Once upon a time, long ago, when I was but a poor college student… ummm… I mean the last time I was a poor college student… err… two times ago when I was a poor college student (ugh, what has my life become)… Anyway, once upon a time, I took a fiction writing workshop with a famous author named Denis Johnson.
DJ asked the class to describe what was needed in your dedicated writing area in order to work properly. He received a bunch of standard undergrad style answers about quiet and cleanliness, a mug of warm tea or coffee, maybe a favorite blanket.
When he got to me, I (being the born smartass that I always have been) said “a nice collection of hip hop music, a bunch of snacks, beer and a full pack of cigarettes.” The class either giggled or groaned depending, but DJ stopped them and said “No he’s right. You have to have everything you need to get through the writing session with you otherwise you’ll use it as an excuse to stop writing and make a quick run out to the store to pick them up… and that could take like 3 or 4 days!”
As I sit here, two decades later, working on this essay, which is due in 58 hours, 27 minutes and 39 seconds, I can’t help but wonder “why didn’t I stop at the convenience store on the way home today?”