Mumsnet Talk

Can I really use the term creative to describe my poor maths skills?

YANBU OP, she sounds like a bore. But I love the idea that living in an old converted house wold make her creative Unless she converted it herself I suppose...

I think some people are creative thinkers and some are creative doers. I love making stuff but am rubbish at coming up with creative solutions to problems.

I specifically go on about how uncreative I am. Comes from working in Advertising/PR where there are some really creative types, and I couldn't hold a candle to them.

I think some people describe themselves or their DC as creative to excuse poor skills in other areas...but really that doesn't wash.

I'm a graphic artist and create all day long but I never describe myself as creative!

I think because it is such and over used word.

yy petfox i knit and sew lots but i wouldn't describe myself as creative - i'm just copying other people's clever designs

Actually same here, I don't really make anything up - I can only paint from actual RL, I can't draw from imagination as I haven't got one.

Same with music. If I made up stuff, that would be what I'd call creative but no, I just copy.

Did anyone see the Crocheted Coral Reef - apparently when it was in Trinity College Dublin there were lots of maths undergraduates sitting around crocheting, because the stitch patterns generating all the wavy twirly stuff are all maths based. So there's another area creativity and maths overlaps!

(& I would consider myself creative too, not in maths though, and again like SantaKissed I don't speak about it - just when I'm selling stuff is when people see it!)

My brother is very creative and works in media but his degree is in maths so definitely one doesn't exclude the other.

My role within my organisation is a composing and writing one and, while other people in here talk about it being a creative role it also requires a lot of research and getting my head around factual details.

I just think my colleague is one of those people who thinks creativity is about being a bit ditzy and giving your children wacky names and wearing long floaty scarves all the time.

Is she into alternative medicine, homeopathy etc?

I'm incredibly creative, why this year alone I have made a whole baby! (I had help though, I'm not Mary of Nazareth)

OP, maybe your colleague is one of those people who "think outside of the box" <boak>

Congrats Lady Mary!

There is a weird modern obsession with 'creativity', which is used in a very ill-defined but adulatory way. It's totally unhelpful and leads to lots of people who don't spend their weekends making abstract stencils to decorate their bathroom ceilings feeling vaguely inadequate.

Being imaginative, problem solving, lateral thinking, having a talent for making links between different things, etc, are all 'creative' on one level, and frankly much more important and useful than wafting around being vaguely arty.

It's one of those words that make me cringe. Only people I know who use it are a) try-hards who do nowt b) sell fridges wackily, at best.

The arts/science split is a modern, well, 18th century hangover. No one saw it as any type of difference before then.

I always laugh when I hear or read of people saying 'I like to surround myself with creative people'. It just sounds so daft, like a load of people are paraded before them on a conveyor belt and some of the lucky ones get chosen to 'surround' the aspirational artist/writer whatever.

YANBU!

My SiL constantly bangs on about how creative she is. She makes and sells 'cutting edge' jewellery at craft fairs, but all her work has been done before, many times over (Scrabble tile rings, etc), a lot better. It's nice enough, but creative and cutting edge?

My eldest daughter is very arty and SiL likes to take all the credit for it.

I used to make wedding cakes for a living (I still do a bit but I pick and choose what I do), but that's not creative at all apparently.

I just find it strange when people talk about their positive attributes, it would be like someone sitting there and going on about how athletic they are or how academic they are.

I think creativity can be expressed in most aspects of a person's life. You can be a creative mother and make dens and join in with imaginative play, you can find creative ways to solve problems in the work place, you can be creative in the kitchen. I don't think you actually need to have a finished craft/artwork to live a creative lifestyle, but having said that to go on about what a creative person you just makes you sound like a talking CV.

Oh sweet lord, people who are "wacky".

I used to work with a guy who liked to do stupid, annoying things all the time, including playing quite cruel practical jokes, and put it all down yo being "wacky as hell, me!".

Until he round me up past the point of return, upon which I told him "you're not wacky, Kevin, you're just a cunt". Amazing how he instantly reigned in that wackiness!
[/rant]

Oh, god 'wacky'.

There's a woman who works in our local pub who constantly tells anyone in earshot how she's 'mad' and 'bubbly'

No, you're just irritating!

What's bubbly anyway? Does she squirt a bit of fairy liquid up her backside every morning?

redsky I snorted too - anyone with half a creative bone in their body would have been able to come up with what Kirsty did ffs!

OooohI love that link between Maths art and science. They are all interlinked. I think this is something tht is never considered in schools. I defo agree with creativity and maths. Do has degree in maths me thinks in much much more creative way than me who hs a degree in design.

People who describe themselves as "like, so random" are usually more often cunts.

All my friends say I'm mad! I can't help it - I guess I'm just a free spirit.

I like the expression 'the empty can rattles the most'. OP, your colleague is trying to fill a void. It's silly because I'm sure there's something she's good at - we all have our strengths and we should be proud of them even if our greatest strength is sorting recycling efficiently.