Oh, sweet muse of inspiration!

Why can't you come during normal business hours?

Why is it that every night as I lay my head down on the pillow, regardless of how tired I am, that is when you decide to grace me with your gifts? Not unlike a child safe in his mother's womb, you slumber all day and wake when the sun's fiery chariot completes its journey across the sky. Is that a vision in flowing robes and a laurel wreath I see when my lids grow heavy? Does the sound of sweet harps reach my ears to carry me to inspiration? Oh no NO - what I get is Kira from 'Xanadu', rollerskating through my head in her shiny hot pants and knee-high tube socks, schmearing her lip gloss all over everything as she sings that damned catchy song! ARG!! I need a can of muse repellant!

I'm not kidding. For about a week now, every time I go to bed, regardless of the hour or how exhausted I am, my brain spools up. I start designing clothes and costumes. I have no idea why. Sure, I've come up with some great ideas (I think,) but it's wreaking havoc with my sleep. Last night, I could not fall asleep until 5AM! WTF?!? I laid in bed, creating not only a costume (for a story that doesn't even exist, thank you very much,) but stage design and some character traits to go with it! I finally gave up at 2am and went downstairs to put it all on paper with the hopes that if I captured it on paper, my mind would relax. So, I researched online and in some of my books (I know, fucking nuts!) and got it fairly well represented on paper. I crawled back into bed expecting to pass out, but no, another hour of thinking about it. Kill me. Please.

I'm not complaining; not really. Well, except for the part about the song. Normally, I'm not so strong in the design department - my brain kind of freezes up. So this creative flow is great from that perspective. But really, does it really really really have to be on the graveyard shift? Really?

....You have to believe we are maaaagic, nothing can stand in our way....