She strikes at the worst times and at the worst places.
I am rushing across town, pushing my two-year-old's stroller like a madwoman so I can get her to nursery school and then catch the bus to my office, when a brilliant idea flashes through my mind, with words and sentences so perfect that I smile with a kind of satisfaction that garners raised eyebrows from my fellow Manhattanites. But I can't possibly stop and start writing with a stroller handle in one hand, a lunch bag in the other, plus a purse on my shoulder, and a little (but infinitely adorable) screamer just inches from my face - or can I? No. Maybe I need to improve my multi-tasking skills, but until then, the words will have to wait and circle around until a more convenient time, or at least until I get to the office and take the two minutes to write them down while I get "organized" for the day.
But when I have nothing to do or, rather, when there is nothing that needs to be done right away, and I sit with my computer or my notepad - nothing. Not one lousy perfect sentence, not one brilliant idea. Rather unfair, is it not?
Maybe it is time for an iPhone so I can record while I walk (or take the elevator to my office, or stand on line at Whole Foods, or cook the food I just bought at Whole Foods) - I think iPhones can do that, right?
Ha ha ha! First, iPhone's are pretty great in that aspect (and others too, I'm a big fan!) They have a voice memo application that allows you record for a long time - so I found out when my 8 year old got ahold of it!
ReplyDeleteI understand about your muse being unaccomodating. My biggest writing idea, the one that turned my idea of becoming a writer one day to actually sitting down at the computer and doing something came at about 3am when I was feeding my 6 month old son. You try telling a hungry boy to hold on a sec...
Thanks Halli. I think it is time I get on board with this (although I am afraid my kid will be an expert with the iPhone before I even figure out how to use it).
ReplyDeleteSo you ended up using that very idea in your first project? How cool!
Now if someone could only develop an iPhone application that can read our thoughts when we so wish ... scary for sure but it would be so useful.
I will have to check out my iPhone. I didn't know that about it. I bought myself a small tape-recorder to keep in my car for that purpose but have since moved it out. A crumpled up fast food napkin on the floor usually serves the purpose, if I can find a pen.
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