Embrace that Fear of Boredom

On the way to Denver for a quick weekend visit, Zab at my side, our first Colorado trip in thirty years.  My sketchpad and pencil are ever close for fear of possible downtime. I preach "get over your fears," but I'm still tormented by my own. My inner voice is so loud sometimes that it steals a night's rest.  I still keep a small tablet beside my bed in case I get a 2:00 am brainstorm, but it remains empty as the minutes tick away as i pin my hopes that I'll drift back into a quiet sleep.  The sporadic Post-it-Note message to myself usually says something even more dull like "remember to do laundry."

I guess my greatest challenge is fear of boredom, sad to say, since empty-headed moments can spark bursts of inspiration. I haven't given myself much chance to find out, however, as my every minute is booked.  Even now, I cannot sit comfortably on this flight (then again, who can?) without running my fingers across this keyboard.

I need a creativity exercise.

Endorsable, apathetic, mindless...I think I already have dinner plans for Monday.

Sedentary, valuable, ridiculous...the location for Tuesday's Board meeting was changed at the last minute.

 Magical, disposable, comic..so have I copied that evaluation form for Wednesday's class yet?

Comic. That's it: comic.

Several years ago, I did some research on comic timing. Ok, I just read an interview with a standup comedian, but it was filled with great tips on how to keep an audience entertained, valuable information for any teacher.  If you can't make an idiot of yourself in front of thirty apathetic faces, then take that greeter job at Wal-Mart.  Don't become a teacher and bore your students to yawns.

I can't even remember his name, but the comedian said that all deliveries are broken into threes.  If you talk about something once or twice,  the audience may laugh initially, but your joke will not make a lasting impression. If you ramble on about the topic beyond three cracks, it's not funny anymore. Three is the magical number. Three and move on.  Was it Billy Crystal? It doesn't matter. I just remember "three."

Apologetic, complacent, noisy...do I  have a dental appointment Thursday afternoon?

Bilingual, absorbent, significant...Friday's massage is so far away.

Forgotten, creative, intrusive...where is my focus? Zab's birthday is Saturday, and I'm without a present much less an idea for one.  Three...Three...Three. Not funny.