When the word gets ahold of ya

The following passage is the best I have read in a long time about what it is like when you have the urge:

"Last night, I woke up at 4. I woke up at 5. I woke up at 6:08. Each time, the sound of ice beating against the windows of my bedroom. I couldn't sleep. I wasn't hungry, and I wasn't (that) cold, and if there had been nightmares I couldn't recall them. What was it? Why was the phrase "small kingdom" bouncing about in my head? Why was I picturing the many types and colors of basil, and my mother's hands as she cut the rosemary bush down to twigs? Why was I logging on Wikipedia to read about seasnails and chambered shells, when the sun hadn't even come up yet? And then I realized...I was ready to write."

This was taken from a Valentine's Day post from the blog of Sandra Beasley. I highly recommend that you read her blog on a weekly basis at http://sbeasley.blogspot.com/