Life

I took a wee bit of an unexpected hiatus from blogging. I think we all, at one time or another find ourselves struggling with time, life, friends, family, work, etc. and something has to give. In my case, it was the blog and finding a balance between where I was when I started writing here, where I currently find myself and where I'd like to be. I needed that break to take a bit of a breather and figure out whether or not I was ready for the change I felt needed to happen.  I don't know that I'm there yet, as we all are, it, I am a work in progress and don't know that I'll actually ever really get there.

But until then, I thought I'd at least share a bit of what has been going on around these parts over the last few weeks.

School Days // The semester ended last week and grades came out yesterday. I am extremely proud to say I ended up with a 4.0 in my psych class. Taking a hiatus from school for nearly a decade made the thought of going back nauseating. I couldn't figure out how I'd make it work with a heavy work schedule but I did and I'm pretty excited about it.

Big Apple // I spent last week in New York City playing tourist and trying not to annoy the locals. My favorite parts of the trip, other than spending time with friends were my visits to the New York Public Library and MoMA. The NYPL was really incredible. As a lover of books, it really was what I wanted the library to be. They had a great exhibit, The ABC of It: Why Children's Books Matter, that Vickie and I explored. As someone who didn't really fall in love with books and reading until they were a teen, it was interesting to explore a whole generation of books I'd not previously read. Wandering around MoMA was equal parts inspiring and discouraging. I always find myself itching to create some kind of art after visiting a museum, especially after seeing some of my favorite pieces, but this trip was different. Yes--since visiting MoMA I have felt the need to pick up my camera and start shooting again, to pick up my pencil and sketchbooks and draw something (ANYTHING) and maybe even do a bit of painting. But also discouraging--there are time when I feel like I'm not quite intelligent enough to create anything even remotely interesting and this is where I am currently finding myself. Let's face it, that is not a great place to be. But I'm finding my way out of that and it is all because of that trip.

The Plague // It's obviously NOT the plague, but it certainly feels like it. I managed to bring home with me a Big Apple sized cold that basically has me feeling like I am dying. It's not been fun and will hopefully be knocked out of my system in the next day or two.

The New Year // I already talked about my non-resolutions at the beginning of the month. They haven't really changed in theory maybe just a little more well thought out and maybe a little more stepping outside of the comfort zone.

Project: Pieces of Me

I haven't worked it all out yet.

The only thing I've worked out really is that I've lost my mind and there is not really a reason to even be starting a project of any kind right now.

Stop me if you've heard this one before. For the last month or so I've been tossing around the idea (again) of a year long project. I know. I know. There was the failed crochet project. The countless numbers of failed photography projects. And now that it's the end of the year, I'm fixing to do anyone one. Mmmmmkay. It's ridiculous, I know.

The thing about starting a new project is that I worry about the end result. What will it be? How will it look when everything is put together? Will anyone respond to what I've done? Will it make an impact, even on a small, personal level?

I never worry or think about the process or the journey of doing the project. But that is what I am going to focus on this year. Those moments in between the beginning and end. The moments that actually make the project what it is: an experience in self discovery, growth and understanding.

The other day I mentioned that I was kicking around a photography project and that is what this project will be. A weekly photograph to not only document the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014 but this time there will be words attached. Thoughts. Poems. Music lyrics. I've yet to figure out what medium I'll use to put it all together or whether or not it will be shared. There are times when I worry that it might all end up being a bit too personal for public consumption, but you never know. I could wake up tomorrow morning and decide to throw together a website/blog dedicated only to this little endeavor.

Music Monday: Saints of Valory

I'm not typically a fan of covers. It is one of the reasons I dislike shows like American Idol, The Voice, etc. I don't want to know how well folks can sing other peoples songs. I want to know how well they sing their own songs. Music snobbery at its finest.

But best of all I'm going to throw all of the above out the window for today's Music Monday post.

I saw Saints of Valory this summer when they opened for Michael Franti & Spearhead in Grand Rapids. There were quite a bit of fun live and were a great primer for Spearhead. I dug their set so much, I ended up downloading their newest ep, Possibilities before leaving the venue.

They didn't do this version of Lorde's song "Royals" at the show I was at, but it's a great version of the song. I actually think I might this better than the original.

Sunday Squawk: Non-Resolutions

Err........hello there, December.

WTF?!

December. I'm not ready for this. AT. ALL.

Eeesh.

How the hell has everyone been? As per usual, things have been dreadfully dull about these parts. I have no apologies or excuses for the sporadic dry spells. Life, you know? Oh. And I did follow through with a new blog. I'm digging the freedom of anonymity right now and I will likely keep it that way. The freedom to say what you want without the repercussions of people from real life finding out. absolutely amazing.

But in the spirit of not being totally separate, this is a carry over from the other blog with  few editions and subtractions.

As I have mentioned on the blog before,  I HATE New Year Resolutions. HATE. THEM. Each time I've sat down and thoughtfully made a list of all the things I'd like to accomplish in the new year, I've failed miserably. It just ends up being a list of things that I know I won't follow through on. 

Instead, I've started a tradition of New Year Suggestions. It's a list I always work on well before the new year. I never complete the items on said list. And well, I'm kind of o.k. with that. A pessimist way of thinking? Nah. I like to think of myself as a realist.

Here's my list for upcoming new year:

• Finish the C25k program and run a damn 5k. I don't even know how many times I've put this "goal" on a list and never completed it. I want to be a runner. There are days I feel like I was meant to be a runner but my body, specifically my hip, doesn't agree with me. But it's going to happen. I just know it. And until it happens, I'm keeping it on the list. 
• Read 50 books a.k.a. read a book a week. Again. This is on the list every year. And every year I fail miserably. Obviously we still have a month to go, but thus far I've only managed to read 39 books. Dismal. Absolutely dismal. 
• Finish a project. I actually have a project in mind, but seeing as it is a photography related project, it will likely remain unfinished as I can't seem to complete ANYTHING that requires a camera. 
• Wear more glitter! I'm not a skinny girl. I never have been. Never will be, but I still have this nagging little voice in the back of my head reminding me that "Girls like you don't wear that kind of stuff" and that voice sounds freakishly like my Grandmother who use to repeatedly tell me such things ALL THE TIME which I am sure is why my wardrobe is almost entirely black. Where is the fun in that?! So this year it's going to be more color, more glitter, more SPARKLE! 

What is on your list?