Snapshots of a Modest Life

Artistic 3.0 (with semirelated tangent)

I find that when I'm trying to be artistic, it just doesn't work. I don't know why. It kind of sucks really. I feel like some of my best writing comes when I'm not even thinking about what I'm writing, just letting it flow, being myself. When I am myself strange things begin to happen. My imagination goes crazy, my mind wanders to some place far far away that is somehow reachable if I can only detatch myself from reality a little farther. I saw Finding Neverland a week ago and absolutely adored it; not because of the sterling performances of Johnny Depp and that one kid, but because I identify with the J.M. Barrie character deep down inside. I'm a child trapped in a college student's body (I won't say that I'm an adult, the prospect of being grown up is frightening and more than a little depressing). Perhaps that's why I loved Big Fish so much: I saw myself in those crazy stories. Based in reality, but so much more. Life would be boring without an imagination. I love my imagination.

I propose we have a national "Love Your Imagination" Day. Kids today are denied the opportunity to use their imaginations by being spoon fed everything through a screen or talking gizmo. If the kid can talk, he's doesn't need a talking Elmo anymore (and frankly they're creepy...there's actually a story behind my fear of talking stuffed animals; ask me some time), why provide Elmo with a voice when someone can do it for him. Somebody should sell stuffed animals with a tagline like "Says an infinate number of phrases when you provide the voice!" or "Says anything you want him to!" All of this to say, excercise your imagination, it's like cardio...for the brain!