Happy New Year!
After a hiatus, I am back. I blame end of semester project which sapped all my creative energy followed by holidays, and then a fallow period where I needed to recover. The good art is I know what to expect next semester end, so hopefully will do a better job of planning ahead for it at the end of Spring semester. For now, I am enjoying semester break, and already picked out my break project.
I cam to the conclusion that out of the list of things I wanted to do, I only really had time for one or two of them realistically. No, none of these are New year’s resolutions because the turning of the wheel had nothing to do with it, it was the realization I have stuff I have been wanting to for a while and after a recovery from school break I have the energy and time to tackle them. So, ironically enough, I am going to try to KonMari method of tidying. I have already read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, and am coming up with a game plan as I read through another book and watch the Netflix series.
My first impression: it is basically animism applied to tidying. I actual agree with her on most things, but there a couple of things I already decided I am not doing. (I ball my socks. It’s the only way to keep pairs together and to grab a pair together.) From a European Pagan view, connecting with your house and asking for help figuring out where to put things sounds a lot like connecting with the house spirits. Its just the traditions I am familiar with include offering milk, butter, cheese, or good ale.
The part I like about Marie Kondo is the idea of keep what you use, what you need, and what makes you happy. It is pretty easy to come to the conclusion in modern America you have too much stuff, but when deciding what to do about it is where it gets overwhelming. There is a logic to the order of going through things that makes sense. Also, pulling out all of an item at one time helps you realize how much you have, spot duplicates, and find something you like that got buried.
That doesn’t mean I intend to set up some sort of elaborate filing system or organizational method. I simply want to get rid of excess that is taking up space, be able to find stuff when I want it, and not feel overwhelmed. I have been experimenting with bullet journal type stuff for a couple of years to figure out how to be more organized. I came to the conclusion I need to be medium level organized: have a system that means I don’t waste time or energy on something purely because I am disorganized, but not have a system so complex I have to spend a lot of time and energy on it.
I hope everyone’s 2023 is off to a great start. May this year be happy and prosperous to all.