Practical Magic

Procrastination is the thief of time. To which we at Alaraapothecary say- yeah, whatevs. Applying oneself to outstanding tasks is of the utmost importance when you are running a business but I have also found that I get my best creative ideas when I’ m just musing and doing nothing in particular. The mind and spirit can wander and free-associate, so to speak; it’s an invaluable skill. This is what I told myself yesterday as I frittered the day away. I’m in the middle of altering the liquid labels–yes, all 20 different products are having their labels re-formatted, resized and the text etc needs checking. It’s a good thing I enjoy detailed work. I’d actually done all the work, it just needed to be checked and then emailed to the printers.

Instead I called my aunt and in Nigeria and spent half an hour reminiscing about her superlative fish pies and fairy cakes. She is a fantastic cook–just think of tiny, piping-hot fish empanadas and light-as-air-fairy cakes. She had a catering business but never made any money as her ‘helpers’ practically bankrupted her by consuming all the stock.Then I called my ward in Canada but she was out participating in Canadian-style mayhem.

Then I called my niece in the States. I always hit the mother lode with her. We can discuss how amazing Newtonian physics is, and she understands why Euclid is such a rock star. She’d also been spending the day doing stuff like taking pictures of the changing autumnal scenery and patiently waiting for the Charles River to freeze over. She wants to walk from Cambridge to Boston across the ice. That sound like tremendous fun but, Prithee, O Beloved Niece, is that not a tad dangerous? But Oh No, she has an excellent rescue plan involving a bright green overcoat and frantically waving her arms around, presumably whilst shouting ‘Au secours, Au secours.’ Well, that’s Health and Safety sorted; I mean, what could go wrong? Brains are a prerequisite for University admission but sanity is apparently very much an optional extra. Let’s just say I can see a strong genetic link.

So, not the most practical of days, but I had great fun. To prove to you that the practical response can be extremely overrated, I have two stories.

The first is from the actor James McAvoy who was approached by a member of the public and told, ‘I am a great fan of most of your work’. Thanks pal, that’s just the type of compliment-lite that makes an artist reach for the Valium at 4am, having spent all night wondering which of his work you hated. Praise the man or let him be, you charmless, loon-faced poltroon!

Second story is a joke told by Colin Dunne about a dying Yorkshire farmer. Now, we all know Yorkshire folk are canny and hard-headed and candles were expensive in those days. Farmer Tarquin (not his real name) had been pleading with his wife to leave a candle burning overnight as he didn’t want to die in the dark should the unhappy day arrive. She reluctantly agreed to do so in the end, with one proviso:

Farmer Tarquin :Please leave the candle lit, my love. I feel the time is near and I do not wish to die alone in the dark.

Mrs Tarquin: All right. But if you feel yourself slipping away, try and blow the candle out.

Do not go gentle into that good night….. ;-). Hope you have  brightly-illuminated, compliment-filled week.