

happy 2011 friends! i hope this finds you all happy and healthy and relaxed after the holiday break. i had an amazing time with my family – we drank lots of champagne, ate too much rich food, took naps, read books, spent quality time with friends and laughed. and then we laughed some more. it was wonderful and magical and i’m sad that it’s over. but now it’s time to look ahead.
whether it’s on facebook or the blogs that i read, a consistent theme over the past few days has been new year’s resolutions. i can honestly say that i’ve never really made any. but as a result of the huge personal changes i made last year, i’ve decided that it might not be a bad idea to give some thought to the year ahead.
many have wondered why i left brooklyn and moved to the country last spring. it’s a hard question to answer because there are many reasons, but here are a few:
1. to spend more time with family
2. to learn to enjoy and appreciate peace and quiet and a slower pace of life
3. to be part of a community
4. to save money
5. to devote more time to my own creative pursuits
6. to learn to cook and eat well
7. to get real, restful sleep on a consistent basis
8. to have my own home that is comfortable and happy
the list is much longer, but this hopefully gives you an idea.
i’ve done the hard part, which was to leave new york. and i’ve already started working on the things i’ve listed above. but there is much more to be done. i’m still rooting myself and getting to know the place i now call home. and it feels really good. none of these are resolutions, per se, but the many reasons why i moved serve as a constant reminder about what i need to do to make the most of my new life here.
if i had to choose just one thing that i really need to change right now, it would be this here blog. i’ve never really found my voice or purpose here. a few years ago, i had a blog that was solely personal. so much so that it was password protected. and then i decided to end it and finally set up a website for myself where i could share my work publicly. very quickly, this blog had one focus – my concert photography. and it’s no wonder – it was something that took a huge amount of my time, something that i loved immensely and something i was very proud of and wanted to share. but now i live in the country and i’m no longer shooting shows on a regular basis. so the blog’s focus must change. (don’t worry, those of you who come here for the pictures – i’ve still got a huge backlog to share and will continue to shoot when i'm in nyc.)
i read A LOT of blogs. music blogs, design blogs, photography blogs, personal blogs. there are so many wonderful people out there in internet land whom i have never met, but whose lives i feel a part of because they share them with me. even though i have always had a hard time putting myself out there, it’s time to do just that. and so, i’m boldy going forward in this new direction, even if it kills me. i am going to make my blog more about me…things i care about, things i’m working on and have created, things that interest and inspire me…
i don’t know exactly what it will be, but I do hope you’ll join me for the ride. i have a lot of plans that are in the works and i look forward to sharing them with you. stay tuned, friends. and thank you from the bottom of my heart for your encouragement and support and friendship.
all my very best wishes for a terrific 2011 for ALL of us,
k
(the photos above are of my first christmas tree in 6 years – just one of the many little things that i’m able to have now that i live here. i love it so much that i don’t want to take it down!)