Posted on by Phil Strawn

Writing Gibberish For The Masses..Blood On The Keyboard And God Slaps Me Up The Side Of My Head…


After fighting sleepless nights for years, I thought I had moved on from the condition. Nope. The wide-eyed wonder hours are back. I consume enough pain meds to take out the Hulk. So many, it’s a marvel that I’m still alive. I have these problems because of back surgery. It left me with an Elvis leg that twitches and gyrates without music. My right foot refuses to walk normally. My gait resembles Frankenstein after a few stiff cocktails. Now, I read an intriguing article about waking up at 3:00 AM, something I know about.

A biblical professional, not a Pastor or a Priest but a cleric psycho-babbler, has discovered something interesting. Folks waking at that hour are more susceptible to communing with God, and are at the height of creativity. Their brains are clicking on all cylinders instead of one or two. I agree with this discovery, even if it might be new-wave chatter or, in my case, a holy intervention.

Three AM arrives. My eyes pop open, no more sleep for me. I turn off the CPAP and make my way into the den. I heat up A2 milk for my hot Ovaltine. I grab my laptop and begin to write. Sometimes, I’m unsure of my story, so I tap away, paying no attention to where the words go. My brain is on fire, swirling with emotion. I can’t write fast enough. It must be..it will be divine intervention. God issues a stern smack up the side of my old head, showing me what to write. Sometimes it’s good, often it’s gibberish, not fit to read. His hand is guiding mine, so I soldier on, spewing out my brain, bleeding on the keyboard. We all have our bloody moments.

This is one of those times.

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11 Replies to “Writing Gibberish For The Masses..Blood On The Keyboard And God Slaps Me Up The Side Of My Head…”

  1. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and heart in this post. I’ve experienced the flow of writing and more importantly, being with the Lord more in the ridiculously-early hours as well. So sincerely sorry about your insomnia and residual struggles from back surgery. I manage a back issue so my compassion is genuine🙏🏻.

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  2. I’m sorry you’re unable to get a good night’s sleep, Phil. I do pray for you and Momo along with other bloggers who have mentioned health issues. You’re probably right about the pain meds. Thankfully, you find solace in writing.

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  3. I can relate to this. Sometimes Cedron tea (lemon verbena) is good for me, valerian also. But nothing beats peace of mind or physical exhaustion for a good sleep. I keep a notebook by the bed too, because sometimes if I write down the thoughts that were racing around keeping me up, then they quiet down. Best wishes with your writing.

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    1. Thank you. I did the notebook some years ago when I worked a high stress job, but tuning on the bedside lamp woke Momo up. I may try again with a small flashlight. Sometimes the brain won’t shut down. Thanks for the suggestion.

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  4. that’s quite a condition; 5a.m not 3 is my ideal hour for writing; don’t do it often then but when I do — boy, the inspiration surges ; one of my most popular posts ‘Flibbertigibbet’ was written at 5 a.m

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    1. I’m a believer in that hour. Of course it will reqkuire a nap later in the day, but my brain is clicking on more than one cylinder. Some of my best writing takes place in the wee hours of the morning. Momo doesn’t understand the connection, she likes to sleep more than I do.

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  5. Because we winter in the Rio Grande Valley, and because I checked out your blog after you liked a comment I posted for Mitch Teemley, I just had to give you a follow. Your humour and down to earth, matter of fact, Texas heart shows through in your posts.

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    1. Well, thank you Terry, glad you stopped by and enjoyed. The Valley is a perfect place to winter; cheaper than Florida and perfect weather. My son and family lives in North Padre Island, so we are there quite often, fishing and surfing and beach stuff. I played a round of golf with some winter Texans in McAllen once, and they loved it, but home to them was Minneapolis. I’m a native Texan and inherited the wit from my two late uncles, who were much like Will Rogers and J. Frank Dobie, but less prosperous and less believable.

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  6. I hate those nights when I have them and I had one on Tuesday. I found out the more you try to fight it and go to sleep…the more it’s not going to happen. At least you are creative!

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