While sleepless from coffee intake, I reflect on my inspiring weekend adventures.

Today I feel profound. Do you ever have those mid-afternoons? Where you think more deeply. You could stare at your toothbrush too long and somehow it would become the source of a new analogy on life, or you feel the need to write everything down, otherwise you might forget it and not be wise enough to remember it tomorrow. For me, this feeling is sort of a spill over from yesterday, but yesterday I didn’t have much time to be profound. Yesterday I was too busy being creative.

It really all started at lunch with my dad. We had good conversation. About the gospel and how to really share it, family, art, music, my recent thoughts on Donald Miller, how I really want go to Portland now (at which, he laughed), and a few other things. Good conversation makes me feel like I can conquer the world. I don’t know why. It’s like coffee for my soul or something.

After that I ran to Hobby Lobby. I walked in with intent on buying a canvas for my father like he asked. Now usually I can walk in and out of that store and be fine, but once every 8 visits or so, when I’ve had one of those profound days with good conversation, I go in and as the automatic doors open and that odd potpourri and stale holiday smell hits me, I think to myself “today I will unleash all my unknown talents!” Then there is this dramatic music that comes from nowhere and I go with confidence over to the sketchpad and drawing pencil isles and say, “I shall draw like I’ve never drawn before!” Which is an accurate statement, because I never draw. Then I spend twenty minutes picking something out and pretending I know what I am doing. I do a jig (yes, a jig, hip movement and all) over to the checkout with a ridiculous smile, make conversation, and wonder about the cashier’s real life outside of her lovely vest and nametag. Then I think about this one friend I have that used to work at Hobby Lobby and how one time before we had ever met, I smiled, made conversation, and wondered about her real life outside the vest as she checked me out as well. I remember thinking mostly about how I liked her glasses, but debated on telling her or not. Such a strangely specific memory.

I snap out of my odd daydream and make my way outside. I can hear the birds chirping in unison, but then something happens when I get in my car. The music stops and it doesn’t smell like holiday anymore. I stare at the bag now sitting in my passenger seat, taunting me, and take a moment to figure out what just took over my body and convinced my to buy this. I swear my own car is laughing at my by this point.

I feel very silly now as I make the long journey home. So silly, in fact, that I don’t feel cool enough for my alternative choice in music, so I turn on the radio. I think about giving the supplies to my sister, who would probably use it more than I would, considering she’s actually in art classes.

I hear the sounds of Katy Perry at a very low volume, sigh, glance to my right, and peeking out from underneath the bag is the corner of Blue Like Jazz and my bible. I am suddenly reminded of lunch with my dad. Words begin to fly around me at lightening speed, Christ! Journal! Poetry! Cool books! Camera! Music! Cats!! PORTLAND(?)!!!

I am suddenly inspired again. Inspired enough to turn on Beirut, and to sing very loudly about an Impossible Soul. Also, to draw things, maybe not like I’ve never drawn before, but probably how I always have.

So now that creativity has had a nice little stretch and yawn, today I am inspired to read and write. I have time for books and thoughts now. I shall think like I’ve never thought before! I'll even blog about it!

Just don’t let me go to the bookstore.