My Favorite Collections

What makes a collection? If it's a good one, it's a gathering of objects, similar in appearance or purpose, which reveals a person's personality and joys or fears.

I would love making a collection of emerald objects. I do feel some connection to Oz.

I have quite a collection of necklaces. Several were birthday, Christmas, or anniversary gifts from Josh. Many necklaces are hanging from hooks (like a silver seahorse key rack), and the rest are in separate zip bags in a pretty box. I used to have more, but I gave many to my mom to wear or to dismantle for crafts. But I love necklaces. I love how a necklace can completely change an outfit or an attitude.

I have a collection of Faerie Glen fairy figurines. They're gorgeous. In so many moves, many have lost their wings. But they are still lovely. My favorites are in our bedroom.

I collect journals, of course. And pens. I think I have a great fear of not being able to write.

I love my illustrated fairy tale books. In my search over several years, I've found some stars.

I also love my musical theatre souvenir programs with their vivid images and bright color, pushing me back into that experience in the audience.

Some of the joy of collections is the joy of discovering and acquiring more objects. I don't have the funds for that now, but I try to put that energy into enjoying my collections as they are. Sometimes, my apartment feels like a wonderland to me.

Odd Wishes.

These are the kinds of wishes that roll around in one's bedside table's drawer.

• I wish I had a vanilla milkshake and a giant Pottery Barn Teen catalog.
• I wish I were better at spellings. It's gotten worse in the last couple of years.
• I wish that I could get back to a healthier weight and that my efforts would actually have an impact.
• I wish I were eating a nutty brownie and vanilla ice cream with my dad.
• Alternative: I wish I were eating Snickers pie from Cooker with my dad.
• I wish I could still dance a little just to show it off.
• I wish my fingernails wouldn't grow past a certain point. 
• I wish I were eating pastry with warm brie and honey outside the Blue Moon Cafe with my mom.
• I wish I had learned to play the piano.
• I wish my hair wouldn't frizz.
• I wish I had a lighter version of my swimming obsession back.
• I wish I could have individual pockets in my savings account--gifts, summer, travel...
• I wish Sunset Boulevard and Starlight Express would tour now.

Culling and Curating.

I'm not sure why I'm suddenly okay with reducing the number of books in our library. What am I cleaning out? Do I feel choked by objects, unable to enjoy the rest, the most beautiful?

I have a Pull-Ups box full of books, several of which I just read recently. I've been going through the the sticky-flagged pages and writing down the quotations in a Cinderella composition book. The box will go to 2nd and Charles, where I'll get store credit. The newer books are easier to let go. I work slowly through the older books, the ones that have been part of our many homes. 

I want our bookshelves to convey who we are. I want to feel lighter. 

Of course, I have so many books I've not read yet, so I have a lot of work ahead of me. The best news is that I'm kind of crashing through books lately. It's a wonderful, empowering, and joyful experience.

Decadence.

It may have a negative connotation, but what a delicious word! It makes me think of chocolate and velvet. I guess taste and touch are major channels. Here are some examples of my kind of decadence, rich and sometimes frivolous happiness, maybe the sort in which I should indulge more often.

• getting comfortable alone with a book for hours.
• reading a magazine cover-to-cover in one sitting (I did this on my 30th birthday).
• clean, slightly worn sheets.
• mermaid stamps, stickers, and so on. That kind of magic should be easier to find!
• laughing my head off with one of the people I most love to talk to.
• multiple acknowledgements of a blog post I thought would interest no one.
• Gold pens.
• Dove chocolates with peanut butter.
• Magnum mini ice cream bars.
• Dr. Pepper right when I need it and so cold.
• Bingeing on a show as I did with Bates Motel.
• Fleece pants.
• Writing fast and pushing the pen hard.
• Noticing a word I just learned out in the world.
• Buying multiples of something I adore.
• Holding hands.

On Trend.

I love trends because they help me get what I want. When I started public high school at 16, I wanted to fit in. I don't know if I wanted to get attention or just to slip into the background by looking like others. Ombre was in style then too, and I remember my pink-to-hot-pink pants. I loved the sparkle jeans. My favorite pair had little pink and white stars sprinkled over the glitter and fringe.

Since then, I haven't paid much attention to trends unless they are something I already like. I pay most attention to colors. My mom and I love deep greens, so we were excited when it became "color of the year" or something. We couldn't find green anywhere, and suddenly, it was everywhere! Like magic.

But I also ignore a lot of trends. Matte makeup is big deal right now. I love everything that shimmers or sparkles, so I pay little attention to newer makeup. I will say, though, that Urban Decay still has the right idea with the Moondust products. When something I love is on trend (and preferrably, on sale), I take advantage of the opportunity if I can.

"Bloom Where You're Planted."

I've been seeing this on Mary Engelbreit's art work since I was a child. I never thought about it much. But looking back, I think of the move my family and I made from TN to NC. I was 12, and as far as I can remember or interpret, I did not bloom. I was mad for my best (and only) NC friend. I stepped into warm, black pools of self-loathing thoughts, and I'm surprised I ever came out of them.

Hannah and Melissa arrived in my life and were certainly lights I needed.

For the first time, after 5 or 6 years of moving almost every year, Josh and I have finally lived in one city for nearly 5 years. I finally feel as if someone planted me here. It's not a perfect place, but I think that I can bloom here and that I already have done so at least a little.

I took a big risk on friendship, and we won. I've discovered the reasons for a lot of my out-of-control sorrow. I can't get those years back, but I can use what I've learned. I'm still learning when to water and what to prune.

I can find so much here. I can become what I hope to be here.

Unexpected Joys.

• A server at Cracker Barrel gave me a frosted mug with my school-sized milk cartons.
• When I made my first order to Papaya Art my box included 3 or 4 free, glittery greeting cards.
• My mom is going to try to make a blanket out of my special, pretty, old T-shirts. I'd love cuddling up with those memories.
• Closing the shower curtain--instant bathroom makeover.
• Watching Riverdance again.
• All of Urban Decay's Moondust products. I test them on my wrist at Ulta.
• Watching most of my favorite movies again with Bruce. I had a good excuse to watch them!
• Bruce brought us 2 cases of water bottles during Hurricane Matthew.
• Cold water near the end of a shower. 
• Cleaning out the fridge...kind of satisfying.
• Regular, repeating appointments for me and Oliver makes life so much easier.
• I like iced mocha, and I can get it in a bottle or carton at the grocery store.
• Staying on track with my GoodReads annual reading goal (50 for the year!).
• Books that demand my attention.