This week’s pick is about being alive. Sometimes what makes me come alive is the human touch. This week, I’m honoring and remembering and choosing the touch.
You Choose is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here.
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I read Afterworlds for a book club. I had read Uglies by him before and hadn’t liked it so I wasn’t sure about this book but I did finish the whole thing. I didn’t like it. It’s an unusual book with alternating chapters where one story is about a girl who’s writing a book and then the other one is the book she’s writing. very meta. but maybe because it tried to be gimmicky, it was just too shallow. too stereotypical. too uninteresting. i’ve said it often i know, but gimmicks are hard to get right.
This week’s page was another inspired by a Life Book lesson. But It’s just one I did when I decided I wanted to do something, anything. Message says: Everyday has light and dark in it. Remember: there will be light tomorrow, too. Here are a few detail shots:
Note to self: i want to remember that there’s light even in the darkest day and dark in the light days. Each day has elements of both. I want to be able to see the light in my dark days and notice that they are there. This is how life becomes magical. In always seeing the light, no matter how small it is. Note to Self is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here.
Here’s this week’s layout: The left side here is a kitchen table:
And the right side is supposed to be a perspective drawing. these are always hard for me.
And there we are. Here’s another week of practicing courage. Fifty-two stamps is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here.
I read Playing Big because I’d read Tara’s blog on and off over the years and I really wanted to see what the book was about. Playing big in general is not something that seemed to call to me so I wasn’t sure I would like the book. But I loved it. Especially Chapter 2 which spoke to me strongly enough that it made me read the whole book in one go. That particular visualization exercise has still stayed with me and made the whole thing very worthwhile.
This week’s page was another Life Book lesson. One by Tam. Sometimes the simplest ones are my favorite. I loved drawing this apple. It says “when in doubt go back to basics.” Note to self: if you’re not sure what’s going on or what you want or how you want to proceed, go back to the basics. basics of who you care about, what you stand for, what matters most. Always go back to the basics. Note to Self is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here. Those of you who’ve visited me here for a while know that I’ve been a fan of Brave Girls for a long, long time. I’ve taken every single class Melody and Kathy have offered and every single one of them has been life changing in some way or another for me. I’ve also been subscribed to Soul School for months now and use their classes to ensure I am reflecting, growing, stretching each month. So there was no doubt in my mind that I would be a part of this:
I can’t wait until September 1. Click here to put yourself on the list of the first to know when registration opens. (As an affiliate of Brave Girl University, I thank you in advance.) Here’s this week’s story:
Title: Three Days in Coloma You left with the rest of your class, teachers, and a few parent chaperones. For the next three days, I didn’t get to hear your wonderful voice. I got a few emails from your teachers and I had to be okay with just having that. In the first few photos they sent, we couldn’t see you and that made us even more worried. But the three days passed quickly and you were back in my arms before I knew it. And the best part was that you had a total blast! You came back with wonderful memories, awe-inspiring stories, and a fantastic adventure. I know this is the beginning of many more trips you will take on your own and while I, of course, wish you could be with me all the time, I am so happy to see you grow up and venture out into the world on your own to create your own memories, your own experiences, and to watch you grow. David, I am so incredibly proud of you and grateful for you every single day. Stories of Twenty Fifteen is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here.
I read All Joy and No Fun for book club. I should really correct that. I read almost none of this book. Just a tiny tiny amount. I hate parenting books and this was no exception. In my opinion, parenting is tough and not formulaic. Depends so much on the parent and the child and each of them come with so much baggage, emotion, filter, stories of their own that it’s impossible to reduce it to any kind of formula whatsoever. And, personally, i think fun is overrated. But I know that’s just me.
Here’s this week’s layout: The left side here is a a bedside. beds are always hard to draw for me:
And the right side is my new (now old) planner (that i no longer use).
And there we are. Here’s another week of practicing courage. Fifty-two stamps is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here. Here’s this week’s story:
Title: Happy Birthday Nathaniel Six. How did we already get here? He was so very little just yesterday and now he’s so close to being a big boy. He can do everything by himself. He no longer has a blankie, no longer sucks his thumb and no longer falls asleep as easily as he used to. He can now read and do some amazing math. He has the best memory of anyone I know and he’s constantly paying attention to every single thing. But none of those things are what make you special, Nathaniel. What makes you an amazing human being is that you exude joy. People are drawn to you and to your incredible energy. You make everyone feel happier. I get emails from every parent telling me how amazing you are and how happy you make them feel. And, my sweet son, they are so right. You are just the sweetest, kindest, most lovable person in the world. I have no idea how I got this lucky. Even though your birthday ended up falling before two of the biggest events of our year, you never complained. You took it all in stride (as you do always.) You woke up to your usual huge balloon and cupcake with candles. You opened your first present and loved the Lego watch so much that you wore it to school all day. You loved having Daddy come read your favorite story to the class. You told every single person about how it’s your birthday. And then, after school you bounced with joy some more as you had more cakes and more presents. You never complained about not getting a party or a bigger event this time around. My sweet son, I promise we will make it all up to you next year. Nathaniel, I don’t know how it worked out that I blinked and you’re now six. But I know that I will blink again and you’ll be fifteen so I am going to make the most of these moments we have together. I am going to hug you all the time and I am going to soak in the sunshine that you carry with you everywhere you go. I love you with all my heart. Stories of Twenty Fifteen is a project for 2015. You can read more about it here.
I read J because it was long listed for the Man Booker prize. This was probably one of the toughest novels to get through for me. I read it over weeks and weeks. It felt like it was dragging on forever and I just couldn’t get through it. I can’t even tell you what made the book so hard to finish or even read at all. And in the end, I am not sure I liked it. It was really depressing. I’ve never read Jacobson before so I don’t know if this is typical for him but now I am not tempted to read more of him. |
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