I began writing this blog while at camp with my daughter. This is camp, see how pretty it is?
The perfect place to write, yes? That is until I realized I was sharing my bed with someone who wasn’t my child. Who had four legs and was covered in fur. I tell the full story here, but if you are unable to click let’s just say at one time I had a point to what was written below, but then it was gone, and I’m going to blame it on a mouse.
I don’t drink coffee, so instead of beginning my morning with a latte I run to the convenience story for a 79 cent diet coke. It never fails that the person ringing me out always suggests something else. Would you like chips? Perhaps a newspaper? Even when I do have multiple things, there’s always something that could be suggested. The other day, I told my husband I wanted to go in and buy a pop, a newspaper, a magazine, some nuts, package of diapers, gatorade, chips, tankful of gas, cigarettes, bottle opener, six pack, gum, milk and a lottery ticket, and see what the person behind the counter would suggest, because I think I had everything covered.
Husband told me I’d forgotten the Mickey Mouse lighter.
Ugh!
And that’s where my notes ended. I had no more for this blog post, and what’s worse….I couldn’t remember the original point. I can’t tell you how long I stared at that spiral notebook willing for some small snippet of a memory to show up.
Nothing did.
So, I tried to come up with points. The value of being organized. Being happy with what you have. Or the opposite of that – reaching for something new. Maybe it was goal setting. Go in for a drink, come out with a drink. Okay, okay, I know reaching. And not very good at that.
You know what really makes this sad, what really burns me up about this… I’m thinking that perhaps, just maybe, it was the best idea I’ve ever had in my entire life and now it’s gone.
There’s not a writer I know who hasn’t lost a really amazing idea because they didn’t write it down. I know writers who carry around a portable tape recorder. Or leave a notebook by their bed just in case. I have ideas jotted down on anything from napkins to the back of receipts. Hey, maybe that was the point. The importance of keeping something close at hand because you never know when the big idea will come. Of course if that were the case, I would have had to have known that I was going to lose the ideas I’d originally developed while at camp.
I’m giving up now, but hopefully I’ll leave you with this one profound thought…Mickey Mouse lighter with that?
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LOL Jill. Here’s a point–stupid things people say at checkout counters.
At the grocery store where I shop, they always greet me with, “Hi, did you find everything you were looking for today?” I know it’s company policy, because all the checkers say it–even the grumpy ones. And I always think, “Oh, now that you’re scanning my groceries, you want me to give you the list of 5 things I missed so I can reeeeally piss off those three people in line behind me while we all stand around waiting for a clerk to go track them down.”
Okay, okay. I know it’s good business that they ask, but I always think that.
I think sometimes the opposite happens. I *find* story ideas and even chapters on my hard drive that I didn’t know I’d had. I get an idea, write up a vague notion of characters & situation, and if I’m really excited, write a chapter or two.
And then, I forget about it, because I’m running into a deadline, or I’ve had an editor request a different book, or I just run out of steam. (g)
Then the next time I’m twiddling my thumbs wondering what to work on next, I find a gem I’d forgotten.
I don’t worry about ideas that I let slip away, b/c I always think they’ll come back when I need them.
Great looking camp! Hope you had fun…mice notwithstanding. :-O
Bonnie
Jill, what is that thing behind the cabin? Is that what they call a “hill?”
Heather, living in the Gulf Coastal Plains
LOL, Jill.
When you wrote four legs and fur, the first thing my mind went to was a tarantula. Yeah, I know, they have eight legs. So, I’m alittle slow. Seems like a deer, a rabbit, or even a wolf would have been a more logical choice, so my only possible explanantion is I’m scared to death of spiders in my bed, OR a mouse is SO much more horrible, I couldn’t even imagine that possibility. :-O
I’m glad I’m not the only one who loses a train of thought and then can NEVER remember it again. Makes me feel slightly less old. Although I don’t have your excuse… Still, I–wait a minute. What was the point I was going to make?
Hey Jill, I tend to lose my train of thought a lot when it comes to writing…if I don’t have anything to write on right away, I always lose a piece of what I was thinking…and you know what? It is possibly the best idea I ever had in my entire life…but, hey, can’t do anything about that now…Love the blog though…even if it isn’t what you wanted to write…I really love the pic of the cabin…it is so cute…
Peace and love,
Paula R.
Pretty cool post. I just came by your blog and wanted to say
that I have really liked reading your posts. Anyway
I’ll be subscribing to your blog and I hope you write again soon!
Those elusive ideas, so tricky. I’ve done the same thing many times, often in actual conversation and have to ask what the heck we were talking about originally because I did actually have a point.
I also find it works the other way. I can sit and try to write an essay paper with all my notes and be all logical and brainy, but then I sit at the keyboard and suddenly my fingers take over and I end up writing something totally different than what I planned. Luckily it’s usually better than intended, but it’s still a mystery as to how that works.
Perhaps the point was something akin to “no matter how prepared you think you are or perfect your writing is, there’s always something more you could add?”
Jill, a mouse? lolol! I like the little critters but NOT to share a bed with. Enjoyed your article. Thanks for the laughter today!
Um, napkins/papertowels aren’t always safe. Nope, nothing like ripping the car apart to look for it a blue paper towel you grabbed from the service station you just filled up at and then wrote about 5 quick paragraphs while waiting. The perfect thing you needed for that small wall you were facing.
Your 14 year old comes out, “What ARE you looking for mom? Did you lose some money?”
A blue paper towel I wrote something important on.
“A blue one? cough, cough. From the gas station?”
Hearing his tone of voice, I look at him, Jake, PLEASE tell me you didn’t throw it away.
“Yes. No. Well, it’s in the little trash bag there…but…sorry mom, I blew my nose on it.”
Ah, life is full of those little surprises, isn’t it?
>>When you wrote four legs and fur, the first thing my mind went to was a tarantula. Yeah, I know, they have eight legs. So, I’m alittle slow.
I had the same thought as Jillian. Then I thought “puppy.” A mouse is so disappointing after puppy. (&)
I fixed some of those “I just had the greatest idea ever and now I’ve lost it” problems by buying a Dell Mini. This thing goes everywhere with me. It’s smaller than a hardback and way lighter. I keep all my notes on it and I write on it as well. I have software for “offline” blogging which works fabulously and since I got this little beauty I’ve been so much more productive.
My husband used to tease me about all the notebooks and to do lists I keep. I used to carry a notebook, notepad, or some sort of tablet everywhere we went, but it was inevitable that when I need to those notes or that to do list I couldn’t remember which notebook it was in or where said notebook was.
And as far as Lori was saying about greetings… sometimes the folks at Moe’s really drive me nuts. It’s a nice idea to welcome all your customers. But do I really need four different people to yell “Welcome to Moe’s” the instant I walk through the door? :-S
Can’t wait to read the fur story.
And I hear you sister on writing things down. Ugh! I have to do it immediately or risk losing whatever it is forever.