Alternate Designation: She Put The Octane In My Engine And I Rode Her All Day
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It's before 7am and even the sun has not bothered to get its lazy ass up. I lean on my kitchen counter to prepare the morning's cup of "322" elixir. Three shots espresso, two shots Kahlua, two shots dark rum, a fist full of granola and the other ice cubes. Blend? No, liquefy. I love how the ice crunches in my blender like numbers in an accountant's wet dream. Fifteen seconds and I spell relief, but I'm not awake yet, so I just sound it out phonetically.
Now the ingestion. Pound it like not only is there no tomorrow, but like today is ending right now unless this concoction is dancing with the enzymes in the next five seconds. I suppose I could sip, but I think the violent motion wakes me up just as much as the drink itself.
It's a virus that spreads through the host, and there's nothing like the caffeine jitters to shake up a random thought for creative use. So good I get a ringing in my ears, as if a smoke alarm is playing Earth Wind & Fire underwater. This routine is the beginning of my daily psychosis, my creative chainsaw to hack through everyday life.
Of course, I've never actually done this little routine. But I like to pretend I do. That my morning cup of coffee will taste celestial if I honestly believe it will bring me to a higher level, to make my brain Hulk out. Cue the metamorphic music, and Lou Ferrigno steps into my skull and growls and pushes running tractors backward and produces me some righteous art and writing. Dig it, sucka.
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If only it were that easy. We all know what our optimal creative state is, and yet we acknowledge that it's hard to get into that zone. Sure, things like a good breakfast or some strong coffee or good herbs (I mean the vitamin form, my ganja toking friends out there) will get us into the groove, but it means nothing without the mental mindset.
Article comments
1 - DrPat
What an image -- Lou Ferrigno Hulking out in your brain! Not for nothing did the British Empire come about after the assumption of tea- (and coffee-)drinking became a central ceremony in the culture...
2 - Lisa McKay
...or ultimately the basic conscious decision to do what you want without distraction
That would seem to be the key. Most of the other stuff comes under the heading of 'procrastination'. I do believe that most creative pursuits consist of more effort (read 'work') than inspiration, and the daily discipline of just doing it is what seems to elude most of us.
3 - Mark Sahm
DrPat, if only I could have a couple more brain-hulks every day, I'd be a content man.
Lisa, it also has something to do with being truly alive, and not just on auto-pilot because our daily routines are so engrained in us. While this takes effort as well, the daily grind rarely requires us to step too far out of our comfort zones. True creativity is always far away from that, which makes it hard to attain, but never impossible. Thanks for the comments.
4 - JELIEL
HYPE, the drink of brain-speed freaks. I pop one of those suckers when I need to type something up. Oh and put some Neil Young music on.
That was a great read by the way.
5 - Mark Sahm
Thanks Jeliel. I agree that some good music is necessary for whenever I write, that it helps lend a lyricism to some passages (without quoting that is).
6 - Phillip Winn
I loved, loved, loved the opening graf. Enjoyable article, thanks!
7 - Mark Sahm
Phil: I recommend you and the crew try that elixir before the next podcast. I guarantee a high energy show!