#NieldsXVII Story Contest : Week 15

We had a broad question for this week. We were looking for cool ideas and maybe too, things to add to our reading/watching/listening list. The winning answer is a thinker, and we like that. Thanks to everyone who took part and see you on Monday with a new question!

Week 15 Question: Which inspires you most books, movies, visual art, or music?  Why?

I’ve never really thought about what inspires me.  I guess I’m much more reactive to inspiration – I am inspired by what inspires me.  

If I had to rank the four media in this question, I think I have drawn the least inspiration from visual art and books, simply because they only engage one of my senses.  That’s not to say that the inspiration is less qualitative from books or art, just less quantitative.  Movies and music both employ more than one sensory input at a time, so they have inspired me more often.  

If I had to narrow it down further, music has inspired me the most for a couple reasons.  First, songs are shorter than movies (or books) and can be taken in with greater frequency.  Second, the music (melody and harmony) engages my mind on one level, while the words of a song engage my mind on a different level.  So, in case this is sounding too much like the engineer that I am, let me leave it at this – music appeals to both my heart and my mind, and it’s in this juxtaposition that I find the most inspiration.

-Theresa