Thursday Thirteen #13

Thirteen Inconvenient Places / Times to Get Ideas for my Books

Wow, it's my Thirteenth Thursday Thirteen! In other words, it's TTT instead of TT for me this week. Cool Beans!

My previous post where I talked about keeping a notebook close at hand gave me the idea for this Thursday Thirteen. Yes, I keep notebooks close at hand, but that doesn't mean a notebook is always close at hand.

So I thought I'd list some of the places or times good ideas often whack me on the head for which I have, for the moment at least, scant opportunity to write 'em down.

1. Oh my, do I ever get good ideas in the shower. I wonder why? Perhaps the scalp massage when I wash my hair doubles as a brain massage, and the ideas just fall out? Who knows. But there's a problem with keeping notebooks near showers. Showers, of course, are wet, and wet paper doesn't hold up well. Thank goodness I manage to keep most of those good ideas lodged in my brain 'til I dry off and get to my notebook or to my computer (whichever is closest, and I'm tellin' you what's the truth: sometimes it's a mad dash!).

2. I also get good ideas while I'm driving in traffic, in situations which require my full attention. So although I keep a notebook in my purse, I can't take my eyes off the road to dig in my purse to grab the notebook, let alone to write in the blasted thing. Let's just say I've become highly proficient in the use of mnemonics as a memory aid.

3. I walk outside for exercise just about every day, but I don't bring a notebook on my walks because I don't want to carry a bunch of crap. I don't like feeling encumbered when I exercise. So it never fails that on my walks, my brain fairly bursts with ideas. Usually, I can remember them when I get home, but you'd think I'd accept the slight encumbrance and start carrying a notebook on my walks. T'would make things so much easier. Maybe one of these days.

4. Often, I get good ideas while wrangling the Ballicai (otherwise known as cats). And it's never convenient to find one's mind bursting with ideas for plot and character whilst scooping poop. Likewise, book ideas fall by the wayside when, at wet food time, the Ballicus Tabernacle Feed Me Choir bursts into song: "Hallelujah, Hallelujah! Momma's feeding us wet food! Meow, Meow, Now, Now, Yeah, Yeah!"

5. Another place I get good ideas is on the Hawg (Harley-Davidson). Riding a motorcycle is freeing, exciting, relaxing, and refreshing, all at the same time. So naturally it follows that Hawg-riding is inspiring as all get-out! But it goes without saying that while cruising down the road on a whee-cycle, the last thing I need to be doing is scribbling in a notebook.

6. I get some really bitchin' ideas while walking in the mountains with hubby. We live in the East Tennessee mountains and enjoy them at every opportunity. I keep a notebook in my purse, but on our sojouns to the mountains, I don't always take my purse.

7. There's something about target shooting at the range that makes good ideas bubble up in the old gray matter. Must have something to do with the concentration and focus needed to be a good markswoman. And I am quite good with a rifle. But sighting in a target isn't the ideal time to break my concentration and lunge for a notebook, hollering, "So that's how Isaac and Aphra are going to get out of that muddle..."

8. Another less-than-ideal time to get a break-through story idea is when I am covered in Ballicai (otherwise known as cats). It's often the case that I have a cat in my lap, a cat draped on my feet as they're propped on the desk, a cat sprawled against my elbow on the other side of my desk, and a cat lying in the floor on the very spot I would place my feet were I to get up from my chair. Ah well. I love being covered in / surrounded by cats, and hopefully, a good idea will keep.

9. Yet another less-than-ideal time to get a break-through story idea is hubby-cuddling time. And as I love hubby-cuddling time, hopefully the idea will keep, and if it doesn't... well, tough noogies.

10. Another challenging time to get novel-related ideas is while I'm cooking. Especially with four cats in the house. It's enough of a challenge to keep Marilyn MonREOW out of the mixing bowls, Chairman Mao out of the casserole dishes, Dorydoo out of the refrigerator, and all the while trying to keep from tripping over Brainball. It's a Cat Mom's life, but I love it.

11. Something about watering flowers makes good ideas pop into my head. Especially watering elephant ears. I don't know what there is about watering elephant ears that my brain finds so stimulating. Perhaps it's because they're big and cool-looking and they make my mind go "Whoa Nelly!" And while Whoa Nelly moments are conducive to creativity, I don't take my notebook along on flower-and-elephant-ear-watering rounds.

12. Housecleaning is no fun; alas it's gotta be done. And whether I'm cleaning the bathroom, folding laundry, scrubbing the kitchen counter, or sweeping the floor, I often have a cool story-related idea pop into my head, and it usually happens while I'm engaged in the part of the chore that's most difficult to just walk away from, i.e.: I've swept up a pile of debris, and if I leave to go find my notebook, Chairman Mao, spazzy little boykitty, will leap into the pile, scattering the stuff everywhere.

13. And going by my dreams that I remember, I know I get cool ideas for my stories while I'm sleeping. But those ideas are useless if they occur in the dreams I can't remember.



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