Pictorial: Hard-Bound Drug

Today marks Day 5 of my summer cold; when I’m sick, my desire to write wanes–if anything, I write in my head without putting pen to pad [or finger to keyboard]. Being sick, however, can’t stop the movement*.

On my desktop, I have a folder named Inspiration. The last few days, I’ve started collecting images from the Internet–pictures which instantly spark my creative juices–and I dump them into my Inspiration folder for later use. How I’ll use them in the future is unknown when I save the photos; I just love to have them stashed away; there’s an odd security knowing they’re available when needed. My pack-rat habits have gone digital, apparently.

My last two columns started this “Pictorial” series; the intent was to match beautiful words with beautiful images, to let the latter inspire and direct the former. Whether the series continues or not remains to be seen; I tend to leave projects behind while chasing the new, shiny idea. Regardless, I don’t have much to say this week [can’t you tell?], in part because of my cold, in part because I’ve been concentrating on a very large project–there’s only so many hours in the day.

So this is the crux of this week’s Pictorial: just immerse yourself into the books, the spiral staircase, the silver-haired gentlemen chilling on the couch, the typography of the Karl Lagerfeld quote. Whatever this photo does for you–generate a new story, make you pick up a book, make you smile and feel warm inside–make sure to hold tight to the result. Smile, read, write, share–it doesn’t matter. Enjoy the photo. Feel free to share in the comments what it does for you. Move the movement.

*The Movement = Creation, In All Forms.

Thomas DeMary, whose work has appeared in Up The Staircase, Monkeybicycle and is forthcoming in 4’33”, Used Furniture Review, Hippocampus and PANK Magazine, currently lives in southern New Jersey. Visit him atwww.thomasdemary.com or @thomasdemary.