According to The Writer's Almanac, John Updike gave this account of his creativity—

No amount of learned skills can substitute for the feeling of having a lot to say, of bringing news. Memories, impressions, and emotions from your first 20 years on earth are most writers' main material; little that comes afterward is quite so rich and resonant. By the age of 40, you have probably mined the purest veins of this precious lode; after that, continued creativity is a matter of sifting the leavings.

Seems like a pretty good description of aging, too.

Now listening to this week's playlist at American Routes, Compared to What? The site says "It’s no secret these are troubled times regarding the role of government, political attacks and secrecy in a nation in conflict with itself. We asked our listeners to help pick music and musicians that deal with the troubles we’re facing." Just the thing to accompany me while I'm writing about the mess in which we find ourselves.

We do not escape into philosophy, psychology, and art—we go there to restore our shattered selves into whole ones.

Anais Nin via theorderofpenofficial

The spring series of David Dubal's Piano Evenings has begun. In the program this week were performances, by Brielle Perez, of Turina's Danzas Fantasticas and, by Hongbo Cai, of the Choral et Variations by Henri Dutilleux. David Dubal has introduced me to many exciting performers and to much great music. Here's two more examples.

For a long time after I got married, I used to have this vague idea that the purpose of marriage was for each partner to fill in what the other lacked. Lately though, after 25 years of marriage, I’ve come to see it differently, that marriage is perhaps rather an ongoing process of each partner’s exposing of what the other lacks….Finally, only the person himself can fill in what he is missing. It’s not something another person can do for you. And in order to do the filling in, you yourself have to discover the size and location of the hole.

—Haruki Murakami via Austin Kleon