Freshly Brewed Bits

Hog and Goog and the Plain-Tailed Raccoon

        Snuggling together under the comforter, my siblings and I stared at Fraddy with burninganticipation as he prepared to tell one of his famous bedtime stories about Hoggy and Googy.

He tied his story artfully into last night's edition similar to how my siblings and I stitched a loving name together from "Grandfather" and "Daddy" to get "Fraddy".

          Although Hog and Goog are no more than fictional characters hatched from our grandfather's imaginative bedtime persona, my siblings and I never failed to feel as if we were in the eccentric adventure right next to them. Fraddy sat in a creaky metal lounge chair next to the bed, silvery wisps of creativity pooling around him and cresting slowly toward us. Through Fraddy's descriptive mastery of a multitude of scenes, my brother and I were able to be in the safety of our bed and the danger of a man-eating spider filled forest at the same time.

          Each night, the same plain-tail raccoon from countless nights prior would come to knock on Hog and Goog's window to lead them into another adventure while my siblings and I fell asleep into our own adventures.

          I ventured into my own creative endeavors shortly after I outgrew bedtime stories. Numerous fictional gems popped into my brain one after another and I found it necessary to jot them all down. It is easy to say that Fraddy's shimmers of creativity were absorbed by my young and eager mind.

          The success of this fictional vision was first clearly demonstrated when The Magical Theatre Company's "KidScript" came to my elementary school. Each member of the fourth-grade class had a chance to write an original story. Two of these stories would be chosen to be recreated as a stage play. Thus, Cloud City was born. It all came naturally, like it was meant to be written. The memories of Fraddy's creative warmth molded every little twist and turn in the legend of two boys who climbed a tall, tall tree and found a city in the clouds. I watched in awe as those boys climbed the tree into their adventure when the "KidScript" actors chose my story to bring to life.

          Seeing something so prominent in my childhood being performed before me filled me with the same warmth and wonder that was emitted from Fraddy just before bed. At the end of the play, I received the certificate acknowledging my accomplishment from one of my main characters in front of a cheering crowd of my peers.

          At this moment, I knew how Fraddy felt years ago during the moment of inventive excitement when he had the full attention of two sets of eyes peering out from the covers.

          I have discovered that creativity isn't restricted to fictional writing. It can be applied to nearly anything in life. As I pursue my greatest passions in activism and education, I use the same innovative process to solve problems in science, teaching, and innovation as I do my writing.

          Often times, scientists and teachers find themselves in a creative drought where they can't find a solution to a certain obstacle. I realize that sometimes you just have to look for an imaginative idea, similar to creating a scene or plot in fictional writing. Creativity will always be available for us; it is just up to the individual to find the inspiration.

          I know that if I am ever in need of an adventurous idea, I can just close my eyes and listen to the tapping of the plain-tailed raccoon.