jgyoungmd

Apple

Apple–drawing by Diane Young

Eve’s gift,

belief to knowledge

and naming things,

exit the garden

of infancy

From that same tree

fell, woke Newton

to the gravity of the matter–

made relative by Einstein

Chapman’s simple life

generous seedlings

nurseries along streams

orchards of the Northwest

Territory

Pink blossom fragrance

juicy drippings, sweet, sour

tangy cider, stem to core

bobbing, crunch

green, red, gold

[keeping the doctor away.]

John Chapman headed west about 1800. Known as Johnny Appleseed, he carried with him apples for planting, usually along streams (probably obtained seeds from cider mills in Pennsylvania). His earliest known apple nursery was planted near Steubenville, Ohio, in a valley near the Ohio River. He located them near settlements where he could walk back and forth to maintain them. He was a practical nurseryman, not a ‘scatterer of seeds’ as people believed and owned several orchards. He lived the rest of his life in Ohio and Indiana, wandering about barefoot, clad in rags (‘wearing a tin kettle on his head’, they say), tending the apple orchards he started wherever he found a good spot, and reading aloud from the Bible. He walked alone without gun or knife. He chopped down no trees and killed no animals. He lived very simply. He slept outdoors, ate berries and made his clothes from sacks. He made his drinking water in winter by melting snow with his feet. For Forty-nine years he roamed the American wilderness, devotedly planting apple trees. He created apple orchards in the wildernesses of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Illinois and Indiana, spanning an estimated area of 100,000 square miles. Some of these trees are still bearing fruit after 150 years

In 1806 Johnny charged about 6 cents for a seedling. But if setters couldn’t pay, they say he would accept cornmeal, old clothes or a promise to pay in the future.

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CREATIVITY SELF-ASSESSMENT John G. Young, M.D.

Psychological wellness in individuals and organizations occurs when you stop applying yesterday’s solutions to today’s problems. Creative/innovative thinking results in better problem solving abilities that enhance your productivity, decreases stress and helps you avoid future shocks. What is your understanding of creative/innovative attitudes?

A. SELF-ASSESSMENT

Do you consider yourself creative?
a. Very
b. Moderately
c. Not at all
What creative accomplishments have you achieved in the past?
a. Many
b. Some
c. None
Do you want to be more creative?
a. Yes
b. No
Do you think it’s your destiny to develop something creatively?
a.Yes
b. No
When you were growing up, did the following apply?
a. Moved frequently
b. Given freedom and independence to think for yourself
c. Given clear standards of right and wrong
d. Parents were independent and effective in their work
e. Parents respected you and your abilities
f. Intense closeness was avoided
g. Consistent and effective discipline
h. Many positive models to identify with
i. Lack of pressure to find professional identity
j. Parents had more artistic, cultural, and intellectual interests than neighbors
Do you
a. allow free time during the day to do nothing?
b. feel guilty when not working?
c. alternate between work and play?
Do you love the work that you want to be creative?
a. Yes
b. No
Do you ask questions that might seem stupid by others?
a. Yes
b. No
Do you
a. “Strike while the iron is hot?”
b. “Make the iron hot by striking?”
c. “Strike out?”
Do you believe?
a. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
b. “It’s always broke.”
Do you
a. need a logical explanation for everything?
b. delight in uncertainty and mystery?
Do you
a. prefer to work alone?
b. prefer to work in groups?
Do you
a. need to put everything in its proper place?
b. tolerate ambiguous situations well?
In problem solving do you
a. need to have a clear plan before moving ahead?
b. try anything to find a direction to move?
When someone suggests a new idea, do you
a. immediately evaluate it, looking for weaknesses?
b. defend it, trying to find its strengths?
c. play with the possibilities suggested by the idea?
In solving problems do you
a. logically figure the situation out?
b. look for as many possibilities as you can think of?
c. rely on hunches that you check out later?
Do you believe that intuition is
a. a reality worth relying on?
b. the inability to be logical?
Do you
a. like excitement and change?
b. prefer peace and a reliable routine?
How willing are you to take a chance?
a. Comfortable with risking
b. Depends upon the situation
If you were given a new toy or game to play, would you
a. always go by the instructions?
b. play around, improvising with the materials?
c. devise variations after learning the correct way?
Do you agree (A) or disagree (D) with the following?
a. What other’s think about you is important.
b. Rules are made to be broken.
c. Dreams are useless.
d. It’s bad to change your mind frequently.
e. Wishing makes it happen.
f. Curiosity killed the cat.
Do you most go by?
a. a situation’s potential
b. the practical consequences
c. how others’ might react
d. the beauty of the solution

B. YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF CREATIVITY
Which of the following are characteristics of creativity?
a. Spontaneity
b. Deliberateness
c. Newness
d. Value
e. Skills
f. Play
g. Work
h. Convergence
i. Divergence
Does an idea have to be carried out to be considered “creative?”
a. Yes
b. No
Do you believe creative production
a. is best rewarded?
b. is hindered by rewards?
Do you believe creative behavior
a. is a sign of compensation for unmet emotional needs?
b. is an expression of the healthy personality?
Creativity
a. is an all or none phenomena–you’re creative or you’re not?
b. exists on a continuum?
Which is more important to originality?
a. Asking the right question
b. Finding the right answer

C. SOME CHALLENGES
Count the squares.
Connect the dots with four straight lines.
What different uses can you find for a plastic milk bottle?
Take a word beginning with “C.” Then consider the problem of war. Force fit as many metaphoric solutions using your “C” word. For example, how is war “cow-like?” “car-like?” “candle-like?” What new perspectives can you come up with for solving the problem of war?

[Find the answers on this website, Creativity Self-Assessment]

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jgyoungmd

Love

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Invitation (score) by jgyoungmd

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Forest Glistens

Cool Wave

Blue Eclipse

George

Apple

In 1806 Johnny charged about 6 cents for a seedling. But if setters couldn’t pay, they say he would accept cornmeal, old clothes or a promise to pay in the future.

CREATIVITY SELF-ASSESSMENT John G. Young, M.D.

A. SELF-ASSESSMENT

B. YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF CREATIVITY

C. SOME CHALLENGES

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