I’m often asked how I come up with ideas for my Annie Bites and my answer is always the same: ‘I have no clue.’
Well, that’s not entirely true.
What’s true is my ideas seem to come when I’m walking Harley.
Well, except sometimes they come when I’m not walking Harley.
Sometimes they come when I’m thinking about how I should be walking Harley but I’m not. Not yet, anyway.
Of course, other times they come after I’ve walked Harley.
The worst (for Harley, anyway) is when they come just as I’m about to walk Harley but I have to stop and write stuff down (or record it on my handy dandy phone) so it won’t slip out of my head and go into someone else’s.
By this time, I’ve usually forgotten that I was going to walk Harley at all. Sometimes that’s when an idea will come too.
But not always, so I can’t count on that.
I used to think my best ideas came when Harley and I were on really long walks but I’m not so sure anymore. Like the other day, I had what I thought were some killer ideas but when I looked around, we’d only walked three blocks. So much for that theory.
Then I started thinking that my best ideas came when I was lying down. Turns out, that’s totally unreliable because sometimes I nod off and when I wake up, I can’t for the life of me remember any of my ideas.
Recently, I thought maybe my best ideas came because I happened to be working in the garden. But when I was out there the other day, not one good idea came at all.
I guess what’s clear is there’s actually no rhyme or reason, no system, and no tried and true process for how these bites come to be.
They don’t actually happen because I walk Harley or don’t walk Harley, lie down or don’t lie down, garden or don’t garden.
The only discernible pattern I can detect is 1) they happen when I least expect it and 2) they happen when I’m not trying at all.
I’m just minding my own business, not thinking about how I need to figure out what I’m going to write. Out of nowhere, thwomp! An idea will land in my head.
“Ohhhh!” (I’ll excitedly say to myself) “This might be an Annie Bite!” and sometimes, that’s exactly what happens.
Voila, a bite is born.
(I’ll spare you the agonizing story of how many other little bites never come into being).
Instead I’ll leave you with the idea that came to me the other day…..
Even though it might seem like it has nothing to do with anything, I really think it sort of has something to do with everything.
And just for the record, it came while I was walking Harley.
10 things you probably won’t be saying on your death bed:
1) Now is a good time for a selfie.
2) Has anyone seen my keys?
3) I wish I’d been meaner.
4) Turns out my butt really was too big.
5) I’m so glad I held myself back.
6) Who were those people?!
7) I’m grateful I wallowed in the past and worried about the future because being present was completely overrated.
8) I wish I’d had more letters after my name.
9) I should have spent more time alone.
10) I’m going to miss my phone so much.
What would you add to this list? C’mon, have a little fun. I’d love to hear your ideas.
Hope you’re finding your way in these strange and wild times. xo