Inspiration

in·spi·ra·tion n. sudden creativity in artistic production

When at last you don't succeed, appeal to the source of your frustrations. Look it right in the face and laugh heartily. It is not your nemesis, it is your dominion. You are its ruler, and you can take it or leave it, or crush it's tiny head with your thumb and index finger. It is a word. Once it stops working for you it is no longer important. Think about something else. Like rhubarb. Then drink a glass of tomato juice with some vodka, blow a spitball through your twisty straw, and remember who works for you. The "I word."

Don't follow these steps. Make your own steps. But originality is not your goal, just a starting point. Make them good steps. Really, really good. And don't let the fact that a twisty straw worked for me prevent you from using it differently, or even the same way if that's what floats your boat. It's all part of your own world and you couldn't use a twisty straw the exact same way as me anyway, even if you wanted to. Make an excellent twisty straw method of your own and I guarantee it will suck less than mine, unless sucking more was what you were after. It is a straw. This is starting to suck.

Never lower your expectations, expect the world to lower them to yours. No, don't do that. But recognize that some might see it that way. Like the time you requested to sing the national anthem at the conclusion of a business meeting...then actually did it...because it was worth five points. That was brilliant. Complete unnecessary randomness, it's what's for dinner.