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Welcome to 2020! A new year, a new decade, a new horizon. My big news is that I'm not making any resolutions this year. I'm eating anything I want, cancelling all meetings before 10 am, and certainly no more exercise. In fact, I'm packing everything up and moving to the Caribbean.
That... was a joke, except the part about the resolutions. It might be the tired old label (poor word, that gets so over-used every single year!) or the fact that so many resolutions evaporate like snow crystals with the first blush of spring. After all, the word "resolute" certainly carries a certain strength and determination.
The changes we want to see in a New Year are usually the same changes we had thought about the year prior, but somehow did not reach a satisfactory level of any of them. So we use the thrill of a new calendar to make ourselves believe this time, we will. We will--to use an example we can all relate to--sweep the mile-high piles on our desks straight into the bin and start fresh. Ahhhhh.
There is a lot to be said for that. I used to clean my desk by going through everything piece by piece. Now everything comes off in one fell swoop, the desk (glass top) is cleaned, and repopulation occurs on a need-to-exist basis. Only those things I actually need on my desk get to come back.
But there is more to it, because the reasons why those desks (and closets and shelves, and bedrooms, living rooms, and garages, and hard drives, smartphones, and digital cameras) are so full of stuff vary from laziness to exhaustion to lack of time to our inability to let go. And it has to do with the way our minds work: we prioritize things with deadlines (work, clients, taxes, legal stuff etc), things that cause us pain, worry, or financial loss, and things that give us pleasure or joy (so much more fun to go out to dinner than sort through paperwork).
There are mountainous piles of articles written about this, and I don't want to add to those piles. (Oh the irony.) But I will say that the secret to true change, at least for me personally, is shifting the way you view your life and the importance you assign to its various elements.
If having more free time or independence is what you value, get rid of the things, activities, and yes, even relationships that take it away from you.
If being more financially secure is what you want, make your finances as critical as brushing your teeth.
If you want to be more successful, think through what "success" actually means for you. Not for the people around you, not for society. For YOU. And answer the question why you want that success.
You get the idea. So get out there and carpe annum!
~ Birgitte
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Browsing Instagram a few months ago, Aria and I came across a new toy company. Called Rogue Wave, they have an interesting but simple premise: toys for kids made with compostable plastic.
I perked up, as I always do when I hear or see the words "compostable" or "biodegradable," but just as quickly my inner skeptic piped up. These terms get thrown around a lot, attached to products that are not, in fact, biodegradable or compostable.
So I reached out to the founder of the company, and we had a chat. It means so much more when you connect to the person (or team) behind an Instagram profile, web site, or logo. Kate is a real person trying to make a real difference. She's a mom and a writer, like me. Her life story is inspiring, and her determination to make a difference even more so.
What impressed me is the time Kate took to do it right. To research and test. To find the blend that works best (she uses corn starch, glucose and other biopolymers). And to have it certified. And, like a true entrepreneur, to think beyond just beach toys. Because yes, we really do need to break this plastic habit. Plastic producers are not planning on stopping anytime soon, so it's up to us, and our favorite brands, to say no, and to switch.
So for all the moms, dads, and kids out there who love their beach toys, but the plastic not so much: check out Rogue Wave. And here's a video where Kate explains it all in her words.
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It has been a very busy first two weeks. The Sea Lions in San Francisco exhibit kicked off this past Thursday at the Chart House restaurant on Pier 39. It was a blistering rainy day, cold, freeways partially flooded, traffic clogged in San Francisco (what else is new), but we made it there! The event had to be moved indoors so it was a bit tight, but wonderful.
San Francisco's new mayor London Breed spoke, along with the leadership of Aquarium of the Bay, lots of media showed up (the BBC and the New York Times!), and January 16 was officially declared National Sea Lion Day in the city.
We'll have pictures up on Aria's site soon, but for now, here's the artist in her own words about everything else she's doing:
Yay! It’s finally 2020! I’m so excited about what's going to happen in the New Year. I’ve been doing lots of stuff, but my family and I haven’t really planned things out yet. Anyway, here’s the things I did so far:
- This weekend my sea lion statue (she's called "Deep Blue") is being displayed for everyone at Pier 39 so if you live in California maybe you could come and see it. It took a long time to paint it, several weekends. The best part of painting it was I got to climb on it (I had to because it's so tall!) My favorite parts of "Deep Blue" are the sea turtle, the manta ray, and the glitter on the butt. :)
- I'm learning animation, and now I have a YouTube channel called RewiindedEon. There I have 4 animations and they’re short but if you’d like you can go check it out! I like memes too.
- I wrote a hilarious fake article about Mediterranean sandwiches making a huge difference between the ‘bad’ sandwiches of Subway. It was just for fun, kinda like The Onion.
- Roblox cuz it's gud (That's the video game I play)
That's it for now! See you at Pier 39!
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This weekend kicks off the Sea Lions in San Francisco public art program at Pier 39. Aria and I will be at the pier today and possibly again on Monday. After this weekend, the 30 statues will be moved to their individual locations, so we'll let everyone know where "Deep Blue" is.
Sea Lions in San Francisco
Opening weekend: Jan 18-20, 2020
Pier 39
Embarcadero/Beach Street
San Francisco, CA
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