Finally, in the general vicinity, my husband spotted Adam's signature Indiana Jones hat and yellow bomber jacket from afar. And we RAN. (My kids were such good sports. I didn't know they could run so fast.)
     Pause. Back up a second. I'm not a "maker". But I loved the creative spirit of the Maker Faire, and I feel enriched by having been there to appreciate the artistry that exists in building and engineering. It was an eye-opener for me. And everything about Adam's talk on the topic of "making" could be applied to creative doers and thinkers of any kind.
     Here's what resonated with me the most about Adam in general and about what he told us. Some items are paraphrased; one is a direct quote because I hit the record button on my phone at a key moment when Adam hadn't just finished saying the thing I wanted to etch in stone (how lucky is that?).

          * In general, Adam Savage is a fascinating figure because of his enthusiasm, curiosity, and uncanny ability to frame life experiences into "story"--meaningful story.
          * One woman asked how she could find the strength to go on "making" when others denigrated her work. And Adam's answer (which included a hug for that audience member) serves a great road map for any creative person who feels stuck or alone:
                    1- Find your tribe. Get into a group of like-minded people who can offer support--whether in-person or virtual. 
                    2- Support others. Adam said: "There are times in my life when I feel like I'm not getting enough support. Almost ALWAYS what that means is, I'm not supporting the people around me enough. That's the trick. And I go back towards the Buddhist ideal of "service". To serve the people around me. What can I do for their lives? What can I do to make their lives better?" (Is this a good place to mention that Adam stayed for a really, really long time after his talk, answering audience questions in-depth? He was generous with his time to an admirable degree.)
                    3- Teach what you know. You can get a lot out of teaching others. You don't have to be perfect to pass along your knowledge.

     How does this apply to writers? I think it says an awful lot in favor of writers' groups and the learning, teaching, and creative interplay that happens there. I think it says a lot for online communities--such as Julie Hedlund's 12x12 for picture book writers--that bring together like-minded hobbyists and/or professionals. I think it says a lot about idea generation, following creative pathways, and learning to frame your life experiences as if they were stories--rich with significance and meaning.
     ...Just like the stories we want to write!

     According to the Chinese calendar, I was born in the year of the Ram.

     So why did I pause to snap a photo of this Chinese zodiac line in the immigrant history section of my local county history museum while chaperoning a 2nd grade field trip?
     ...Because it spoke to me.
     ...Because that "puzzling" space it mentions--that place of confusion and dismay and curiosity and wonder--is what fuels my writing. It's a place of imagined lives, imagined motivations, and imagined outcomes.
     ...Because I don't write what I know. I write what I wonder about. And this horoscope seems to have me figured out.

     I love Grace Lin for this gorgeous line from "The Year of the Dog," which stopped me in my tracks (and for lots of other funny lines in the same book). Also, I love her for "Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same!," for "Dim Sum for Everyone!," for the illustrations in "The Seven Chinese Sisters", for "Where the Mountain Meets the Moon" (which is what I'm reading now)...and for more of her wonderful books that I have yet to experience.