Let's talk about me for a minute.

I've been having a bit of a writer's block lately.

I have blog topic ideas scratched all over my chalk board. I've scrawled ideas for writing projects on bits of paper that litter the drawers and flat surfaces of my home and the interior of my purse. And yet, for the past week or so, nothing of value has risen to the surface and found its way into my laptop.

Like Violet Beauregarde must have felt when presented with the prospect of an unlimited supply of chewing gum, all the possibilities for writing topics have become a bit overwhelming.

I don't know where to start.

And I've done my share of starting lately.

I started to write about the implications of silence. Great idea in my head, but it didn't go in the direction I wanted, so I put it in the vault.

Then I started a blog about the plastic grocery bag issue. It's a big topic, and I did quite a bit of research. There's the recycling angle. The cultural lack of momentum for bringing reusable bags to the store. The story about states that have tried to pass laws to ban the use of plastic bags. Those laws have died, primarily because of the 'freedom of choice' argument. The creativity angle. Case in point, this lovely dress, which was made completely out of plastic grocery bags. The 1950s-style dress was accompanied by its own plastic grocery bag pillbox hat.

In addition to this very stylish garment, people make slippers, throw rugs, purses and so much more out of those pesky, ubiquitous plastic garbage bags.

But the topic seemed too vast once I did a bit of research and I realized all the directions I could go. So I put the idea in the vault.

I was beginning to wonder if I'd lost my mojo. I became concerned that, like Violet Beauregarde, I'd bitten off more than I could chew. I began to think that the blog, like so many great ideas and interesting outlets I've pursued in the past, would quietly be relegated to the "yeah, I used to do that for a while" personal history that people like me seem to accumulate.

So I thought I'd write about that. The attention span issue. I'd like to say I finished that one, but I didn't. I put the unfinished effort in a file, and I'll tackle it later.

I hope.

My brain was beginning to feel like Violet's jaw after a day of vigorous chewing.

Too many ideas, no clear direction on where to start.

There are the ideas I generate, and there are the hot tips I get from cool people who read the blog. James gave me some great leads on websites that buy books, as well as a craigslist-like site called freecycle.org. Once Freecycle accepts you as a member, you can peruse the postings of items people want to get rid of, and you can post stuff you want to give away. Freecycle combines internet reach with the old-world concept of trade, and it's a national program.

So many other ideas are bubbling in my brain, and I'm sure with some deep breathing, a spare few hours and a bit of clarity, I'll sort through the sticky mess that has become my In Box.

Once that happens, maybe I'll feel more like Violet did once she was rolled to the Juicing Room. The pressure will find sweet release.