How do you know where to begin?
A List- a simple list can be the gateway to something grander.
Let’s start with your shopping list. I write mine in the order that I move through the shop. When I first walk in the fruit and veg is right in front of me, so that’s what my shopping list would start with…
Carrots, peppers, potatoes, apples, satusumas, cucumber.
How do you write your shopping list? Do you write it or do you wing it? I know this may seem mundane, everyday or even *gulp* ordinary but the ordinary stuff is important – rituals, routines, habits that ground us.
So let’s pick something from my list. I’m going to focus on potatoes. Now, I love potatoes, don’t you? I hate sweet potatoes. I’m talking about white potatoes. The little baby ones we buy every week without fail.
So now I’m going to write another list- a list of describing words for potatoes.
Brown, tasty, roasted, mashed, chipped, spil, blemish, eyes. EYES!
Eyes have caught my attention to be honest. A long time ago, I spent a 6 hour unwaged trial shift in a café in Napier in New Zealand.
My quest: to prove I was worthy of a job.
My job: to remove the eyes from old potatoes.
I failed my quest but this isn’t the story I am ready to tell. So I’m gonna leave that memory for another day…
Eyes caught my attention because it made me think what if potatoes had actual eyes. Not weird growths but actual eyes. What colour would they be? If they grow underground, do they even need eyes? Do they need glasses when they drive? Hang on, my questions have started to step off to the fantastical. So you could try writing some questions too. You could start with 10 – allow memories to run, use what ifs to conjure the fantastical. If it feels silly, good! What’s wrong with that anyway?
So in simple terms
- Write list 1
- Pick something off list 1 and write another list of describing words.
- Ask some questions about this item?
- Enjoy yourself!
Don’t worry about absurdity or whether or not the questions can be answered.
Don’t worry about your handwriting or your spelling or your grammar.
Don’t worry if it’s good or not.
You’ve just started.
And if you are wondering about a potato with eyes still, I offer my humble drawing…
Goodman 