Distractions. They’re everywhere, lurking in wait to devour every minute of our day.
Agatha, Virginia, Sylvia, and Vita (my anglophilia is showing) got it right. Or Lillian and Anais on this side of the pond. A shack, an isolated Cornish farm, Big Sur, or a tower, so as to be able to isolate one’s thoughts and commit to paper things that pop into our minds.
Love how I’m lumping myself in with the high priestesses of literature during the Bloomsbury to McCarthy days. Many of their ends were not so romantic. Well, no regrets; we wouldn’t want tears in our celebratory glass of champagne this New Year’s Eve.
This has been an exciting year for me. Twelve months ago I purchased the theme for this blog (Foodie Pro), but it just sat there on the computer for 8 months. Finally I got the courage to navigate WordPress through Widgets, Sidebars, and Media Files. I have to plug Creative Live here. No affiliation, whatsoever. The fabulous food photographers Penny de los Santos, Todd and Diane from White on Rice Couple, and Anthony Scrivani have incredible tutorials on styling, lighting and photographing food. I couldn’t have progressed to where my photographs are now. They were my reward for gritting my teeth and studying the techie tutorials on WordPress, SEO, and Lightroom. My head has been spinning all year!
Each time I shoot, I feel more confident, but also more critical. I love the piece Ira Glass did on a creative life, where you can see true beauty in art or whatever your expression is. That’s when we give up, because we don’t think we can ever attain it ourselves. Our first attempts pale by comparison. But you can’t give up. You have to keep showing up if you want to live your dream .
I’m excited to really sit down and write the cookbook I’ve been talking about for a couple of years. I have it down to 35 chapters and 600 pictures. Kendra and Eduardo’s wedding is in August, and classes are almost up and running for 2015.
Don’t worry, Ira. I got this.
Happy New Year.
-Sheila
