Today, I woke up thinking potato chips don't go with coffee.
Then I thought (of course):
But I can't blog about that!
People warned me this would happen. That I'd start to see my life like a blogging Hamlet. Too much navel gazing. Too much pondering the meaning of every little thing. (Not that slings and arrows are trivial, Hamlet---I don't mean to make fun of your distress. But after watching Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, my opinion of you hasn't been the same.)
One thing blogging has taught me is trust. I don't obsess over whether or not I'll have something "blog-worthy" each day. I simply wake up and write. I show up; the words show up---just like those writer books that preach Butt-in-Chair Time said they would.
My poetry writing has taught me trust, too. Take that line Potato chips don't go with coffee. It may be a ridiculous thought to wake up thinking, but it would be a surprising start to a poem.
Potato chips don't go with coffee
My alarm alarmed me with those words.
I told you
and you said
Led Zeppelin doesn't go with mashed potatoes
and I said
that's not the same thing!
And you said
you're alarming me, my sweet, raw potato.
You see? That may not be the most amazing poem I've ever written, but I like it.
Tell me about a time that you didn't reject the first thought that came to you. Tell me about when you followed a silly idea. Tell me why potato chips go with coffee.
People warned me this would happen. That I'd start to see my life like a blogging Hamlet. Too much navel gazing. Too much pondering the meaning of every little thing. (Not that slings and arrows are trivial, Hamlet---I don't mean to make fun of your distress. But after watching Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, my opinion of you hasn't been the same.)
One thing blogging has taught me is trust. I don't obsess over whether or not I'll have something "blog-worthy" each day. I simply wake up and write. I show up; the words show up---just like those writer books that preach Butt-in-Chair Time said they would.
My poetry writing has taught me trust, too. Take that line Potato chips don't go with coffee. It may be a ridiculous thought to wake up thinking, but it would be a surprising start to a poem.
Potato chips don't go with coffee
My alarm alarmed me with those words.
I told you
and you said
Led Zeppelin doesn't go with mashed potatoes
and I said
that's not the same thing!
And you said
you're alarming me, my sweet, raw potato.
You see? That may not be the most amazing poem I've ever written, but I like it.
Tell me about a time that you didn't reject the first thought that came to you. Tell me about when you followed a silly idea. Tell me why potato chips go with coffee.
What a fun thought! And now I'm a little more inspired to try to blog something every day. Usually I only blog if I feel like I have something "blog worthy to say."
ReplyDeleteAnyway fish and sneakers don't go together.
On a drive to Florida for a family vacation it was my turn to drive while the family slept. I had a paper due for a writing class so I spent my driving time thinking about a topic. I choose to think of things that don't go together and figure out a way to make those things go together in a story.
To make a long story short, my short story idea turned into an early reader chapter book about two goldfish who dream of getting out of their bowl and traveling the neighborhood. Their dream is realized when they find a way to maneuver a pair of sneakers. though it is not published, it was a ton of fun to write and my teacher loved it. Apparently there isn't much of a market for escapee fish in a pair of sneakers, but maybe one day there will be. :0)
It was good fun and good writing experience anyway.
Fun!
Christy
It sounds like a great title for a children's book. Maybe "Ice cream doesn't go with pickles" or something like that.
ReplyDeleteBTW: Dreams should always be trusted!
I kind of like the thought of potato chips and coffee together... the saltiness and the bitter. Of course, the coffee is black and strong.
ReplyDeleteI always trust the first thought of the day.
Because they are two of my favorite things -- my must-have beverage each morning and my downfall-favorite-snack.
ReplyDeleteI like this post, 'cause I can be way too cautious about not trusting my gut, just-do-it ideas.
Plus, "you're alarming me, my sweet, raw potato" has to be one of the best lines you've written.
Fun! I can't remember the last time I followed a silly, nonsensical thought...but I'm trying to be more open to that!
ReplyDeleteChips (and other salty things) are my major vice, too, jules. I don't count coffee as a vice. :)
ReplyDeletec.r.: I love your idea of the goldfish dreaming of a way to escape!
Sometimes I'll glance back over a past blog and wonder what in the world I was thinking when I wrote something. Then I remember that this is a discipline, an exercise. Do I do the yoga positions correct every time? No, but I'm THERE, and that's huge. So sweetie, you're THERE! (okay,HERE)And that's HUGE. But I really love potato chips and coffee. It's almost as good as cashews and coffee--the ultimate breakfast, imho
ReplyDelete