Writers use prompts to rev up their arguably creative minds. I am partial to “What If?
” (A. Bernays and P. Painter), at least when I am in the prompting mood. The prompts often remind me of childhood, when “what if?” curiosity occurred organically and often. As kids, we didn’t need a book to prompt us; creativity and exploration were simply how we grew up. But in adulthood, I wonder how often do we ask what if?| What if I build in 6x6 plots? |
Imagine if we had a log of our childhood what ifs! I can remember a few of mine:
What if I could laugh like Eddie Murphy? That would be rad.
What if I drink an entire pot of coffee? I can play Sim City
all night.
all night.What if I touch my thumb to the glowing cigarette lighter in my sister’s kick-ass Suzuki? I will get burned and my family will send me to school on the short bus.
Perhaps I will put the book aside, and just force myself to ask what if more often. What if I practice laughing like Eddie Murphy every day for a month?
I loved the game of "what if" so much as a kid that my "what ifs" usually became "what if mom finds out I did that" (e.g., mixing pickle juice and mustard with RC Cola and forcing the neighbor to drink it). I suspect that mom did know (particluarly when I had a very distinct circular pattern blister on my finger... perhaps I should have been put on the short bus too)but merely wanted to encourage my creativity and aptitude for risk. Thanks Mom... and thanks Dominic for reminding me to "think outside of the box" with a child like wonderment and enthusiasm.
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