okay, so I'm not your typical "New Year's Resolution" maker, especially since it's mid-month already. But, I have been thinking a lot about the new year lately- not "Resolutions" exactly, because from past personal experience, the typical resolutions (exercise, eat healthier, cook more meals, organize the house) seem to go by the wayside very early on. Reva (the creativity coach I've been working with) uses the word "intentions" rather than "resolutions" so that it seems less intimidating... less intimidating is good!
Also, I've seen a lot of blogs, including Ali Edwards', (I've seen it lots more places, too, but hers is the one I remember) that talk about choosing "one word" to live by for the year. I started thinking about that, but it was pretty difficult to distill my intentions for 2009 down to just one word, since I'm a pretty wordy person, and always have been... one of my favorite pasttimes growing up was reading the encyclopedia or dictionary for fun!
Anyway, I came up with three words that sum up my intentions for 2009:
Explore
This word encompasses lots of things, one of which is more exploration of my new adopted home here in the Southwest- this region is full of such a rich and colorful history, and I want to see more of it. We did some of that over Christmas when we visited Tombstone (home of the OK Corral gunfight) and San Xavier del Bac Mission (a Catholic mission completed in the year 1797), but there is so much more to see... Las Vegas, Santa Fe, Albequerque, visiting California, re-visiting the Grand Canyon, and seeing some of the multitudes of Native American historical sites in the area. "Explore" also refers to explorations in art and inspiration- there are numerous art and cultural venues in the Phoenix area (and outside it) to be seen and experienced. And last but not least, there are sooo many new techniques and directions that I want to explore in my art- expanding my artistic horizons thru my creativity.
Home
This word is another broad concept reflecting the fact that I am a homebody at heart... my parents built the house I grew up in before I was born, and they still live in it now, so I grew up with that place as the focal point of my childhood. No matter what I say about wanting to explore and travel, our home is the most important "centering place" in my life and I want to give that the attention it deserves. Our home doesn't look like a magazine photo (how could it, with two dogs, two cats, and two full-time jobs!), but I think it's a warm, inviting, comfortable place to "unplug" and relax, and I want to expand on that feeling. We still have a couple undecorated rooms full of the "leftover" furniture that need some attention, and my art studio is more "chaotic" than comfortable, so there are some areas to work on. "Home" to me also means a bit more organization on the home front in the area of home-cooked meals and not so much eating out... (I will never understand how my mom cooked every day and took care of all of us while working a full-time job, but now I finally appreciate the enormity of the task- Thanks, Mom!) And lastly, "home" means the outdoor living space as well, since we live in such a mild climate (except in summer, of course). Our backyard is partially finished, but it needs more landscaping and inviting spaces to sit, relax, and enjoy the beautiful weather and sunshine that Arizona graces us with for so many months of the year.
Act
My last word is "Act" which is also a somewhat broad word... I have a tendency to be somewhat scatterbrained and disorganized, which is surprising considering that all my working life I've been in the highly structured, regulated healthcare industry. Maybe that's why I'm scatterbrained, to rebel against the rules?? Maybe some of it comes from the fact that I'm a Gemini- I have a tendency to get interested in lots of different things, but also get distracted very easily, and have problems actually finishing things once I start them. "Act" is a reminder to do just that- finish things when I start them and follow through on ideas I have instead of letting them languish on the scrap of paper where I scribbled them.
All three of the words are particularly fitting for this year, since this May I am turning 40. (I know, I know! I can hardly believe it myself!!) This year has seen lots of changes already, and will probably see lots more, so the words Explore, Act, and Home will hopefully assist me in remembering what's important to me and what's not, and to expand my personal horizons even more. If I forget, I can re-read this post, and be reminded of my intentions for this year.
(I told you it was wordy; if you've made it to the bottom, thanks for reading!!)
fun mail earlier this week from my sister Jackie... Our Lady of Guadalupe dishtowel, embroidered on a flour sack towel by my Mom... cool embroidery pattern by Sublime Stitching!
The planet Venus, taken by Tom with our regular digital camera. Taken earlier today thru the telescope in our backyard. Venus has been extraordinarily bright the last few weeks in the early evening and into the night, but it's actually so bright that it can be seen during the day, too... pretty cool, considering Venus is actually 25 million miles away when it's closest to Earth!!
Bisbee's newest trick, "Shake." It's hard to believe she's going to be a year old next month!!
Sedona and Bisbee, actually sharing the chair for a few moments. This is a rare occurrence, since usually when they get close to each other, they end up wrestling and chasing each other thru the house.
