Read: the life-changing magic of tidying up by marie kondo

Ah, the ever-present need to "tidy up". By need I mean both the internal need to have things in order and the quite obvious mess that needs to be tidied and cleaned. I've just started reading a book by Marie Kondo called "the life-changing magic of tidying up; the Japanese art of de-cluttering and organizing". You've probably picked up your own copy by now or seen it in stores. It's a pretty book, aesthetically speaking, and possibly just the kick in the pants I need to change the world. The world around me, that is. The immediate space surrounding me and my family. I've felt for some time that the lack of order in my world makes it more difficult to kick Lyme disease, be healthy, have people over, get the kids to do something interesting when they're home, enjoy a meal, generally be happy, healthy and achieve all the things we want - even imagine things that we want to achieve. It's all about clarity and finding order. Stuff can hinder progress towards, well, just about anything. You think I'm being dramatic? Possibly, but I might be right too.

I'm about 25% into the book and I can already tell you it's about more than tidying. In my opinion a better title would be: "Getting Your House in Order". Tidying evokes a casual and swift moving things about and dusting image in my mind. While getting your house in order sounds more grounding and an entirely encompassing effort that requires a great deal of presence and self knowledge and for some people, soul-searching. How often do you stop to think about the crap you've accumulated and what it means about the state of your life, your mind, your home, our country and our world? Not long, I'd guess. Maybe we all should spend a few minutes a day considering this deeply.

It is a little challenging for me to read this. I despair that I lack enough OCD to ever fully embrace this life-change. And I worry about Marie Kondo's mental health as I turn the pages and find her need to keep every minute detail in check. Ah, but she has made a career out of this and turned what could be a burden into a gift. I don't think I can turn my clutter into a gift if I tried, so I shall embark on a little OCD journey (for as long as I can take it). Anyone up for the challenge?

Having Fun in the Studio

I've been preparing LAST MINUTE, of course, for a sale this coming Sunday. I'll be at the Tannery Art Center from 11:00 to 5:00 selling my work! Please swing by if you're going to be anywhere near Santa Cruz.

I started working this Sunday (seven days before the event). Sometimes, when I get a little spark or just finally make the decision to START I ask myself: "Why on earth do I not do this every day?". It's just plain fun. A ton of work and exhausting, but just so much fun!

Here's what I've been up to:

::grateful::

I Am Grateful for

Kitty

My friends

Sunshine

A family trip in the near future

My husband

Clay and metal

My home

My studio

Long walks in the woods

COFFEE

Love

Compassion

Forgiveness

...