The ghost of 2012....

The folks at FOLK magazine are hosting a "community journaling/blogging project" and we at *The Merry Ghost* are "in"! (Specifically, I, Megan, am "in" as I'm the blogger around here...).

If you haven't heard of FOLK, you have now and I definitely recommend their publication; do visit their site (and subscribe!).  They are officially my only magazine subscription--and well worth the very affordable price.  Each week, FOLK will have a blogging "prompt"; every monday you can read Hillary's blog entry and link your own entry as well!  So here we go........

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Week One:  Happy New Year!  Write a letter to the 2012 you.  Reflect on the lessons learned in 2012 and how you will apply your new knowledge to 2013.

Dear Megan,
     
Wow, what a year!!  You moved--and moved again; a wonderful adventure, all in all.  You met new people, discovered new places, made new friends and loved new family...  You did an astounding amount of packing and sorting and planning all by yourself (though you ended up NOT driving the moving truck and you and everyone else concerned are probably more thankful for this than any of you realize...but someday...someday you'll do that too!)  You let go of "stuff" you didn't need and felt lighter for it.  Though packing your life up was hard, the feeling of accomplishment was amazing.  Your whispered, doubtful, "I can do this..." turned into a pleased and happy, "I did it!!!"  You had a wonderful summer...

At the end of 2011 you had found the courage to pick up muslin and pencils and paint again.  Those first few pieces were oddly emotional--not in their content, but in the simple process of creating them and remembering "before".  But you kept at it!  A few months into 2012 there were dozens of reasons to "quit"--your workspace changed in location and weeks after the new studio was unpacked and functional you realized you were going to have to move!  You learned to be flexible (and to pack a "travelling" studio and take your work along on the adventure).  You learned to make do with what was on hand, and this "grew" your work.

It was incredible that you did not give up....  You're often half-afraid of success (why is that?), and you had plenty of opportunity to pack up the paints for good.  But you didn't do that, and I'm really proud of you for continuing to create.

August saw the grand opening of *The Merry Ghost*, with a partner, Ryan, by your side.  You were a little hesitant (you're a bit of a lone wolf).  Then one morning you were completely overwhelmed with two small girls, a dog, and "the muse" who had decided to make an appearance, all in a tiny apartment... Ryan insisted it was just fine to set up a work table and two shelves in the living room for you to have a workspace in your little apartment; you realized he's a partner who values what you do, and perceives your work as a priority.  It's wonderful, and you're thankful.  Together you began to work...a lot!  Ryan has proved aces at stuffing--he's great!  His help has definitely increased the amount of finished work...

You made little ghosts and witches and dozens of pumpkins....an enchanted goblin's garden sprang up in the living room!  You'd forgotten how fun it is to discuss each little creation with your girls--to make up stories and "play" with the dolls you make.  This connection that revived was one of 2012's tremendous gifts...  

You learned more about your brain and how it works; you're learning to organize and prioritize.  (Funny, what you learned from that unexpected move and a month or two of uncertainty helped you out quite a bit!)  You no longer whisper "I can do this"--you don't need to.  You know that you can.

Now--let's talk about 2013!  You're excited--you have a few year's worth of ideas and sketchbooks, and new thoughts and inspirations almost ever day...remember how to unpack them, sort them, and put them to good use.  Remember to be thankful for your "nest" and your workspace; you learned what it's like to be without these things--don't take them for granted!  Apply the same determination you've shown with creating your work to marketing your work--this blog challenge is an excellent beginning.  Make this a priority, you know it's necessary (and fun!).  Thank Ryan for every single dolly he stuffs.  Thank him for every run to the PO, for every dinner he makes when you've worked all day and would rather eat a pop tart than pick up a pot or pan...  Keep it up with the good stuff--you don't have to unpack the doubts.  It's okay to throw them away.

Happy New Year!

Megan