Steampunk pasta.

I'm in the process of devising a recipe, and it's a far more whimsical process than usual.  The other day, I saw a picture of a bunch of clockwork, and someone had commented beneath it that, at first glance, they'd thought the tangle was a dish of steampunk pasta.

I thought this was a brilliant idea.  So I decided to invent it.  The dish is called 'Incubo del Meccanico,' or "The Mechanic's Nightmare," and involves, first of all, some assortment of the following noodles:  Fiori, Fusilli, Gemelli, Lanterne, Radiatori, Rotelle, and Rotini.  The more the better, because the wider the variety of noodles, the more it looks like a complex clockwork and spring device exploded on the plate.  To achieve a "gilded" effect for the assorted pasta widgets, I was thinking of boiling them all along with a large dose of turmeric, which turns everything some variety of yellow-orange.

For the sauce, I was thinking either a beef bouillon base, or a steak sauce base -- the better to achieve a brown 'motor oil' effect to contribute to the theme -- but I hadn't settled on anything in particular.  I also hadn't yet given thought to whether this would simply be noodles and sauce, or if it would be served with meat or vegetables or anything else added in -- which is where, oh my fiends-list, you come in.  Any suggestions for this recipe?

Agh.

As is somewhat typical, I'm having sort of a stress-related motivation meltdown today.  I specifically planned to let myself have a relaxing weekend, and then start Accomplishing Things once the weekdays began rolling again. 

As a result, I've been up, fed, and caffeinated for 8 hours, and have accomplished precisely nothing of importance.

Anyone have any good cognitive coping mechanisms for relaxing and focusing they'd like to suggest?  I've tried everything I usually do.

I really hate hate hate when my brain does this.  Which is usually.  Dammit.