My favorite part of writing is when I see or hear something and I get a new idea. This moment has several names depending on your beliefs, nearly all fall into two conceptual buckets of either an idea that didn’t exist being created OR an idea that did exist but being found. I fall into the latter camp, that ideas exist and that as creators we find them, catalog them, assemble them, attach meaning to them, translate them into different forms. This belief leads me train and exercise my skills in observation and allowing my brain to chase thoughts and ideas. Whenever I receive inspiration I try to chase it as far as I can.

A recent chase started with an Instagram video and ended with a song parody. The video in question came from Jen Lynch, clips of a coffee cup that looked it was shot on old film stock. I was instantly reminded of the Nine Inch Nails video for “Closer”. I posted my first thought, “You let me percolate you.” But, the single comment wasn’t enough. I needed to do the whole song.

Confession, I love writing song parodies. I enjoy the challenge of fitting a topic into an existing framework of words. Counting the syllables, finding rhymes, exploring puns. Simply writing a song about coffee and going to a coffee shop is vast undertaking with unlimited options and decisions. That is the idea that doesn’t exist option. The “creativity is hard” option. The song parody is the discovering ideas and joining them option. The “creativity is fun” option. It is a extreme example, but I believe it sheds light on the two predominant beliefs about creativity. You can start in vast void with nothing, or you can relax into the world around you. I love the creative process because it is fun to open myself up to my surroundings and see what happens when I put pieces of it together.

“Roaster”
to the tune of “Closer” by Nine Inch Nails

You let me caffeinate you
You let me demitasse you
You let me percolate you
You let me macchiato

Roast me
The drink warms up my insides
Venti
For service just ring the bell
Hot tea
Hey can you order foam for me
Help me get beans from the top shelf

I want to froth you like an acai bowl
I want to peel you to the inside
I want to froth then do a single pull
Time to get my yoga bod
My favorite roaster is Todd

You can have my portafilter
You can have the puck that it brings
You can have my Frappuccino
You can halve my breakfast thing

Roast Me
Are those in season?
Venti
Are those tarts that I smell?
Hot tea
Let’s change the subject
Welp they talked to somebody else

I want to froth you like an acai bowl
I want to peel you to the inside
I want to froth then do a single pull
Just let me pause my iPod
Is that new show on S-VOD?

The air is set so customers freeze
Sweeten with honey from local bees
Tuesday open mic night starts at five
You are the freegan that dumpster dives