Jet lag

Last commission of 2010

I've fallen into 2011 with jet lag.  Not the real, sunshine associated, I've-been-on-holiday jet lag, but the one that finds you waking up on a dreary January morning, not really knowing what happened to December or the last couple of weeks. I wish it was the result of some crazy lifestyle choices, but no, real life took it's toll and the dark days of winter have been spent ill, surviving Christmas, celebrating New Year (okay, that led to some days recovering from self induced grogginess), and getting back into normal routines of child care and school run and catching up on a zillion promises.  I seem at last to have mustered the will to embrace the New Year and hope soon that I'll tap into all the creative thoughts I've been storing up.

So, plans I'll be putting into action this year are:

1. To live holistically.  For me that means to keep juggling all the aspects of life, but to beware that I also need balance.  Part of this means taking time to look after my health.  So, that leads to:

2. Exercise.  I've started running, I'm off to Zumba class and I'm allowing time to meditate.  Mind, body, spirit.

3. Acceptance.....oh, this one pops up every year!  You know, that saying about having the grace to accept what I cannot change....well, trying to apply that to my life!

4.  Work.  Apart from having just said that I've spent the last six weeks in a foggy bubble, I don't switch off from work much.  I love it, live for it and it defines me.  I get very frustrated that the visual arts are so unsupported in our society and feel like an economic freak as we bumble along from one creative opportunity to another.  So, I'm getting my work life in order.  That means returning to designing.  I'll be working with a surface design agent again and I'm now obsessed with Print Pattern.

5.  Work.....see it takes up a big section of the Venn diagram of my life.....I will still be aiming to build on my accomplishments from last year and carry on exhibiting and selling art and ceramics.

6. Earth.  The sudden mild weather has had me back out in the garden with children and chickens.  Oh, I've missed being in the garden.  I've started a clear up, dug over a bed and started fantasising about my veg plot.  Oh yes, these are the fantasies of my late 30's!!

7. Children.  Cherish them and enjoy these days.  Littlest chap starts nursery in September.  Big chap is getting so big, so clever, charming and handsome.  I still wonder where they came from!!  Time trips past, and truth is I struggle with all the demands of family life.  They, my beautiful boys and husband, are the greatest challenge I have ever faced.....and the greatest joy.  Strange to have to write it down to remind myself but I'm prone to forget how lucky I am.

So, cards laid on the table......2011, bring it on!