Art Musings : High and Lows and a Need for Cheap Chewing Gum

"Thanks, it's been really fun and fulfilling, but it's also been really rough at times."

"But isn't that true of creating art in general?"

This was an exchange I had with my friend Caroline a week ago after she complimented me on my recent work.  I explained to her that yes, the creation of art (or almost anything for that matter) naturally comes with highs and lows, but that I was trying to compress so much art education and practice in such a short amount of time that the highs and lows were compressed, almost tumbling over each other in their effort to take control of my limbic system.  I'm going to risk chavinism right now by wondering out loud if this is what a woman's period feels like.

The intense stress generated by this has lead to some peculiar nervous tics, reflexes that I find very difficult to control, especially when I'm in the middle of flow.  A few weeks ago it was a simulated acid reflux, where I would involuntarily choke up bile (or some sort of acidic fluid) up my throat at regular intervals.  This was extremely discomforting to I did my best to tamp it down, but recently it's been replaced with grating my tongue over my teeth, specifically the right side.  This has been far more difficult to control.  I tried inserting my lower lip under my upper teeth (easy because I have an overbite) to prevent the tongue from moving, but I worry about misshaping my mouth even more, and an expensive trip to the orthodontist. 

My new ingenious solution is to chew gum.  Not only does this give my mouth something to do while I'm in the throes of flow, it ostensibly will help me burn calories as well.  Now all I need to do is find cheap brand gum i can buy wholesale, ideally sugarfree.