Get Comfortable with Productive Solitude, by John P. Weiss

FEATURED COLUMNIST Get Comfortable with Productive Solitude

Are you familiar with flotation isolation?

It involves floating on your back in a specially designed sensory deprivation tank of water. The tank is soundproof to prevent noise distractions.

Floaters experience minimal sensory stimulation, including the sensation of gravity. It’s completely dark inside the tank. Just you and your thoughts.

Flotation (or isolation) tanks are used for restricted environmental stimulation therapy (REST). The idea is that dark, quiet isolation in near-zero gravity is therapeutic, helping with conditions like anxiety, pain, and stress.

Do sensory deprivation floating tanks work? According to some research, yes.

An article in heathline.com notes: “A 2018 study showed that a single one-hour session in a sensory deprivation tank was capable of a significant reduction in anxiety and improvement in mood in the 50 participants with stress- and anxiety-related disorders.

A 2016 study of 46 people who selfreported generalized anxiety disorder … found that it reduced … symptoms, such as depression, sleep difficulties, irritability, and fatigue.”

As a writer and artist, what I found most interesting about flotation isolation research was the findings of improved creativity.

Per the healthline.com article: “According to an article published in 2014 in the European Journal of Integrative Medicine, floating in a sensory deprivation tank has been found in a handful of studies to increase originality, imagination, and intuition, which can all lead to enhanced creativity.”

An article in medicalnewstoday. com echoed the findings above: “A 2014 study compared the advertising claims of sensory deprivation centers with clinical research. The authors found that several studies supported the idea that a person may experience a boost in creativity.”

Isolation Supports Creativity

While these study results are not universal or definitive, they bend toward the view that isolation supports creativity. After the pandemic lockdown of 2020, I tend to agree.

Even though I work from home and was already somewhat monastic in my creative habits, the pandemic lockdown afforded me greater free time.

The cancellation of travel plans and weekly get-togethers with friends meant more time to read, write, and create artwork. I took online classes, read more books, exercised more, and was more productive.

Fewer commitments and distractions allowed more time to be with myself. More time to daydream, reflect, brainstorm, and focus on deep work. All of which improved my creative development and output.

If you want to reach new heights of personal and creative breakthroughs, do the following:

Get Comfortable With

Aloneness and Productive Solitude

Keep in mind that solitude and aloneness are different than loneliness. They are not inflicted on you. You choose them.

Yes, a healthy life includes family, friends, and positive social interactions. Human beings are social creatures, and we need one another to various degrees. But a busy social life devoid of solitude can hurt your creativity and wellbeing.

I have found solitude to be a crucial state of being for my creative and artistic success.

I first learned this in grade school, and years later when I found a seemingly abandoned toy in the woods.

My Imagination Becomes the Universe

Iwas a shy and introverted boy in school. One of the things I hated in the classroom was group learning.

In my experience, being split into groups meant the loudest and most aggressive students lorded over the rest of us. Pairing popular and awkward kids in groups seldom produced the vaunted student engagement and active learning teachers sought.

My best school work was achieved alone in the library or at home in my room. There were moments of collaboration with a student friend or teacher, but mostly, I performed better on my own.

“Closed in a room, my imagination becomes the universe, and the rest of the world is missing out.”-Criss Jami, Diotima, Battery, Electric Personality

Even in adulthood, I hated professional meetings. They consisted mostly of unnecessary banter, grandstanding, and the assignment of unproductive, timewasting subcommittees.

My best professional work was achieved alone, where I could focus deeply and undisturbed by the tyranny of the group.

I’m not alone in this celebration of aloneness and productive solitude.

An article in Inc.com reports: “In

by John P. Weiss

physics, Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton, and James Clerk Maxwell, three of the greatest creative contributors, worked almost entirely alone. They profited from other people’s ideas not in direct collaboration, but by reading research papers and books.”

“Productive Solitude” page 23

Back to School

ACROSS

1. *____ mater 5. *Graduate degree, acr. 8. Opposite of stereo 12. Defense ditch 13. Fishing rod attachment 14. More sure 15. One’s final notice 16. Dutch cheese 17. Golfer’s traction aid 18. *Half-year terms 20. At the summit of 21. Water nymph 22. Actor ____

Mahershala 23. Be a busybody 26. Metrical foot in poetry 30. Earlier in time, archaic 31. Become bony 34. Shakespeare’s tragic monarch 35. Labanotation founder 37. Theodor Geisel, ____

Dr. Seuss 38. Threshold 39. Relating to the ear 40. Weather advisories, e.g. 42. + or - atom 43. Widely esteemed 45. Most mature, as in fruit 47. Indian dish 48. Dashboard window 50. Female sheep, pl. 52. *”The Breakfast Club” punishment 56. Flower holders 57. Singles 58. High school breakout 59. Acoustic output 60. Overwhelming defeat 61. *Gym class test? 62. Catchall abbr. 63. *Geography class staple 64. Not talker?

DOWN

1. ____ of cookie fame 2. Stud site 3. Cripple 4. *Go to class 5. Mythological princess of Colchis 6. TV cooking show pioneer James ____ 7. Contributions to the poor 8. *Kind of choice 9. Black and white treat 10. Less than average tide 11. Table scrap 13. Laces again 14. Milan’s La ____ 19. Manicurist’s office 22. Is it ____ wonder? 23. Hard on outside, juicy on inside 24. One of the Muses 25. Payment option 26. From a great distance 27. Chill-inducing 28. Type of palm tree, pl. 29. Council of _____, city in Italy 32. *Back-to-School retail event 33. WWII general who became President 36. *Faculty member 38. “Peace” with fingers 40. TV classic “____ in the Family” 41. Superlative of true 44. Lowest male singing voice 46. Small bomb 48. Christopher

Columbus’ birthplace 49. Consumed (2 words) 50. Small ladies’ handbag 51. What one does at the altar 52. *College freshman’s new digs 53. International Civil

Aviation Organization 54. Half as much as twice 55. ____-do-well 56. Every American’s uncle?

SHARE YOUR PASSION AT COUNTY FAIR It’s time to share your passion by entering what you create into the 2021 Santa Cruz County Fair, Sept. 15-19 at the county Fairgrounds on Highway 152 east of Watsonville. Entry categories include: Collections and Hobbies, Fine Arts, Photography, Legos, Canned Goods, Flowers, Quilts and many others.

Walk-in registration for baked goods is Sept. 11. Registration for potted plants and youth container gardens is Sept. 13.

To volunteer, go online at https://www.santacruzcountyfair.com/fair-time/general-info/volunteer

The Fair opens at Noon Wed.-Fri. and 10 a.m. Sat. & Sun. Visit santacruzcountyfair.com for more information. WRITING MENTORS NEEDED Wendy Thompson of the Young Writers Project is recruiting mentors for students at Branciforte Middle School and Costanoa Continuation High School.

Mentors will work with Jessica Brown’s 8th graders at Branciforte on poetry about restoring balance and equity and Maria Diaz Perez’s 10th through 12th graders at Costanoa, writing on empowerment. Mentors must commit to two days a week either from Oct. 4, thru Nov. 2 or Oct. 18 thru Nov. 23.

Need a refresher on working with student writers? Two inperson trainings for volunteers are scheduled at Branciforte : Best Practices Training on Sept. 25, and Traits of Good Writing Training on Oct. 9. Each class is 10 a.m-1 p.m. Contact Wendy Thompson at wendy@youngwriterssc.org for more info. Sign up at https://tinyurl.com/YWP-fall-2021 FIRE RECOVERY WEBINARS United Policyholders offers webinars and virtual survivor forums for people affected by wildfires in California in 2020.

Roadmap to Recovery Virtual Workshops

Thursday, Sept. 9 • 4 p.m. — Confused or frustrated by “depreciation”? United Policyholders explains.

Register at: www.uphelp.org/Sept9

Wednesday, Sept. 15 • 5:30 p.m. — Q&A for Wildfire Survivors: Team United Policyholders and California-based experts will answer your pre-submitted questions.

Submit your question: www.uphelp.org/r2rhelp • Register: www.uphelp.org/Sept15

Tuesday, Sept. 14 and 21 • 7 p.m. — Survivor to Survivor Forums: Connect and confer with trained UP volunteers who navigated recovery after previous wildfires

Register: www.uphelp.org/Sept14 • www.uphelp.org/ Sept21 NAMI FAMILY TO FAMILY Wednesdays, Sept. 29 thru Nov. 17 • 6-8:30 p.m. Zoom meetings • 8-week commitment National Alliance for Mental Illness Santa Cruz County offers the Family-to-Family series, a free, 8-week educational program for family, significant others and friends of people with mental health conditions. Participants must commit to all 8 classes. Class size is limited.

Research shows the program significantly improves the coping and problem-solving abilities of the people closest to a person with a mental health condition.

The program is taught by NAMI-trained family members who have been there, and includes presentations, discussions and interactive exercises. To sign up, fill out the interest form at https://www.namiscc. org/family-to-family.html and await an enrollment email within five business days. For questions, call (831)-824-0406 or email anastasia@ namiscc.org.

Have a virtual or live event you want to promote? Send your information to info@cyber-times.com by September 20

RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES As Covid-19 cases increase due to the Delta variant, the Red Cross is concerned about meeting hospital demand for lifesaving blood and platelets during hurricane season.

In recent weeks, the Red Cross has seen blood donor turnout decline by nearly 10% while hospital demand outpaces donations. Factors in the decline include blood drive cancellations due to the pandemic and back-toschool preparations for many families.

Schedule an appointment by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). •••

Ben Lomond

Sept. 25, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. — Highlands Park Senior Center, 8500 Highway 9

Santa Cruz

Sept. 28, 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. — The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 220 Elk St., Sept. 30, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. — Sponsored by IATSE Local 611, the stage workers’ union, at Santa Cruz Civic Auditorium, 307 Church St.

Scotts Valley

Sept. 25, 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. — St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 5271 Scotts Valley Drive

Watsonville

Sept. 24, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. — Community Health Trust of Pajaro Valley, 85 Nielson St.

SCULPTURE IS: IN THE GARDEN 2021 On display thru Oct. 31 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sierra Azul Nursery and Garden, 2660 East Lake Ave., Watsonville Sculpture IS: In the Garden 2021, is the 15th sculpture exhibit in partnership with Sierra Azul Nursery and Garden.

The jurors, Susana Arias and Jeff Rosendale, selected more than 100 sculptures created by 42 artists and collaborators.

Visit the stunning two-acre demonstration garden, relax under the umbrellas, and spend an afternoon enjoying the outdoor exhibit.

Admission is free. SENIOR CENTER WITHOUT LIMITS This new program from Community Bridges brings enrichment activities like yoga, art, music, tai chi, cooking, tech and support groups to seniors age 60 and up in their homes at no cost. To participate, you need an internet connection and a computer, tablet or smartphone. To participate, view the calendar at https://communitybridges.org/SCWOL/ and find a class. That day and time, click on the link in the calendar to be connected. If you have a problem connecting, call Clara Munoz at (831) 458-3481.

SECOND HARVEST FOOD DISTRIBUTION Second Harvest Food Bank’s drive-through food distribution will continue operating at the county Fairgrounds 9 a.m.-Noon on the following Fridays: Sept. 10 • Sept. 24 Food hotline: 831-662-0991. TECH TALKS WITH THE LIBRARY 11 a.m., Online Zoom Meetings Santa Cruz Public Libraries presents Tech Talks designed for people at all learning levels to increase their ability to safely and effectively use their mobile devices.

For some help using Zoom for the first time, visit the tutorial at bit.ly/SCPL-ZOOM. Registration is required. Dates are: • Sept. 9: Smartphone 101 for Android. Register: bit.ly/TechTalk909 • Sept. 16: Smartphone 101 for Apple. Register: bit.ly/TechTalk916 • Sept. 23: Search Strategies for Android and Apple. Register: bit.ly/TechTalk923 • Sept. 30: Device and Account Security for Android and Apple. Register: bit.ly/TechTalk930

ONGOING EVENTS

Mondays SCOTTS VALLEY ROTARY WEEKLY MEETING 12:15 p.m., Online Zoom Scotts Valley Rotary also meets in-person on the last Monday of the month, gathering outdoors at the Scotts Valley Chamber of Commerce courtyard or in a member’s backyard. Obtain Zoom link from President Patrizia Materassi at (831) 334-2383.

First and Third Monday Each Month SENIOR LIFE ONLINE 4 p.m., Online Meeting Join a local group of senior citizens for “Senior Life Online,” a free online (Zoom) program featuring a presentation by a local expert. View the full schedule at scottsvalleyseniorlife.org/current-activities/.

Next date: Sept. 20 at 4 p.m. with Karen Kefauver talking about social media (No meeting on Labor Day).

To participate, you need an Internet connection and a computer, tablet or smartphone.

A one-time preregistration is required at https:// tinyurl.com/SVSLA-5. Questions? Call George at (831) 334-7763. Senior Life Online is sponsored by Scotts Valley Senior Life Association (SVSLA), a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to promote healthy living for senior citizens. Information is at http://scottsvalleyseniorlife.org. First Tuesdays of the Month FIRST TUESDAYS FREE 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., UC Santa Cruz Arboretum, 1156 High St, Santa Cruz Community Day at the UCSC Arboretum means free admission on the first Tuesday of every month 9 a.m-5 p.m. Guests are invited to explore the biodiversity of the gardens, enjoy bird watching or relax on a bench in the shade. https://arboretum.ucsc.edu

Second Tuesdays of the Month TACO TUESDAYS 5-8 p.m., Skypark, 361 Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley Food Trucks A Go Go presents Taco Tuesdays. Next date: Sept. 14, with vendors Taquizas Gabriel, Miches & Ceviches, Mattia and beer & wine garden fundraiser for Boys & Girls Club. Information: (831) 247-1236 or email info@foodtrucksagogo. com.

Third Wednesdays Each Month SCOTTS VALLEY EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION 7 p.m., Zoom meetings The board of the Scotts Valley Educational Foundation, headed by president Robert Aldana, meets on the third Wednesday of the month.

To get the Zoom link, go to https://www.svef.net/about/ and use the “contact us” feature to request a link. In the past 7 years, SVEF has donated more than $700,000 to support the needs of children from kindergarten through high school graduation. Fourth Wednesday Each Month EXCHANGE CLUB OF SCOTTS VALLEY MONTHLY MEETING 5 p.m., Bruno’s Bar & Grill, 230-G, Mount Hermon Road, Scotts Valley For information, call 831-438-1000 x 22.

First and Third Thursdays Each Month TRIVIA ON TAP 6:30-8 p.m., Steel Bonnet Brewing Company, 20 Victor Square B, Scotts Valley Trivia on Tap is back on a new day, with new questions, hosted by Steel Bonnet Brewing Co., starting Sept. 2.

Join librarians Jenn and Victor every 1st and 3rd Thursday to test what you know. Participants can form teams of up to 6 people and will be asked 30 questions on a variety of different topics. https://myscottsvalley.com/event/trivia-on-tap-4/

Third Thursday Each Month PET LOSS AND GRIEF SUPPORT VIA ZOOM 6 to 7:30 p.m., virtual meeting BirchBark Foundation’s Pet Loss and Grief Support Zoom group offers a free support group, moderated by a licensed grief counseling therapist, on the third Thursday of each month. Register at https://www.birchbarkfoundation.org/griefsupport or call 831-471-7255.

Fridays MIDTOWN FRIDAYS Ongoing thru Oct. 29, 1111 Soquel Ave., Santa Cruz (next to the fire station) Event Santa Cruz is hosting a Friday festival through the end of October. Called “Midtown Fridays,” the event will have a featured musical act plus food, artists, vendors, and more. Admission is free. Fourth Fridays of the Month FOOD TRUCK FRIDAYS 5-8 p.m., Skypark, 361 Kings Village Road, Scotts Valley Food Trucks A Go Go presents Food Truck Fridays. Next date: Sept. 24, with live music by The Shady Rest, vendors Holopono, Nomad Momo, Pana, Miches & Ceviches, Aunt LaLi’s and beer & wine garden fundraiser for the Scotts Valley Educational Foundation. Info: (831) 247-1236 or email info@foodtrucksagogo.com.

Saturdays SCOTTS VALLEY FARMER’S MARKET 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Scotts Valley Square Shopping Center, Kmart parking lot, 270 Mount Hermon Road. The Market Match Program is now being offered at Santa Cruz Community Farmers’ Markets with funding from Kaiser Permanente and the city of Santa Cruz in Scotts Valley, Felton, downtown Santa Cruz.

This means when customers swipe their EBT (electronic benefit) card for at least $10, they get $20 more to spend, giving them $30 to buy fresh fruits and vegetables from small local growers.

Since Market Match began downtown in May 2020, the average number of weekly EBT shoppers has increased from 35 to 250, giving them more money to buy healthy food for their families and boosting the income of the small local growers who sell produce at the farmers’ market. https://santacruzfarmersmarket.org/markets/scotts-valley/

One Saturday Each Month COOKING WITH GREY BEARS’ POPPY DEGARMO 11 a.m. Online Class Cooking with Grey Bears next few classes will be online only.