The Rut

Sometimes it happens. You're going along with your creative life, producing and writing (or painting or  whatevs) and all of a sudden, the rut happens. Creativity screeches to a halt. Production stops. You're in the swamp.

My rut was caused by a loooonnnnnngggggg chain of Peculiar Events, but the point is: I've got to get out of it. So, here's what I'm going to do to pull myself out of my own little nasty slump:

1. Go and see Dark Shadows with my friend. Because I watched that stuff back in the 60's as a soap opera. Vampires + drama = good stuff in my book.

Quentin Collins, from the original show. That was good stuff back in the day.

2. Grill out a lot more. I'm talking burgers and dogs, of course, but also chicken, fish, veggies, and corn.

3. Make homemade icecream. I'm on a diet, so all I see when I look in my bowl is green. At some point this summer, that green will be Mint Chocolate Chip icecream.

Ooh, I like the tea cup idea! Cause then I have a little handle as I  inhale.

4. Go boogie boarding. So I'm in my fifties, right? A fine sport for a middle-aged lady is boogie boarding. I just picked it up two years ago. If you catch the wave right, it's a serious rush and I mean it.

5. Read a bunch of books, and I've mentioned them before, here and here. I've also added Gideon the Cutpurse for my YA book club, plus Gary Hoover just came out with the sequel to Land of Nod so you bet I'm going to be buying that sucker.

The cover reminds me of the books I used to get from Scholastic in fifth grade.

6. Do more Just Dance II. It's a great way to work out, and I'm getting really good at "Katti Kalandal." Bollywood, here I come!

7. Swim with my kid - and play Mermaids while we're at it. (I love how she accepts the idea that the pool vacuum is our pet baby dolphin; that concept makes perfect sense to her.)

8. Finally, finally, finally find a hummingbird feeder that works. If you have an idea of a good one, let me know.

9. Crochet a lavender sachet pillow .... nah, I'll never do that. Scratch that one.

10. Ignore all the drama and work on The South Sea Bubble and The Gramophone Society. Now, that I will do.