Once I had one of those killer deadlines that required a fifteen-hour writing day. I felt terrible. My hands and feet looked as if they belonged to Alley Oop, my back ached and I knew I had been run over by that Acme truck from the Roadrunner cartoons. What was worse, I was getting farther and farther behind.

A friend mentioned I could boost my energy level by drinking more water. So I tried it. Among the other consequences of consuming twelve glasses of water a day, I discovered my friend was right. I did feel more energetic, my eyes were clearer, my complexion brighter and, most important, the creative department of my brain shifted into mega-gear. Thanks to that fountain of ideas, the project flowed along faster and smoother and I finished it before the deadline (I also lost several pounds).