Purge

This is one of my dresser drawers. It's supposed to be the the jewelry drawer, but trying to find anything is a bit like trying to play "Where's Waldo?" It takes patience and concentration. And digging. Lots of digging. 

I have too much stuff and I don't have a good place or a good way to keep all of the stuff. As life shifts and priorities change, things previously important- like a sketch pad, for example- get put away and move from being out in the living space to hiding, tucked away in a drawer. I could blame baby-proofing, but I know this is only partly true. 

But I've recently come to the conclusion that everything I have should either serve a real, practical function or it should bring joy, or both. Every. Single. Thing. And it shouldn't be a theoretical function, that I might be able to use it, at some point, despite that I haven't used it and have kept it with the same argument for the past five or ten years. 

I also don't want to keep something out of guilt, obligation or sentimentality, because it meant something to someone else, in another time. 

Everything has a story. 

I would like to be more purposeful, more conscious of the stories I surround myself with and keep in my life. 

It's time to purge. Every closet and drawer and box. 

Purge. 

reflections, observations, 1.11-1.17.2014

My first visit to MOMA's PS1 for the Mike Kelly show:

 

Things I'm loving right now- week of 01.06.2014

Things I'm loving right now:

Kerrygold butter

Green juice (recipe: 2-3 kale leaves, 1 large handful baby spinach, 1 apple, 1/2 lemon)

This juicer

Gaffers tape

These jeans

 

Things I'm coveting:

The ability to do this

Art studio

Tropical getaway

this should not be an excuse to collect more crap

In an effort to examine my many ideas and interests, I recently compiled a list of the various projects and activities that I have floating in my brain that I want to pursue. It's no wonder I don't make progress in any one singular direction, as my list is so broad that my brain gets pulled in different directions when I finally have an opportunity for some "me" time. Analysis paralysis with a good dose of laziness usually sets in and I find myself staring into my iPhone, reading something of minimal importance. Life moves on. Moment lost. 

Here's my list, if only to make it more tangible for myself:

Blog (hey, look at that! Score one for me doing this today- woohoo!)

Learn German

Draw

Journal

Pink series

Hell boxes 

Play accordion

Yoga

Exercise

Photography (personal and professional)

Play guitar

Etsy

Today, I started reading this book:

It's so inspiring, it crystallizes my desire to put a concentrated effort into my art-making which has been dormant for far too long. How can I possibly ever dive into the creative process when I only allow myself the time and space to think about this stuff during my little man's nap time and after he goes to bed at night? Not to mention that all of my art-making supplies and gathered ephemera are stashed away in boxes so that the apartment can be clean and safe. 

However, this should not be an excuse to collect more crap. It's an impulse to study, explore, create. Do we not owe it to our future selves to use the time that we have to actually DO something, to leave our mark and materialize those impulses floating around inside? I say yes. 

juice juice juice!!!

We got a juicer and I'm in love. This green cocktail is inspired by a bottled juice from Whole Foods called "Green Aid". It's apple, kale, spinach and lemon and totally delicious. 

I can already see this will take my composting efforts to the next level. I currently fill empty quart yogurt containers and freeze when they get full, taking a big bag of compost popsicles to the local green market each week for collection. At this rate, I'm afraid we'll need a bigger freezer!

p.s. For the record, this is not for a New Years resolution. It's just plain good. 

things don't have to be written really big to say something huge

Smith Street and 3rd Street