Hello Again!

So it has been over a year since I've been here. Such is the way of the amateur blog, I suppose! I guess an update of sorts would be appropriate:

• I've returned to school! I will compete the last course of my undergraduate degree in June, and I am tres excited. Some reading and writing and an honors thesis are about all that stand between me and a degree. It's been a bit of a difficult semester, with a lot of ups and downs, but I'm feeling alright about life right now. 
• I moved! 5 and a half blocks north of my old place. It's a gorgeous, older duplex full of character with big windows and a lot of natural light. Original hardwood, coved ceilings, a plaster fireplace. We've got lots of plants and lots of candles. It really feels like a home. And I'm still in the same neighborhood, close to school, work, and friends. 
• I'm embracing the creative! I've been working on a couple quilts, a lunch bag, a painting, a handful of DIYs, and I've discovered some awesome new recipes. I will slowly be updating the blog with posts about some of these creative endeavors, along with some new ones. 
• I've developed a yoga practice! I'm not always perfect about going, but I'm fairly consistent. And I definitely feel better on those days where I leave it all on the mat.
• I'm going back to Poland! I'll be returning to Poland this summer to work as a lab osteologist at a cemetery excavation. I'm really excited because I love skeletons, I love everyone I work with, and I love Poland. I've been taking Polish this year, too! It's definitely been a struggle (I'm not sure what drugs the folks who decided on Polish grammar were taking, but it'd be great if they'd share) but I'm stoked to talk to my Polish friends in their language. Our excavation is just outside of a tiny village, where almost no one speaks English, so it'll be nice to be able to do more than just point at the store. 

Returning to school, keeping my part time job, writing an honors thesis, and learning a new language has definitely brought back some of the old stressors I was struggling with. And, as it tends to do, life has thrown a few new ones my direction lately. But with the help of some amazing friends and some fun, creative projects I am still loving life. 

One other positive thing in my life is my tea collection! It's an addiction, I can't help but acquire new, tasty teas. All the teas!! 

Montreal

I just got back from a trip to Montreal, which was stellar. I was there for a conference, but the best part was seeing friends I hadn't seen in ages (and making new ones). I'm no master photographer. These are taken with a point and shoot. I think they're still fun though.

Friend Drawing #1

I've also been working on a couple more long-term projects (hint: they involve origami). I've decided my current project, though, is to draw the faces of my friends. Or, really, anyone willing to risk their face at my hands. I've discovered ears are quite hard to draw - possibly harder than noses! I drew this from a photograph. Well, without further ado, here you go:

Tree of Life Sketch

The first official creative post! This is a quick sketch of the tree of life. I've always loved this symbol because it reminds me everything in the world is interconnected, a philosophy I try to live by. I'm thinking of doing a painting to replace the awful scheduler, complete with university crest, that I had on the wall by my bed. A tree of life was an idea I'd been considering, so I figured I'd do some sketching first.

Why are we here?

I was recently diagnosed with clinical depression. I'm taking medication, seeing a therapist, doing all the right things a depressed person is supposed to do. But, I firmly believe I'm only going to get better if I make changes in my life and take the effort to make myself happy. I may have gotten my psychology degree from a cereal box, but I think at least some of my unhappiness stems from a great lapse in creative activities in my life. Stress from school, a relationship gone horribly awry and genetic predisposition probably played their part too. I've solved the first problem: I'm taking a break from school. The second problem is, hopefully, finally resolved as well. The third I can't do a lot about. So it's time I do something about my lack of creative outlets.

I don't have a particular creative talent. I like to think I'm a half decent writer, but unless I'm actually in a writing course I very rarely write anything non-academic. I enjoy painting, but the closest thing I have to formal art education is a class in junior high. I sew, a couple quilts, a dress, but it's always with my mother's guidance. I play the violin, but these days I can't play much more than Twinkle Twinkle. I'm not discouraged though. I'm not looking to be Shakespeare, Picasso, Coco Chanel, or Vivaldi. I'm just looking to be happy.

I'm going to chronicle my journey into the creative. I don't promise to post every day because projects can take a while and I've got a couple trips planned. I will try my best, though, to put up something new every week. I look forward to taking back my life!