In The Trenches

the founder’s report about her experiment in thinking outside the box inside the box to produce prolific creativity

Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year!

I love me the first day of a new year!  I couldn’t sleep last night I was so excited about launching into 2017.  I have not decided on any specific goal or daily task or activity or personal improvement plan yet.  Oh, but you know I will have one!  I’m mulling over my options right now.  Should I go vegan for 365 days?  Vegetarian is probably more realistic.  Pescetarian would be even better.  I could still eat shrimp!  Should I be booze free?  God knows I need to lower my A1c.  Maybe I should cut out dairy, sugar, Facebook?  Definitely.  Apparently, all three are basically heroin.   Chant a magical mantra in the mirror?  I just have to write the perfect...

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My Documentary is Premiering at a Film Festival!

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Once you have gotten up off the floor after falling off your chair in shock that I seem to be saying my documentary film—yes, the one I’ve been talking (crying, blogging, bitching, raving) about working on for the last nine years—High School 9-1-1 is not only finished but actually premiering at a film festival…JOIN ME!!!! I am thrilled to announce that we’ll be premiering the film at the 25th annual Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis, Indiana on October 21st.  It’s truly a beautiful festival spreading inspiration and showing films that do more than entertain. So, please join me as I begin to share the film, and spread it’s vitally important and inspirational...

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A Battered Dream

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A Battered Dream

My head has been in dreams since yesterday afternoon when I went to the post office and there was a lone dream in the box.  Lined, frayed and battered, it looked like it had made a long, hard journey.  Which, considering its softness, I suspect involved going through the wash! It’s appearance, more than the actual scrawled dream on the front, deeply impacted me.  It’s our dreams, those precious, secret wishes, longings, hopes, aspirations, that take the brunt of our abuse from insecurity, loss, rejection, fear, disappointment, doubt, hurt.  You name it, they take it.  How battered are our dreams?! Last night, I posted the featured dream of the week…not...

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Finally…A Bloody Completion!

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What began as a question to Screenwriter Monica in the coffee shop next to the Beverly Hills Library on November 11, 2011…yes, that’s right, the magical 11/11/11…has ended in the completion of our collaboration: Collusions is finally finished.  4 years, 6 months and 5 days later. Halle-f*#kin-lujah!!! To make it super official, I sent the announcement to the entire cast and crew this morning.  Most importantly, I let them know we’re planning a viewing party to celebrate next month!  Hearing back from three of my stars how excited they are to finally see the film made my day. Granted, the film may be finished but we’re not done yet. Now we...

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Happy Friday Dance!

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Mammoth was a blast.  The last three weeks of traveling have been a blast.  And now, I’m home.  Feels good.  LET’S DANCE! http://thinkoutsidetheboxinsidethebox.com/tobib/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Happy-Friday-Dance-March-18-2016.mp4   Until tomorrow, create from what you have…legs to dance with!   Kelli Joan Bennett is a filmmaker, actress, writer, entrepreneur, advocate for creative thinking and Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Think Outside The Box Inside The Box Media. Follow...

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March Travels: The Road To Making My Next Movie

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March Travels:  The Road To Making My Next Movie

I’ve been going nonstop since the two year mark of Daddy’s passing.  I was on a plane at 6am on February 29th.  Interestingly enough, I was on a plane the day after he died.  Only it was March 1st since 2014 wasn’t a leap year.  It set off a two month traveling spree that took me from Missouri to California to New Orleans to New Hampshire to Las Vegas to New Jersey to New York to Missouri and back home again. Perhaps a way to run from the pain and permanence of loss?  I don’t know but it feels good to be in motion.  Death is so still. This travel spree started with a last minute trip to New York City for Uh-Mazing Romantic Partner Tim’s...

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Two Years…

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I can’t believe it has been two years since I said goodbye to you, Daddy.  Feels like yesterday.  Feels like a lifetime ago.  I miss you.  You were a voracious reader so you would be excited to know I joined a book club!  A new experience for me.  I read my first book this month.  You would have loved it.  It was beautifully written with lots of midwestern, small town references.  The woman in the book left her family for college and then the bright lights of the big city.  It might have reminded you of me a little.  Leaving home to go pursue my dreams…minus the horrible, abusive mother and father in the story.  🙂 Those last few months of your life, I...

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2016 Musings – Take One

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! I’m shaking things up in 2016!!!  I couldn’t pick just one so here are my THREE themes for 2016: Fearlessly Authentic Self-Expression Prolific & Playful Creativity Bold Visibility I’m also going to play with more video posts this year!  I presume they and I will evolve as I play and create and grow but this one was spontaneous, stream of conscious, and random.  I laughed my ass off doing it and I also cried and got excited and felt silly and bold… Here’s to another amazing year of ‘thinking outside the box inside the box’ and creating from what we have! Until tomorrow, create from what you...

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Creating 2015—Day 344: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOTHER!

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Creating 2015—Day 344: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOTHER!

      Happy Birthday to the best mom in the whole world!!!!! I can’t wait to see you and celebrate our asses off. I love you to the moon and back…and then some.   http://thinkoutsidetheboxinsidethebox.com/tobib/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/happy-bday-mom.mp4   Until tomorrow, create from what you have…awesome mothers.   Kelli Joan Bennett is a filmmaker, actress, writer, entrepreneur, advocate for creative thinking and Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Think Outside The Box Inside The Box Media. Follow...

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Creating 2015—Day 336 to Day 338:  HAPPY ‘thankful to be alive’ FRIDAY DANCE

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Creating 2015—Day 336 to Day 338:  HAPPY ‘thankful to be alive’ FRIDAY DANCE

As all of us are still reeling from the horrific mass shooting in San Bernardino on Wednesday, my thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families and, I am giving HUGE thanks for this day, for my life, my family, my friends, my country, and YOU this morning.  Thank you for being a part of my journey.  Stay safe.  Hug your loved ones.  Keep your heart open. Choose hope instead of fear.  Choose gratitude instead of anger.  Choose love instead of hate.  Choose to start creating your dreams today.  And… CHOOSE TO DANCE…right now!...

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