As I continue not to write, inspiration keeps sneaking up on me. I have a lot of time to think during my morning commute–ten minutes of which is on the highway. I turn on the cruise control, focus on the car in front of me, and let my mind wander.
Just as I return to surface streets there’s a billboard for the local hospital with an LED ticker that lists the names and weights of newborn babies. The first couple times I thought it was sweet, then I realized something strange–my characters’ names keep popping up on the screen.
Only one has been a character in my current novel–the rest are people from my shiny YA idea. Or really, people I plan to PUT in my shiny YA idea. I need teenager names, and while children born in 2010 (gah, I still can’t believe it’s 2010!) may have slightly different names than those born in 1995 (omg, how depressing is it that my characters were born when I was in college?) they’re closer than people my age. And I really need to stop trolling my niece’s facebook page for ideas. 😉
So, this billboard provides inspiration every morning. On the way home? A dead squirrel waved its tail at me. Make of THAT what you will.
“A dead squirrel waved its tail at me.” It’s a lyric from a Doors’ song, right?
Inspiration is about eyes, ears and mind being open. So, as the Internetz might say, you’re doin’ it rightz. 🙂
Nope, a dead squirrel LITERALLY waved its tail at me. GROSS!
Are you sure it was dead?
Maybe it was a Zombie Squirrel…………
What? It was saying hi!
Take it in the spirit in which it was intended, ya meanie! 😉
Adam
I knew the zombie squirrel would get mentioned.
So many kids in my daughters’ school have old-person names (including mine.) Vivian, Madeline, Eva, Olive, Lydia,
Lillian, Margaret, and, I kid you not, Millicent.
I’ve heard those have become popular again.
LOL – on the dead squirrel waving… I know what you mean about names… I have no idea what kids born in 1995 would be named? I know Makela is a popular one, cause I have 2 different cousins and a friend’s kid with that name and they’re all around nineties or early 2000’s. Glad you’re finding some inspiration on the way to work ;o)
I went for a walk with Owen this evening and I was apparently on the cross-country route for the local school because kids had written in chalk on the path, cheering for their friends. Macey, Audrey…
On old lady waved her middle finger at me yesterday on the way home. I think I would refer the squirrel.
Ha!
That’s awesome about the billboard! The dead tail, that’s something else, lol.
Yeah, it was flapping in the breeze of the passing cards. Gross.
Ew. I’m always scared I’m going to veg out while jogging and step on a dead squirrel. It hasn’t happened yet. If the dead squirrel was waving its tail at me, that could actually be pretty helpful.
I know a zillion Maddisons, Ashleys, and, of course, Brittanys.