Little New Year's Things

Happy New Year!

Today I'm cleaning my studio, starting the year off fresh by getting rid of years of accumulated junk. I've dumped all the little mementos into boxes to sort through later. I have a pail of warm water with lavender scented cleaning soap and a rag to scrub away the yuck. Discovering lots of interesting stuff under the layers of debris in my piling system.

Here are some of my finds:

MOST RELEVANT FIND: A 2002 email I'd printed out where a friend from Germany described the meaning of "zwischen den Jahren", "time between the years", the week between Christmas and New Years, traditionally a time of rest and renewal.

MOST IRONIC FIND: Found my copy of "The Miracle of Mindfulness" by Thich Nhat Hanh had fallen back behind some equipment in my studio. Didn't even realize it was missing. I found it sitting next to a dusty flashlight that I'd left ON about 6 years ago when I crawled back behind my desk to connected a bunch of recording equipment together.

WEIRDEST FIND: Glow-in-the-dark plastic lizard who's been sitting on my window sill for the past 8 years. I don't even remember where he came from or why I have him. Maybe I'll put him in my coat pocket and leave him someplace unexpected for someone else to find.

TO PONDER: Do glow-in-the-dark things ever stop recharging, like rechargeable batteries that get used over and over and won't recharge anymore?

NICEST FIND: Discovered it's possible created a portable meditation altar with an 8-inch square of black paper and a feng shui pillar candle in a pottery bowl. I started doing my morning yoga in my studio a few days ago. The top of my scanner turned out to be the perfect place to set a candle, right in front of the window looking out at the dogwood tree. Then when I start to work I can move this little focal point to another location. Makes me feel peaceful. There are five candles to choose from: Earth, Air, Fire, Water and Metal. Each is a different color and smells like a different kind of incense. In the morning, I choose one to match the energy I feel like I need that day, ... whatever that means. (These were a Christmas gift.)

I'm resting my feet for now, sipping IBC Root Beer from a tall brown bottle. I've been working for almost 7 hours with only a few breaks for snacks and other necessities. Listened to Paul Winter's "Missa Gaia" CD earlier. Sang along. Danced around. It's a New Years thing. :-)

The decorations and items I've removed from the studio were brought in here 5-8 years ago to inspire me to finish the CD. They've lost their relevance now that I've reached that goal and moved beyond.

I visualize transforming this studio into a space that reflects all the current creative threads in my life. My goal is to weave them together into a more coherent whole in the coming year, both publicly and privately, to build in a meaningful way on what's already been accomplished. Balance!

Wishing you inspiration, energy and opportunity in the New Year!

Peace!
Kay

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