Many years ago I cut a Calvin & Hobbes cartoon strip out of the newspaper because it wholly represented my approach to writing. The strip is yellowed and a little tattered in the corners where it’s been pinned numerous times to many a cork board over the past 25 years or so. Hobbes asks Calvin if he’s come up with an idea for his story, and Calvin replies that he’s waiting for inspiration. “You can’t just turn on creativity like a faucet. You have to be in the right mood,” Calvin lectures his tiger pal. “What mood is that?” Hobbes asks. Calvin replies, “Last-minute panic.” Guilty. Since July I’ve known that I have to write a story for storytelling show I’m in on Oct 23. I kept telling myself I had plenty of time for inspiration to strike. Two weeks out and I still have bubkis. Sure, a couple of ideas, but otherwise uninspired. One doesn’t really fit the show’s theme (even though that doesn’t matter), and the other is meh (at least in my head). I’ve heard fabulous stories the essence of which weren’t all that dramatic in themselves, but the telling of the story was incredible, which made the story good. I keep telling myself the story particulars don’t have to be earth-shattering, just the way I tell it. So far my ego isn’t convinced. I also know that once I start writing, the story itself begins to flow. My BFF, Procrastination, and I are working that one out as we speak. But it might take some time. Accepting ideas.