Most of the time real life will do it for me. (Shocking, I know.) Just living everyday life and observing the going-on’s of others will provide enough stimulus to get my juices flowing. I still do the former (the alternative is a mite limiting to the creative process) but the latter element is somewhat limited with the sequestered life I currently live.
Music has been used in the past too. OK, I still do but not as much… it all depends on the project. Visual art can also be another stirring source to get the synapses firing.
Though sometimes all it takes is a good shower… especially if hair washing is involved. All that head massage action gets the blood flowing and wacky ideas can result from it. Seriously, one (solid) wacky idea is all you need to get the ball rolling.
And if none of those help to tickle the brain the only other recourse is to take a break. Chuck everything aside and just live life for a while. (See the circular logic I’ve woven into this? lol…) The world can wait for that masterpiece.
EDIT: Will come after my morning bike ride.
EDIT: Back from my ride.
PATTERNS
We all have them. So much so if you frequent a bar your drink is waiting and ready before you plonk your derriere on the stool. When you head out to work you take the same route. Heck, even in the bedroom (especially with a committed partner) there is usually very little variation to what comes first and what goes next.
Yeah, creatures of habit we are. Sometimes to the point of ritualizing our behaviors in certain areas of life. For instance, I have actor and athlete friends who go through their “special thing” before embarking onto the stage or the field. God forbid they go on cold.
Then one morning we wake up and tell ourselves, “Today, its going to be different. Today, I am going to shake things up.” You get into your car (or preferred mode of transportation) and decided on one of the 20 other routes to work that you can think of. As you you embark on your adventure of newness you marvel at the new vista that this breakout move presents. At work there is a bounce to your step that has your co-workers speculating that you had a really good lay the night before.
Soon enough this “new” route becomes the usual route… the planets are once again aligned… your demeanor at the office is back to “normal” convincing everyone that perhaps you really need to get laid. And then WE make snide remarks and laugh at those “poor souls” who do the same action over and over again and expect a different result.
EDIT: Show of hands… how many of you are waiting for this?