This morning, I was thinking about finding inspiration for my blog post. Then, it hit me. What better to write about than inspiration itself?
Below are some things that bring me happiness and get the creative wheels turning.
I've done my best to capture them and bottle my joy -- or at least put it in a teeny, tiny vase for all to see. Observe:
Looking at all the Houses Down Below
Lately, I have been taking a short walk every day, just up and down a nearby hill and then to a spot where I can see the valley below our home.
I love looking out at all the other houses and imagining all the little moments of elation and devastation that must go on inside each of them.
Maybe she just landed her dream job, maybe his wife is leaving him, maybe they're all together for the first time in a really long time.
Sometimes, on my walks, I get the privilege to overhear some of these little stories. The real ones are always better than anything I could have imagined.
Last week, I heard a teenage girl crying to her mother about the too-high heels she wanted to wear to homecoming. I wonder if she ended up getting to wear them.
Having Somewhere to Go
I absolutely adore traveling, and this month, I've been getting excited for our trip to Boston and New Orleans.
We're gonna go be "leaf peepers," and walk the Freedom Trail, then we're going to go celebrate Halloween New Orleans style.
I absolutely cannot wait.
Travel reminds me that the world is bigger than the place I live and the things I'm worrying about. It also creates memories that last a lifetime, and nothing is more valuable than that.
I'm already overcome with memories of both Boston and New Orleans just writing this post:
A Good Mouthful
Some of my favorite memories from traveling involve food. Just today, I was thinking about visiting my cousin, Suzy (who takes all my pictures, by the way), and how we went to a place called AL's Place in San Francisco.
The waiters served us a salad we could eat with our hands, and Sam and Suzy laughed at me so hard when I just dug in and stuck some lettuce in my mouth. Talk about fine dining!
Genuinely, I think it's so cool that this thing we have to do to survive (eat) can be such a pleasurable, magical experience.
I am beyond excited for all the oysters, lobstas, clam chowder, and seafood we will eat in Boston, introducing Sam to New York Bagels, and absolutely demolishing a crawfish boil and some shrimp and/or catfish po boys in New Orleans (pictured). Oh, and beignets and coffee with chicory and fried chicken.
Actually, I'm just excited to eat my way through New Orleans. If I lived there, I would never fit into my pants again.
Things That Are Gross
If you know me, you know that I love horror movies. I cannot get enough of the dark stuff, and I literally cannot look away from something that is horrific or gross.
Literally, last night, there was a bit of a maggot situation in our kitchen, and I oscillated between running away and taking just one more peek because ew. Maggots belong in horror movies. I am not taking notes at this time.
Also, don't get me wrong. I don't wish ill on anyone. Still, I am thrilled that Ari Aster and Sam Raimi and the entire country of Japan exist because I truly think horror allows us as humans to get our darkest urges out without hurting anyone.
I also think being in touch with your dark side is healthy and fun!
Being Engrossed
Okay, I started a rhyming thing, and I'm sticking with it, but this is just an excerpt from my long internal love letter to art.
There's nothing quite like being engrossed in a good book, or having a song stuck in your head, or even just going to the movies or flipping on your favorite show after a long day at work.
I'm currently reading The Family Tabor by Cherise Wolas, and I'm obsessed with it.
I'm also obsessed with her as a writer. I recommend giving The Family Tabor a read because it so perfectly describes:
What it's like to play in the pool with your family (pictured).
The love we all have for young family members (shoutout to my adorable cousins, Ada, Jude, and Caden).
The ongoing internal monologue we all have in our heads while facing our internal demons, navigating social situations, and deciding what to share and what to keep to ourselves.
I love Cherise Wolas. Please check her out if you like writing that is ambitious, artful, and true.
The best movie I saw recently was Pearl, and Mia Goth deserves an Oscar for that performance.
I'm currently between (fictional) shows, but I just finished (and loved) season one of Abbott Elementary, and Sam and I are loving The Great British Bake Off, including all the drama surrounding Mexico Week.
Hit me up with recommendations for a new show to binge -- or just any art, anytime, really.
And of Course, a Rose
This section really just represents nature, particularly living things. Nature rocks, okay? And I feel like I've become much more "outdoorsy" in recent years.
Here's a pic of me with a deer to prove it:
Anyways, from cuddling with Rizzo the cat in the morning to hearing birdsong while I write to seeing a coyote during a quiet morning drive to pulling over for deer in Yosemite to checking out lizards on the porch to spotting hummingbirds on my daily walk, nature is the best.
Sam (my boyfriend) is the only person I've ever met who literally stops to smell the flowers, and I love him all the more for it, because I've learned to stop, too.
Recently, I find myself bringing something home every time I go outside -- a snail shell, a cool leaf, a tiny yellow flower.
I think this represents my urge to reconnect with the natural world, and I believe that's an urge all of us have -- perhaps now more than ever when so much of our lives has been digitized.
I know I'm not the first person to say it, and I am far from the first person to write it, but yeah, the earth, and all the brilliant creatures it holds, are pretty inspiring.
I could go on all day, but I won't.
Please tell me what you find inspiring by filling out my contact form (at the bottom of my home page) or sending me a message at loganrosereadsandwrites at gmail dot com.
If you want to pay me to write more things about any of these topics, please do not hesitate to visit my services and pricing page and send me an email! :)
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