You capture the germ of something. It's good. You work fast. Everything is lucid and frank. Nothing extra, nothing wasted.
You wait a bit and add more. It's bad. There's only one thing to do. Throw out the new, bad stuff. Leave it, and you'll ruin everything.
The first few sentences are still perfect. There lies the beauty. There lies the problem.
You labor a bit. It's fruitless. You have somewhere to be, so you go.
You forget about it for a while. You work on other things. The other things write themselves.
This beginning, this jewel of a thing hangs in the air. Until you find the proper middle and end that is where it will stay, suspended and waiting.
You're eager, but that won't get it done. Patience is what you need. You also must be ready to act quickly. Words sometimes arrive unbidden and unexpected.
Completion of this cultivated prose lies with the self that goes off script while doing the dishes. The shower is a think tank. So is the track.
You rein in this runaway train when it comes to paperwork, bills, forms and mathematics. You accommodate. You wish it were different. But you also treasure. For you, the wordsmith, that reckless vehicle is pure gold.
There's some good stuff inside this head. Creativity. Thinking thoughts other people don't. I also like to help people.
That said, I've exhausted myself.
I'd love to be easygoing. I'd love to stop thinking about the same things again and again. I'd love my brain to just shut up. It would also be good idea to shut up in general.
My feelings get hurt easily. I worry. I crave foods from my childhood at inopportune moments. I'm a lousy traveler.
I make a lot of lists. If I do not have access to the lists for any reason, then I remember nothing.
I have trouble with transitions. I'm sensitive to all substances. When my doctor prescribes something to me he gives me a smaller dose than other people.
I laugh really loud and people turn around and stare. Okay, that's actually a good thing. I have an infectious sense of humor. If I didn't have that, I'd probably be dead.
From the archives:
No Trophies
I don't care what your plans are for the election. I wrote this for you.
If you are sitting out the election, this is for you. Not voting may look like doing nothing. By making this choice you are doing something.
If you are voting for Clinton or Trump, this is for you. The more enthusiasm you bring to the table for either of these candidates, the more I want you to listen.
If you're dragging your feet to the polls to vote for the lesser of the evils because your preferred candidate did not win the nomination in the primary, this is for you.
If you are settling for the lesser of the evils because of the past or present behaviors of either major candidate, then this is for you.
If you are the undecided voter, keep this in mind as you live your way into a answer. Listening to me might make it easier.
If you are voting for a third party candidate to make a statement, then this is for you. If you are voting for a third party candidate because you think this person will gather a groundswell of support and win this election, this is for you.
If you've put a decal on your car, a sign on your lawn or shared something on social media about your preferred candidate, then this is for you.
If you've kept your plans steadfastly to yourself, you're not off the hook. You have an inner life. This is for you.
Vote. Or not.
Just don't drink the Kool-Aid.
Any action you take on Election Day can be done without opening that packet, mixing it with water, adding in ice, pouring a big glass and drinking it.
The Kool-Aid Man will come to your house, bust through your wall and create a whole lot of havoc with a big smile on his face if you let him.
Things will be a lot easier for you now if you think about this stuff. Not drinking the Kool-Aid will make those days and weeks after the election better whether your preferred candidate wins or not.
And lest you think I am talking about somebody else, Kool-Aid comes in all flavors. Hillary Clinton. Donald Trump. Jill Stein. Nobody's Good Enough For Me Flavor is still Kool-Aid if you make it and drink it.
The good news about analogies is that you can do things metaphorically that are difficult to do literally.
If you already drank the Kool-Aid take a few minutes now to un-drink it.
You might also enjoy:
Talking With Me About Stimulant Medication
Willpower And Compassion
Important Advice for New Parents
