Sources for Inspiration

Throughout my life I have found inspiration in many different places. Sometimes it is while doing something totally mindless like walking down stairs, brushing teeth, shaving , etc. Other time it is more serendipitous like working on one task which isn’t going anywhere and getting an idea that has nothing to do with the task at hand. My favorite ways to be inspired involve observing others. I used to go to a mall, the bigger the better, sit on a bench and just watch people as they strolled by sometimes even hearing bits and pieces of conversations. This can lead one to think about who are these people, where are they from, what are they doing here and will I ever going to see these people again. I find it helpful just to wonder and imagine a story for each of these people, especially the more interesting ones. You will see couples, triples and even throngs of people making their way from one store to the next with nothing more on their mind but what should I get Uncle Jerry for his birthday or trying to catch the eye of that cute sales lady in the boutique clothing store. So many opportunities to explore a new story and if your particularly bored you can try combining stories. Take the lonely looking middle aged guy and the uptown society lady and imagine what would happen if they were married and had the 2 girls chatting up the guy in Old Navy? I tell you the possibilities are endless. Malls are good but this will also work anywhere people gather and mingle. A zoo, a museum, the DMV or even a courthouse. I remember the several times I had to go to court for my divorce and the wonderful ideas that came to me as I watched as people meandered in and out of the court room having their fate decided by a judge who was overworked and his clerks who were underpaid. You could write a sit com from this stuff. So, I hope you find stories and inspiration from this around you. You never know what you can come up with if you just sit back watch and listen.