Zany Ideas

I just read my sister’s blog today, in which she talks about some of the zany ideas she’s had recently. As I went to respond to her entry, my initial thought was that I didn’t have any really zany ideas. (A dog groomer? Really?) But then I stopped and looked at what I do on a daily basis, and I discovered that about half of it is based on zany ideas. For one thing, I’m a librarian, a career I got into based on a zany idea that came to me in the aftermath of the wreckage that was the PhD application process for me. In the space of about a month, I went from being dead set on being an English Professor to trying my darndest to become a librarian. I even applied to Florida State from a computer terminal inside a library in Slovakia. That seems pretty zany.

And then there’s the writing bit. I’ve written something like nine books, and I keep churning them out. And what am I writing right now? A screenplay adaptation of one of my unpublished books. Zaniness? Check. And how about that alpaca fantasy novel? I’d say that was on the zanier side of zaniness. (What’s more, I keep getting reports from alpaca shows that I have an actual fan base out there somewhere, anxious for book two to come out–I’d write a second one, if the opportunity presented itself. Zany.)

Did I have any other zany ideas in the course of my life? When I was little, I wanted to open up a chain of pet stores called Pet Palace. (So maybe me poking fun at the idea of being a dog groomer was a tad hypocritical.) I also wanted to be a Disney animator. And the only reason I’m married today to DKC is because I had the zany idea that I could date 30 girls in one semester. I’d say that’s high on the zany scale. (Would that mean it has a high zanocity rating?)

So my question to you is: what zany ideas do you have, that you’ve actually followed through on? Or are there any that you’d like to follow through on but haven’t? Or any that you’ve had the idea for, then dismissed soon after? Share away–the zanier the merrier.

12 thoughts on “Zany Ideas”

  1. Well, there you go!
    See, zany ideas can be a good thing and add spice to life – and some can turn into zany realities. Yep, I really did look into becoming a dog groomer (just on the side, not as my main career). Ask mom. ๐Ÿ™‚
    And what about your self-driven calling to make Groundhog Day a paid-holiday-celebrated-the-world-round? That also is pretty zany.
    Maybe only registrars and librarians and other people with quiet, unassuming jobs need zany-idea outlets like us. I don’t remember getting nearly as many when I was working at the big cat sanctuary in Texas. I doubt that professional athletes get many zany ideas.
    -Gretel

  2. Zany?
    Hmmmm, I quit college after one semester, married a farmer, and am going to have a FIFTH child. Zany in my opinion!
    It still freaks me out, I’m practicing saying it. “It’s our fifth.” “Yes, we have five children.” “I have five boys.” or “Yes, I have four boys and one girl.”
    That last one is the zaniest thought.

  3. I can’t think of any zany ideas off the top of my head; however, I did listen to a podcast (of course can’t remember which one) that talked about the use of the word “zany” in marketing movies. The thesis of said podcast was that “zany” gets attached to a lot of indie movies that marketing people don’t understand.

  4. Didn’t Pan Out
    When I was little I dreamed of owning a string cheese factory and a chocolate factory.
    How could such delicious things have lost my focus?
    Zany–now I am living in Brooklyn, NY–now if that is not zany–I don’t know what is. Technically living here was not a goal, but a reality.
    Melanie (your cousin)

  5. Re: Didn’t Pan Out
    That would have been amazing! Unfortunately my culinary talents fall stunningly short of that ability–but it made me think. Have you seen that edible Easter basket grass from Germany they are selling now? I am slightly tempted to get some just to try it out. The kids wouldn’t have a hard time cleaning that up. ๐Ÿ™‚

  6. Ha ha. I have these ALL the time. Maybe it’s a side effect from the way we were raised. My most recent zany idea was to start a professional lice removal business. Yes, lice. My three daughters were struck with lice last year and I would have paid almost ANYTHING to have someone else comb through their hair and remove them. Unfortunately there were no local services and I was forced to do it myself. Through the process I did tons of research on the best tools and methods and became really an excellent lice removal technician. Surely I could make it big with this! After my days of lice combing were over, however, I realized there was no amount of money on earth that would make me want to do this to someone else’s kid. Maybe if my husband lost his job and we were desperate …
    –Susie

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