5 Years Blogging - A Retrospective: 2006

This month I celebrate my fifth blogging anniversary. <Cue wild applause from the crowd!>

I'm sometimes quick to berate myself when I don't stick to things (though it might just mean I've learned what I set out to learn - but that's a whole other blog post); this year I choose to give myself credit where credit is due.

I set out blogging January 25, 2006 and I'm still here. Huzzah!

To celebrate I decided to have a little fun - well, at least it's fun for me - and comb through my blog posts to come up with five favourites for each of the five years. There's no real rhyme or reason behind my choices, I just chose posts that spoke to me, brought back good memories, or maybe reflected an important development/experience/breakthrough of that year.

So if you will let me indulge in a little narcissism, the next few weeks will include, among other things, five retrospective posts and maybe a little celebratory something for you at the end for still being here!

Here goes...

2006: An Urban Living Experiment begins

After a failed reconciliation attempt with my then husband and partner for 13 years, I moved to a delicious little 1920s apartment in the city with slanted hardwood floors, a bright red kitchen and proximity to all the city could offer to a first time urbanite. I parallel parked for the first time (no dings!), discovered old movies and took pole dancing lessons. I started an 11-month sabbatical from work, learned how to rebuild a home, a social network and a sense of self. I even started letting down the walls I'd built around me and found a liking for a certain Mr. D.

slanted floors

I wrote 140 posts that year. Here are my top five:

Introducing - My very first post evah. I had no clue where this blogging thing would go.

The Pheonix: Ashes and Hope - Rebuilding a solo life had its ups, but it had some pretty severe downs too. Luckily hope rises from the ashes.

red kitchen, Mémère's apron

Me, My Car, My Travel Mug - A Trip Report - My first solo trip down east (home) in my little blue Civic. This was a HUGE thing given that just two years before I was terrified of driving in the city, had never put gas in a car and my husband drove me everywhere. I even managed to drive through Montreal. Yeah baby!

3 Circles of Friends, 3 Amazing Outings - When I lost my marriage I lost my social network. A big part of 2006 was building confidence in taking social risks and discovering that I could make friends on my own. Not bad for a woman in her thirties.

curlicued radiators

Comfort on a Cool October Night - Part of rediscovering my sense of self included discovering what brought me comfort. This post is tiny, but it still soothes me today.

girly lamp

Coming soon, 2007...

Sitting With My Uncertainty

 

I've been quiet.

I'm enjoying the days and the nights, swaying to the rhythms of my body and soul.

I'm mulling over the possibility that a truth belief I've carried around for years, to the point where it's become a large portion of my identity, may no longer need to take up as much space.

I'm re-evaluating priorities, reconsidering previously laid out plans, entertaining the option of shifting course, paring down and slowing the pace.

I'm sitting with my uncertainty, holding on to what I know is true and opening myself to discernment amongst the rest.

And it's not as bad as I thought it would be.

Year-End and New Year Reflections: Three Lists of 10 Things

Mika (February 2009), 8x8 on canvas

Those who know me know I loooooves me a good list!

Today I offer you not one, but a series of three lists to help document my transition from 2010 to 2011. I won't take credit for the format, I found it on Andrea Scher's blog a few years ago and the 3-point structure worked for me:

• 10 things I learned in 2010
• 10 things for which I am grateful in 2010
• 10 things I want to create or nurture in 2011

10 things I learned in 2010

1. that I can paint bigger than I thought I could
2. that I have a lot of love to give and want to set up my life to do so as much as possible
3. how to design a learning activity like a course or a workshop
4. how to organize an art show and a vernissage (still learning on that one!)
5. that I'm not lazy, that I can put in the hours to work towards something if I want to
6. that I need idle or obligation-free time between work sprints to regenerate and re-energize
7. how to transfer an image using a chalk pastel - easy peasy!
8. that most of my happy places involve art, hosting, home, or the quiet beauty of nature
9. that it's easy to become complacent
10. that I love to create spaces - for me, for my family and for gatherings
11. BONUS: that I need structure to accomplish goals, that I enjoy abstract painting, how to use the Curves feature to enhance my photos, that I'm capable and willing to take some risks and others not so much...

10 things for which I am grateful in 2010

1. my home
2. my friends and family
3. D. and Cassie
4. my living room library nook and my books
5. the availability of healthy, local food
6. a winter getaway to Château Montebello, a summer trip to gorgeous Gaspésie, and a Labour Day weekend at Mom & Dad's to celebrate Dad's 70th birthday - N. & L.'s generous offer to dogsit Cassie while we were away
7. Squam Art Workshops, meeting new creative kindred spirits, sharing the trip to and from New Hampshire with K.
8. Thanksgiving on a farm with D.'s paternal side of the family
9. my health
10. working a four-day week at the office, my colleagues, interesting work assignments
11. BONUS: blue skies, a Mad Chatters field trip to Montreal, singing with Sis at Dad's birthday party, my point & shoot camera, my first solo art show opening, the courage to take creative risks... there's so much to be grateful for!

10 things I want to create and nurture in my life in 2011

1. stillness and patience
2. action with intent
3. friendships
4. my marriage
5. my home
6. health
7. financial integrity
8. one or more income streams related to art and creativity
9. levity, fun and ease
10. more experiments, comfort in taking risks
11. BONUS: art, learning, creative community, flexibility, a willingness to let go of what's not working and embrace what is...

The last list may seem overly ambitious, but I approach it with a spirit of intent vs a need to achieve it all. Some of my wants for 2011 may drive specific, intense and direct action, while I suspect others will manifest through awareness and a more subtle shift in choices.

I look forward to seeing what will become.

What about you? What would you like to create and nurture in 2011?

December Views Week 4 + Thoughts on Year-End Transition

Christmas has come and gone and was celebrated with a healthy blend of joy and gentle dysfunction, socializing and quiet time, feasting and, well, more feasting.

I enjoy this in-between time that allows me to reflect on the year past before feeling too pressured to jump into projects for the year to come. A lot of good things came about in 2010 and I feel a recap post coming together – nothing fancy, probably a bulleted list, simple. Or not.

While I let my transitional thoughts percolate just a little bit more I thought I’d leave you with my last week of December Views. This Christmas was graced not only with the presence of the usual suspects, but with our adorable wee niece A., whose tiny toes and candy cane leggings I simply could not resist...

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. I'll see you in the new year.

Happy happy wishes to you.

Christmas Eve Ponderings and my Christmas Wish for You

I am blessed.

I've been weepy all day at the thought of all that is good and right, at the generosity of kind people, at the sight of an abundant Christmas Eve spread contributed by my colleagues and the sounds of their children's laughter through the hallways.

I've been waxing nostalgic at Christmases past and imagining, hoping Christmases to come.

I pray for those who are struggling this Christmas. May the Universe guide them through this time of year laden with social pressures to be cheerful. May they find peace and a quiet place to cry if they need to. May they find the courage to reach out for support when they need it. May they be overcome with joy - even if only for a moment.

I sit in silence. I live in laughter.

I am grateful for it all.

I wish you a peace-full, joy-full Christmas...

Steph

xo

~~~

Sounds of the Season: It was tough call today, but this one seemed to fit...