What does it take to write? What does it take to create? My answer to these questions is a moment, it takes a moment. For the last week or so I’ve had the thought in my head that I should drive down to the local Barnes & Noble during my lunch break and wander through the aisles and judge the books by their covers. Yes, I’m aware of the old adage “Never judge a book by its cover.” but that’s how you end up surprised, sometimes. Don’t get me wrong, I still gravitate towards my tried and true (read proven) authors, but there’s something exciting about not knowing what you’re getting yourself into. Before I go too far off on this tangent of book shopping habits let’s return to the beginning. That moment.

This morning I was expecting, hoping, for clouds but instead I was greeted with clear blue skies. Despite the disappointment in the beautiful clear weather I brought my camera long with me on my way to work. I didn’t notice anything on the drive in and certainly I was too busy working to pay any attention to my camera or possible photo opportunities but when lunch time came and I stepped outside I notice something. There was a chemtrail in the sky. It had been there some time and an atmospheric breeze had smeared it across the sky. And as my luck would have it, it was smeared right across the sun. Inspiration instantly struck me. In that moment I decided to take a few pictures. In my mind I was thinking this might not work being that I’m looking directly into the sun but what the hell, might as well. When the headache I earned from staring at the sun finally faded I looked at the results of my photography session in the camera and came away surprised. I was excited, almost giddy.

It takes that one moment of inspiration to create. Observe everything but make sure to take the time to also enjoy the quiet times.

For those of you interested while perusing the aisles of Barnes & Noble I picked up the following books:

  • The Origins of Creativity by Edward O. Wilson – The title intrigued me. Being that when I’m not sharing prose or poems I blog about being creative I thought this would be informative.
  • 1984 by George Orwell – I’ve never read this book. It’s a book that’s been on my radar for quite some time and since I recently finished The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger (I didn’t like it too much) I should finally read 1984.
  • No Country for Old Men by Cormac McCarthy – The first book of McCarthy’s I read was The Road and it was haunting. It stuck with me. Within the last six months I came across more of his novels and recently read Child of God and Outer Dark, both books stuck with me.
  • The Crying of Lot 49 by Thomas Pynchon – I picked up Gravity’s Rainbow years ago and couldn’t get through it. I then tried to read V. three separate times and couldn’t finish it. I was determined to get through a Pynchon book and luckily for me Inherent Vice came along and I loved it. Pynchon’s next book Bleeding Edge was another book I couldn’t put down. Sometimes I get stubborn and even if I don’t like some works I’m determined to read them all.

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Thanks for reading. Get out there and create. Enjoy!