Ta ta da, ta ta da, ta da da da.

Ta ta da, ta ta da, ta da da da.

(Think horns at a race track announcing the beginning of the race.)

And we’re off!

I’ve been typing for two hours and I have a hefty 936 words. I actually had a few more this morning but I changed my story and started again. To tell the truth I have four story lines I could go with. Lots of creativity – little solid direction. Sounds like more than a few areas in my life. Starting things doesn’t seem to be a problem; it’s all those cardinal planets in my chart. But alas no earth signs to keep me on track.

At least, I was able to turn the TV off and present myself to the keyboard. Showing up at the canvas. That’s what Robert Glenn says in the painter’s keys twice weekly letter about creativity and painting. If you want to produce art, your job is to first show up at the canvas. Even if you can’t think of anything to paint, you need to be there, you need to make a tiny start. One line, one brush stroke, it all starts there. Matisse would only have been great in his own imagination if he didn’t show up to do the work everyday. It’s not easy, maybe it’s not even supposed to be easy, but it’s essential. There is no other way to get there.

I remember reading Twyla Tharp’s book on creativity where she tells about getting up at 5:30 am every morning, donning her cloths and getting into a taxi to go to her studio to work out. She never considered not going; she never even thought about it, she just went.

Nike built a billion dollar business around it. Just do it.

So is this story line the best one. I don’t know. But I have the feeling that it doesn’t matter. I need to show up at the keyboard. It isn’t going to happen in the shower or over coffee in Starbucks with friends or even dreaming up plots sitting on my beautiful back porch. The only way it will happen is if I show up at the keyboard.

Thanks for the pep talk, Cat. Now back to work…