Environmental Chemistry

       Keep this post quiet. I’m not supposed to be blogging. I’m supposed to be writing my book. I made a pilgrimage to Burlington, Vermont, to a self-imposed writing retreat. I’m here to immerse myself in the book writing process and to minimize distractions. My writing coach and I agreed that all of my writing energy was to go into the book. Not the blog. But I’m cheating and posting anyway. Naughty boy. Punish me. Please.
       Burlington is an jazzy little city of just under 50,000 in upstate Vermont, right on picturesque Lake Champlain, surrounded by mountains. It’s a very eclectic place. It’s part college town, as the University of Vermont is right here; part artist community, with lots of new age hippies, free spirits, and artsy folk living here (think of the band Phish); part commerce mecca, with oodles of small, one-of-a-kind retail shops mixed in with some old reliable chain outfits; part somewhat upscale hip and happein’ social scene, with many cool bars, restaurants, and an active music scene; and part small town, with a very down to earth, rural, distinctly New England feel. Burlington has many facets, many layers, and a truly unique feel, all it’s own. It reminds me of me. One reason I’m sure I like it so much.
       First and foremost, this trip to Burlington is a method to jump start the writing of my book, which is coming along slowly. The process and rhythm of book writing is vastly different than that of writing a blog, as I have come to find out. Even though I’ve been a fairly prolific blogger, writing hundreds of thousands of words and over 250 posts over the last seven years, the writing of my book has proven to be quite a challenge. It’s such a different animal than blogging. That’s part of it. The other other part is my propensity to become distracted by the rest of my pretty delicious life.
       I have nobody to blame but myself. I allow myself to become easily distracted in Boston, and it becomes hard for me to focus consistently. But it’s more than that. What I’ve also come to realize is that I’m not finding the physical space I need to write this book in Boston. And I’ve tried. I don’t know what it is, exactly. But after being here in Burlington only a few days, I have affirmed my gut feeling that, if I put myself in environments that atmospherically feel great to me, that excite and stimulate me, that offer a sense of adventure and are different from what I’m used to, the juices flow. And so does the writing. Even the book writing.
       What I’m doing is throwing myself into a whole different world from which to create from. I haven’t spent enough time in Burlington to really know it. It’s still fresh and new to me. It has a pulse and a vibe and a chemistry all it’s own. That freshness, newness, and unique vibration makes its way into me. My environment, the totality of the experience, works on me, stimulates me. It changes my body and mind chemistry. It moves me. I in turn vibrate differently. And if I’m doing it right, I bring all of that to my writing. The experience of being up here is like an adrenaline shot of stimulus and creativity.  
       In the context of your intimate relationship, changing your environment can give you and your partner a romantic and sexual shot in the arm. A “Staycation” can be a relatively inexpensive way to add some zest to your love life. Staying in a hotel, in a town or city close to home but far enough away that you feel like you’re out of your normal environment, can work wonders. Especially if it’s a town or city with a distinct, unique feel to it. There are countless cities and towns like that, some not far from you, no matter where you live. Seek them out. Go there for the weekend, or just the night. Make love in a hotel room, after you’ve been out to a new restaurant, dancing in a new club, walking streets you’ve rarely or never walked before. Do things in bed you’ve been wanting to try, but haven’t. This is the perfect time and place for that. Adventure breeds more adventure.
       I’m very much digging my time here. I’m staying at a hotel within walking distance of The Church Street Marketplace and Downtown Burlington, home to scores of interesting shops, restaurants, bars, and people. My challenge is to not spend too much time away from my writing, and instead, use the environment as a stimulating backdrop to the work. So far, I’m doing just fine.



©2013 Clint Piatelli, MuscleHeart LLC, and Red F Publishing. All rights reserved.