In her book The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron says that one way to stimulate creativity is the “artist’s date” — taking yourself out to a place you don’t usually go. While I haven’t read this book in many years, there are two ideas from it I try to practice whenever I’m feeling stale. One is writing three “morning pages” in my journal; the other is the artist’s date.

The point of the latter is not some long and elaborate excursion, Cameron says. Simply trying a new route home from work will do the trick. Last Friday I drove to the oldest part of Reston to take a walk. And once there I went straight instead of turning right where I usually do. And the world opened up to me. I thought about what a different, tidy life we would have if we lived in one of those townhouse clusters. A life built around walking and the water. It’s not a life I would want right now, but it’s fun to contemplate.

Once back at our untidy house, one built around driving the car, I felt immediately at home. But a curtain was raised. I was shaken from my normal routine. And that’s what the artist’s date is all about.