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It's funny how alternately easy and hard it is to think of topics to write about in these word vomits. It's not about motivation - not necessarily. Roughly speaking, I'm usually pretty down to write a little bit and don't want to get behind. The hard part is both coming up with a direction or general vibe I want to follow, and then making sure not to forget that.

Sometimes I get into especially contemplative moods. It's not hard for me to come up with an entire handful of great ideas I wish to pursue more in writing. It's effortless at times. Unfortunately, those are also the times when I'm least able to dedicate time to penning down 1000 words to explore that topic. On a plane, a long bus ride, a particularly nice walk. In the middle of cooking or painting or cleaning. I always think to myself "hmm that's a great idea to write about" and then think, only moments later, "I'm probably going to forget this. What a shame."

It's true that I could stop right there and write down a few notes to help me remember. That's the idea of a dream journal, to capture all the smallest details of a dream on a more permanent medium before it slips out of your short term memory and back into the muddled pool of your brain. On TV and in books I've seen characters always walking around with a tape recorder to capture voice memos - to crystallize thoughts into words the moment that they strike. This would also certainly be an option, but not without costs.

Most of the time I have to choose between interrupting my train of thought to capture it or to let myself relax and continue thinking. As thinking is one of my favorite activities and few things compare to a nice, enjoyable flow of ideas I often tend to choose the latter. I suppose the ideal outcome would be to open up some kind of notes app and let me fingers fly at the speed of thought. I'm not sure if I'm skilled enough as a typist, but if I could record my thoughts as I think them that would be quite the skill. A real time brain to text interface.

Either way, I'm trying to prevent a poor short term memory be an impediment to letting these posts flourish. As I've done many times before, and as I'm doing even now, I like to start with the barest hint of an idea and then seeing where it takes me. It's an improv skill I suppose. Like going up in front of the class to give a presentation without knowing any of the slides. True masters of their craft are able to do such exercises quite convincingly, for what it's worth. There's a game (talking points in Jackbox 7) centered around this concept, and I like it quite a lot. I've always considered myself pretty good at starting sentences without knowing they'll end, and finding my way somewhere in the middle. Now that I think about it more it's genuinely one of the most valuable soft skills you can have.

I've always thought doing a presentation night would be a fantastic activity to do with likeminded friends. Have each one prepare a presentation of some sort on a topic they find interesting. The beauty is that it can be as fantastical or as mundane as you want it, from a presentation on cutting edge techniques in gene editing to one on why everybody should watch Gossip Girl. You know what might take this idea to the next level? Switching the presentations around, so that nobody is prepared for what they're meant to say. I can see this idea completely floundering if there is a lack of enthusiasm. Phrases like "uhhhhh" and "I don't know man" filling the air. But with the right group and the right energy I think a night like this would go down in history.

I guess maybe what I'm really pining for is to do improv, or find others who are at least interested in the idea. There are a lot of really cool aspects of it that I find appealing. One is that it's a way to prevent overthinking and to live in the moment. I guess that's the whole appeal behind mindfulness as well. After all, if you find yourself in the middle of a presentation with no idea what strange images may be adorning the next slide, there's not much time for second guessing or overthinking. All you can do is connect your mouth directly to the part of your brain that comes up with words and then let loose.

Another necessary aspect is the group energy and vibe. Doing any kind of activity like this is necessarily a little bit vulnerable, and in the long term it can only survive with plenty of support and playfulness. When it comes to doing improv, kindness is a requirement not a suggestion. That also includes being kind to yourself, because you will inevitably make a mistake or say something stupid at some point and not only is there no way to hit undo, but even if you could do so it would undermind the whole idea. When everybody is put into this same, difficult, scary situation and everybody rises to the challenge it makes for unforgettable bonding.

Ultimately, however, these same facts make it quite practically difficult to find people who are interested in willing in putting themselves out there to this extent. I find doing difficult things and stepping out of my comfort zone can be quite enjoyable, but I'd imagine most other disagree. I guess that's why I'm always doing so many new things all the time. Just to feel something. Jokes aside, I think this single fact can probably explain the majority of my unique and "unexplainable" behaviour. If it's new, it's difficult, and it involves growing or learning something then you can count me in.