I did it again. I went a day without posting so want to make two posts today. I considered getting up at four, so that one could argue it was still the middle of the night (even though we all know damn well it is not; thus we kid ourselves into believing what we like). However, I felt I needed the rest more than I needed to meet my own arbitrary goals. So here I sit at 7 a.m. trying to remember what I composed in my head at four before deciding to just go back to sleep. It probably wasn’t very good anyways.
That raises a subject I may or may not have blogged about before: writers are often given the advice to keep a notebook and pencil by the bed, because you will wake up in the middle of the night with a truly brilliant idea that you will NOT remember. Can any of you writers out there confirm to me that you have actually had such an idea, written it down in the night, AND (and here’s the kicker) still thought it was brilliant the next morning? I never have. And now I find sleep so necessary and yet so elusive, I don’t even want to wake myself up enough to write it down.
I know, I know, you will argue (you know who you are) that if I DON’T write it down, how will I know if it was or was not brilliant? Can I really be so profligate with my ideas that I am willing to just throw away all these inspirations? What do I think I am, some perpetual idea machine?
I must admit, that is a point. For example, one reason I did not make my blog post when I had time yesterday is that I could not for the life of me think of anything to write. In my defense, it was not the only reason. I also wanted to finish knitting a prayer shawl so I can get it blessed after church this morning (the reason sleep was so necessary at four).
So tonight when I go to bed, it will be with a notebook and pen at my side (maybe this will at least inspire me to clean off my bedside table; it needs it). Eventually perhaps I can write a blog post about the results.
