close your eyes and sing

I am a girl of many inspirations.  Many sources, wells, finds, inspirations and influences.  They pelt me; and try as I may to organize and weed through them I just find too many things that draw my artistic eye.  Too much beauty.  Excess information.  Bountiful love.  This is so true of me in all aspects of my life.  If you know me, this is old news to you.

So of course this idea of blogging is not new to me.  I've started no less than seven blogs in the past two years.  I use the word 'started' with a smirk because truly, I never really started.  I just pretended to start.  I agonized over backgrounds and headers, fonts and colors and craftily avoided the meat and potatoes part (I am not fond of meat and potatoes anyway).  Again, if you know me, this is old news to you.

So why should this blog be different?  Well, other than the presence of writing (which is an oddity amongst my previous attempts), it's coming at the right time.  The right time for me.  The time when I deem it to be 'blog time'.  The time when I have finally decided I'm tired of not hearing myself think aloud, and I'm ready to speak a little louder.

A gazillion inspirational words could begin this year of blogful wonder.  I chose one set though (hallelujah!) to support my thinking.  From Scoutie Girl's Sara Gentile: 

Creativity really isn't about things.  It's about expansion.  It's about being on the edge of the known world, feeling for the boundaries and giving them a nice solid nudge.

And I'll do just that.  Push myself a little, reflect on what I adore, what I hate, my fears, my pride, annoyances, kids, wonder, business, teaching, living and love.  It's about damn time I gave myself this small gift.  Here's to a new year of boundary nudges.

Regard your self-loathing/fear/doubt the way you might pick up a piece of glassware in an antique shop. Turn it over in your hands, hold it up to the light for scrutiny. It once belonged to someone else and then went into general circulation. Now put it down. Move on.

~ Deb Schanilec, Connected and Committed