Is Her Name Muse?

Creativity is a slippery little devil. It cuddles up to me and whispers in my ear just as I’m falling asleep, all promises and blandishment. In the morning, however, it is all rumpled and its eyes are crusty and it squinches up its face and says Go away.

So, I go about my house, doing small chores and cleanings, keeping one eye on the grumplepuss and hoping that it will work out the kinks and come play. Finally, giving up, I sit at my computer, play some game, edit a story, look at images I’m considering for a book cover—and the little stinker just lays there and snores. Hmph. I’m staring deadlines in the face, and it can’t be bothered.

Grumbling under my breath, I wander into the kitchen thinking about dinner. I could come up with something tantalizing and tasty that would make my husband sit up and bark if I could only get some help from the lay-about in the other room, but noooo. Fine. I’ll just reheat the chicken and dumplings we had two nights ago and make some rice with…

I’m standing at the refrigerator, door open, with my eyes fastened on the pot in my hands, but my mind is juggling three different ideas for the book cover I’ve been contemplating. Coming to myself I hear the giggle behind me and smell the sweet breath of Creativity washing over me. Poor Ed. His dinner will have to wait. I have a will-o’-the-wisp to follow….

IGAD!

Things at rest tend to remain at rest. Things in motion tend to remain in motion. And it takes quite a bit of schnizzle (as my friend, Ian, would say) to change from one to the other.

I believe this is called the Law of Inertia. Or maybe it’s one of Newton’s Laws. Science is not my area of expertise, so I could be entirely mistaken about the titles or names, but I’m very sure of the truth of this notion.

I’ve noticed that when I sleep in, it takes a lot longer to actually wake up. And when I sit around playing video games (ok, Drue, I’ll admit that I’m addicted to that game – but I’ll get over it before you get your room truly clean)…as I was saying, when I sit around all day, it’s much harder to get started on dinner or a project than when I’ve been over-busy all day. Time off can be counter-productive.

Having been out of work since March, I’ve been suffering from IGAD syndrome (I’ve Got All Day). I didn’t make this up. I read it somewhere and I’d gladly give credit to the originator if my head could hold two thoughts together without them knocking each other out. Unfortunately, I’ve only just got this idea to wake up and it’s probably the other idea who remembers.

IGAD means that I don’t need to start on it (whatever “it” is) until later because, ah, you’re ahead of me…I’ve got all day. So I play my FrontierVille, or—well—play my FrontierVille until Ed comes home for lunch and catches me still in my nightie, with greasy hair, sitting at the computer. I often jump up and try to look like I’ve been doing something significant, but we both know.

So, using my vast scientific knowle…er…knowing vaguely that if I wanted to get myself out of my state of inertia, I’d need to do something drastic, I began making deals with myself. Okay, that may not seem drastic, but a body has to start somewhere. I told myself that I’d do five actions on FrontierVille, then go unpack a box. Then three actions and fold a load of laundry. Five more actions and start the potatoes for dinner. And it’s worked! Not only have I unpacked quite a number of boxes, done all the laundry (including ironing all of Ed’s shirts), and made lots of food, but tonight, I started two new watercolors.

I don’t know if my kind of personality can ever be regulated and dependable (unlikely), but I’m hoping that I can remain active and vibrant and creative. The inertia that keeps me dull and slothful can also keep me humming along…I just need to say IGAD, I’ve Gone And Dunnit!