Every writer supposedly has a go-to venue for inspiration.
For some it’s locked away in a cabin isolating themselves from any human contact
whatsoever. Don’t believe me? Go watch “Secret Window” with Johnny Depp. For
others, inspiration could be found while taking bubble baths and gorging on a
box of Russell Stover chocolates. I assume that last class of people can be stereotyped
as women in their mid-30’s, but don’t quote me on that.
As for me, the majority of my creative juice starts
flowing when a midnight run forces me to the point of near dehydration out in
the St. George desert. Yes, it may in fact be my personal version of forced
hallucination, but either way I think when it’s after 1 am on a Saturday night
and I’m logging away the miles on my New Balances, I can come up with some
solid material for you to giggle over in church.
For full effect, download “Chicken Fried” by Zac Brown Band
and play at maximum volume throughout the duration of this post. And on a side
note, please don’t tell Calvin that I might be getting a slight itching for some country music tunes. I can't let that get out.
Life can be overwhelming at times. You have to agree with me
on that one. Every single one of us gets to a point in our days or weeks where
we just let out a long exhale, sit back in our chair at work and let a routine sensation
of surrendering trickle down through our heads. We get to the point where a
whole slew of “big-kid” choices bore us to the point of near hysteria.
I will admit I am not a fan of being a big kid. I don’t like
when the Ninja Turtle-loving giant that I am has to halt any type of outside
the box thinking and worry about making a mortgage payment. Or when I’m
knee-deep into telling an elaborate joke that involves a married couple, a
penguin, and a donut and my dialogue gets shoved onto the back burner because a
four-eyed supervisor with a mustache wants to interrupt and begin talking about putting cover sheets
on my TPS reports.
Being a big kid takes the glory days out of life
sometimes.
But aside from all of the big kid combustion that begins to
be mandatory once we all turn 18, there are a few little things that make being
a big kid a little less monotonous. Little things here and there that put a
smile on my big kid face. And I’m willing to bet my little sister’s left kidney
that they’ll put a smile on your face as well. So go ahead, chuckle a little bit
as you read the next few lines. Nobody’s watching you.
When my turn signal syncs with the beat of the Macklemore
song I’m listening to at an intersection.
Not remembering when Daylight Savings Time stops in the fall
and getting an extra hour of sleep.
Getting a late-night text message from friends I haven’t
talked to in six months.
Turning off the lights and lying down in my shower for 25
minutes to start off the day. It’s my glorious alternative to a snooze button.
Try it once and I swear on the holy grail you’ll be an addict.
Digging out the perfect sized crevasse for the gravy in a
fresh scoop of mashed potatoes.
Finally wiggling out that popcorn kernel that’s been stuck
in my teeth all movie long.
When the automatic doors at Harmon’s open at exactly the
right moment making me feel like the Lord of the grocery store.
Coming home from a long day at work, walking in my front
door and immediately taking off my pants. You can’t tell me that’s not a
relief.
Signing a smiley face instead of my initials when I go to
Maverick.
Being the little spoon. Granted this has happened for only
17 seconds of my adult life because hey, why would a girl want to drape herself
around a 6’5” behemoth such as myself? But being the little spoon, heck those
17 seconds were bliss.
Singing Bohemian Rhapsody in my car and pulling into my
destination just as Freddie Mercury lets out the last line of the song.
The smell of a brand new pair of basketball shoes.
Finding the last unbroken triangle in a bag of Doritos.
When no one sits in front of me at the movie theater and I
can kick my legs over their empty seats.
Having my footsteps line up with the different color of
tiles I’m walking on.
When a girl blushes and smiles at me for opening her door on
a first date.
Walking past a trucker in a random gas station on a
late-night road trip and both of us on cue give a mutual head nod with no words
exchanged.
Coming to the realization that I am not nearly as clumsy as
all of the other Yahoos posting videos on YouTube.
Part of me wonders if I should take this whole blogpost,
write it in cursive, superimpose it on to some picture of a sunset or an old
canoe on a peaceful lake, and then pin that .jpeg to someone’s board on
Pinterest. Because hey, motivational images that trigger emotional responses
are what the majority of women would classify as a little thing, right?
But seriously people, life is awesome. And it’s the unending
number of little things that happen every single day that make being a big kid
that much sweeter.
Wouldn’t you agree?
