…always hit at the worst time.
This isn’t the first time this has happened to me. I am once again having to consider a waterproof laptop.
Yes, I was in the shower when an idea that would feed a whole chapter hit me. It was all I could do to hurry up and rinse the conditioner out of my hair before I went running to my laptop in a towel to get the idea down before I forgot it.
My family has come accustomed to me jumping up from a game or leaving the dinner table to make a quick note. I have my phone by me when we watch a movie just in case something hits me. It’s a Treo & it has Word on it and I can almost always decipher the notes I make in haste.
Unlike trying to remember three items when I walk into a store and can only remember two, once I get on a roll with a good WIP (work in progress for the few who may not be on AW), I can usually keep a good momentum going and get the scenes to play out. I never outline or know where I’m going, the characters usually just take over. This has to start with that initial idea, however, and I hate to lose it so with my history, I have to get the idea down as soon as possible.
The phenomenon of “I have an idea” then in a minute “Gah!! It was right there!” goes by many names. Blonde moment, brain fart, etc. (I refuse to use Senior moment ’till I get that damn discount and start dying my hair blue!) It’s related to the hereafter, I’m sure of it. I used to sell this mug in our coffee shop:
It was one of our best sellers; too many can relate I suppose. 
As for Sunday night anyway, mission accomplished. Thought saved and chapter written. With yesterday’s snow day, the chapter panned out nicely without interruption. I am glad hubby insisted on the real wood floor. If we had gone for the pressed stuff, I’m pretty sure it would be curling up at the edges from all my dripping treks to the laptop. That would be a little hard to make an insurance claim on.
Oh… the beatings our home and family takes for our craft. Could’ve been a lot worse I suppose. The neighbor coulda been over and I could have forgotten the towel. There just isn’t enough eye bleach on the planet for that. 
Being a creative thinker is awesome isn’t it? Can you imagine how boring family life would be without these moments? My family has accepted the fact that ‘Mommy spaces out’ now and then. I don’t rush to the computer, I jump into the scenes in my head and live them out first before I write them down. (I’ve always done this, even as a little girl) But now I think its a wonderful gift I am giving my own children. (One of whom does it too.) They are witnessing someone who is pursuing her goals. They are living in a house that encourages creative thinking over anything else. In my book, thats pretty cool!
I’ve gotten ideas in the middle of work; A phrase or incident usually is what gets the juices flowing. Then I go into my office, put a Conference Call sticky on the door and write the idea down. LOL! Works all the time. Just Kidding.
But I do run into “Aha!” moments. I was laughing at work the other day, and a colleague said, “Hey! Stop laughing, it’s like stealing from the company.” He said it was a Dilbert phrase. I thought about creating a short skit from that line.
Oh shush with the eye bleach.
I prefer brain farts. I was talking with a woman the other day, went off on a tangent, then said “what was my point?” She laughed and said “I’m so glad you do that too.” I am horrible at that!
Yay for getting the chapter down. I’ve been thinking about my wip when I go to bed in the hopes that inspiration will strike, but so far I’ve just been falling asleep.
Awesome views, Turkey. People do say my daughter is drawn to the writing ’cause of me. I hope it’s a good thing!
ToT – I’d love to see it! I love office humor – mainly ’cause I don’t have any since I work alone. I have to live through others
Hooey – gah – I’m the worst at that! I remember how great matched we were in Chi town! too funny! Now go get on that WIP!
Ha! This is so familiar. why, just the other day I was…
…wait, that wasn’t me.
So… they monkey has spoken. Had I known I just had to wear a towel for you to show up… I’d've done it long ago