I was just reading an article by Jodi Webb (over at Kristen King's "Notes in the Margin" newsletter) about where she finds ideas for her articles.
She makes some great points, but I had to quit reading the article because I suddenly got the idea for this post.
My ideas come to me in the shower.
It may be the result of being quietly, blissfully alone (finally!), or it could just be the inevitable consequence of being somewhere without a pen handy, but I know for certain I'm not the only Mama who has solved a problem, found a great title, come up with one more bullet-point or decided how to organize globs of information so it flows coherently while the lather streams down.
(And that was a very LONG sentence! :D)
Here's what I want to know, specifically: Do YOU get ideas in the shower? Think of it as an informal poll. Even if you're not a writer, I would like to know just how many of us find the process of lather, rinse, repeat so inspiring, and WHY?
One thing is certain. Whenever I'm working on a particularly difficult assignment, I get sqeaky clean!
What about you?
Saturday, December 15, 2007
A Clean Idea
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11 comments:
I don't get ideas in the shower because I'm in and out so quickly, but the bathtub.... Yes, definitely! Turn the lights on low, bubbles, aromatherapy candles, soft music, and a cheap notebook and pen that can withstand a few water splashes. Lock the door so the kids and animals have to fend for themselves. Why is it such a great place for inspiration? Very few interruptions, complete relaxation, no deadlines or distractions.
I get mine in the bath, but I've got a tape recorder, so I just stop what I'm doing and record as much as I can, coherently. :)
I don't really know where I get my ideas... sometimes in the shower... but I only shower in the morning and my brain is never fully awake there.
Sometimes driving, when I hear something on the radio or start thinking about a news story.
The common theme is that I get my ideas when I'm nowhere near my computer, lol...
Sometimes I get them in the middle of chaperoning a field trip for my daughter's class. That's in keeping with the theme of being somewhere where you can't write it down!
My ideas arrive while I'm driving. I've actually pulled over before to jot things down.
I get ideas in the shower and also, annoyingly, leads. Completely "written" paragraphs to start the article I'm working on!
I wrote a poem on this topic once and, if I can find it, will post it here.
And, yeah, other places where I have no pen and paper, too.
Why? The act of our brain knowing we can't write anything down takes the pressure off it to write. :) At least, that's my theory.
Sure do. That's where I get most of my ideas because my brain doesn't start waking up til I'm in there, so I still have my creative thoughts that haven't yet been soiled by every day drearydom. I leave a trail of water between the shower and the computer. (Well after washing all the hard to reach spots. Come to think of it, all my spots are hard to reach. Wonder if that's an idea--Amy wanders off.)
If I ever took a shower alone for more than four minutes at a time, I'm sure I'd be wallowing in ideas. As it is, between the baby shakin' her bad thang then sprinting naked out the front door (thank goodness we're in the country with not-close neighbors. Not for her...me in pursuit) and me having the memory of dental floss, I have a difficult time if I don't write things down immediately.
Linda, at least you pull over!
Wynter, the mind picture of you chasing your youngest down a snowy mountain... too funny!
Amy, did you know that in your Blogger profile there isn't a link to your blog anymore? Not that I don't know the address, but I was being lazy and clicked on your name to go to your blog, but noooo MindOverMullis link! Is it intentional? Is it like some kind of reward thing? (You only get to laugh at Amy's posts if you have the gumption to get there the right way?) ;)
Dawn - I totally want to read your poem!
I can't say I get great ideas in the shower...or in the bathtub. I do have a few tricks though. When in the bathtub, keep a small trickle of water running at all times; it tends to drown (ha!) out any activity outside that bathroom door. Generally, I read in the bathtub...not that you needed that visual in your mind.
Oh and since many of you are talking about locking the kids out, I feel you really must know. SOME kids figure out how to pick the lock. I swear, my little boy was about five when he figured this one out. Now I just push the sink and toilet against the door...kidding. ~Karen-bob
Yes, I do, strangely enough. Maybe it's because it's the one quiet place and the rhythm/white noise of the shower is calming and therapeutic. But of course, that's when I get to take one longer than the three-minute-mama-miracle.
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