Curated
We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
The course began years ago for me. It usually kicks off with clothes, significantly when changing to a new season. As items become worn out or my inclination leans in a different style direction, bags fill up, get stowed in the car, and taken to a Goodwill for drop-off. With the clean-out of my mom's house after her passing, carefully selected items attained a place with us while the majority found new homes. Our extensive library of books encountered a major re-cataloging since we renovated the home office earlier this month. Some volumes landed prime space in our local library, while others sold to benefit those in need. I love the look and security of shelves filled with books in our home, that is until I have to move them to paint.
You can call it stuff management, downsizing, controlling clutter; I like to call it curating. Sounds fancy though it simply boils down to organizing what you really want and letting go of what you've outgrown.
Looking back, this journal began with thrill and trepidation. The day before my birthday in 2010, I was sitting at the kitchen table with a newish laptop. I still remember the sunny afternoon shadow-play through the curtain on my hands at the keyboard. Unsure of how to begin my very first post, I photographed a simple arrangement of a file folder that would become a Deux-coupage image, some jade beads, and an antique brass seed chain all on the table next to me. The final image's faded edges were easily applied in a pre-loaded program on the laptop, becoming my signature photo-format style for many years. Accompanied by a quick one hundred twenty-three word paragraph, I swallowed a gulp of coffee and hit the Publish button.
Ah, I learned so much since that novice dip in the blogger pool.
I am a self-taught spirit at heart. Over the years, I learned to build six websites and two more blogs, basic photography skills for snapping everything from museum visits to jewelry close-ups, and carefully maneuvered clever flat-lays and foodie frames, all with accompanying commentary. Eventually, I graduated to image-altering with double exposure and on-location fashion photoshoots to create descriptive season look-books for my jewelry line. These skills remain in my toolbox no matter where I go or what I do and continue to inform how I get a job done. But all this needs some curation over time too.
With that being said, I decided to archive this Journal. Don't worry, you can still access the library of three hundred thirty-three craft posts, couture articles, my favorite cuisine recipes, and culture clips, as this blog will remain available until Google Blogspot decides otherwise. For quick reference, use the search bar at the top to sift through the variety of stories. But this is my last post here—time to attentively establish a fresh set of goals.
I will take time to curate myself before embarking on something new. Whatever that turns out to be, for sure, a creative enterprise will be born. My entrepreneur spirit has taught me a lot, always encouraging me to produce something expressive, inspiring, fulfilling in my unique voice. I continue to observe, strive to understand, learn, grow, and thrive. Curiosity and creativity will carry me along the way with more captivating lessons about the world around me and the one within. I will heed my own advice - slow down, be open, allow the surrounding beauty to spark something inside, and let it surprise me.
Thank you for remaining with me on this ride, whether you are here from the very beginning or hopped on at some point along the journey. Thank you for allowing me to share some of myself in new ideas, fun anecdotes, and personal observations. I hope they awakened a little something within you.
There is still a lot of traveling, tasting, and trying on costumes to catapult me into the second half of my life. I'll let you know where I land... xoxo-Sonya
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