark you'd like us to explore, or if you'd like to learn more about how to coach with us to bring your creative ideas to life, you can email us at the sparkfile at gmail.com or submit it through our website, thesparkfile.com, or you can come to the SparkFile annual New Year Creativity Kickoff, get a little taste of it, see if you want some more, and you can find out about that at the sparkfile.com.

[36:08] Laura Camien: We'll even happily take your feedback. You know we will, but the price of admission, first you have to share a creative risk that you have taken recently.

[36:18] Susan Blackwell: You can follow us on social media at the SparkFile and be sure to subscribe, rate, and five-star review this podcast. If you are so moved, it really helps other listeners to find us. Also, speaking of helping other listeners to find us, if you like this podcast, we hope that you'll share it with people you love. And if you didn't like it, it's season three.

[36:39] Laura Camien: Fresh start.

[36:40] Susan Blackwell: Fresh start. Give us another chance. If you don't listen, you know you, you know what you like, you know what you don't. You're a grown adult. What are you doing here at the end of the episode? Listen, if something lights you up and gets your creative sparks flying, we are writing you a forever permission slip to make that thing that has been knocking at your door. It's your turn to take that spark and fan it into a flame.

[37:07] Laura Camien: You know, you gotta take it and make it bye.

[37:13] Susan Blackwell: When I bump into something that inspires me, I dump it in the spark fire.

[37:13] Laura Camien: Spark fire.

[37:23] Susan Blackwell: Could be something that I wanna take or how I wanna be.

[37:28] Laura Camien: I pump it in the spark fire.

[37:31] Susan Blackwell: Spark.

[37:33] Laura Camien: I jump into my spark fire.

[37:37] Susan Blackwell: Let's open up the spark fire.