Thinking about this whole "inspiration" thing and the assignment for next week

I was overthinking this; I couldn't seem to figure out what inspires me. I started writing to figure it out, I covered all sorts of areas of my life that make my existence more meaningful: My family, my friends, styles of art that I am drawn to, books I have read, music I listen to. I even looked up "inspire" in the dictionary to make sure I hadn't lost my mind and forgotten the meaning. (FYI, the definition that I like the best is: To stimulate to action; motivate.)

So I decided to simplify things and not overthink it. (As if by divine intervention I remembered that I usually create the best work when I keep things simple and don't try to be all cerebral, meaningful, and deep.) I have always been inspired by the colors, patterns, and shapes of fruits and vegetables, and have always wanted to utilize them in my work.

If you didn't bother to read my dissertation on my new thesis idea from yesterday, I will give you the cliff notes version. I have decided to pick 3 distractions that used to hold me back, and use them as the basis for productive projects that move me forward. Since one of the distractions was my over-consumption of alcohol, I think I would like to design a line of flavored vodkas using the natural colors, patterns and shapes of fruit.

If you aren't familiar with the world of liquor today, there is just about every flavor of vodka available: orange, apple, pear, grapefruit, pomegranate, blueberry, raspberry, strawberry, lemon, lime, cherry, vanilla, chocolate, peach. I think at this point if the fruit exists, they have made a flavored vodka from it.

See, aren't these pretty?!








There is a deeper reason behind this whole fruit thing. I am not coming home drunk everyday anymore. I am not smoking or eating food that is bad for me anymore. I am eating well, lots of fruits and veggies and healthy protein. I am taking vitamins and drinking water and exercising. And I feel really good!! I have more energy, I am happier, it is easier for me to focus. This change in my habits, from self destructive to positive and healthy, inspires me. The hum in my muscles after a good bike ride is great motivation. Dropping a pants size because I am not consuming vast amounts of red meat and fat and whiskey makes me want to shout from the roof tops. So I can appreciate the whole fruit things from both an aesthetic viewpoint, and also because being healthy is way more inspirational than I ever realized.