Man, I've really stepped far from this blog, because so much has happened in this crazy year. It's definitely been a year of change for me. Thank you to those who have continuously checked back to see how I've been doing, it is much appreciated. I'm still hustling in the art game, trying to make it my full time job. But admittedly, a few huge changes in my personal life slowed my journey a bit. Because my day-to-day life affects my creative process, I feel it's necessary to share at least the Cliff's Notes version of what has happened since my last post in January.
When I first started this blog last year, I had just moved back to my hometown in Westchester County, New York. I had just gone through a very difficult separation and divorce, and being back home, in my father's house in the neighborhood I grew up in, among friends and family, was the best way for me to heal from the whole terrible process and figure out the next phase of my life. I got a chance to reconnect with people I lost touch with and rediscover parts of me I had lost. It was nice and helped me work through the confusion and pain.
After a few months, I found a job and an apartment, my first one completely by myself. I had lived by myself during the separation, but this one was truly mine and truly me. It was a small attic apartment painted in different colors and slanted ceilings. I decorated it with whimsical pictures, curtains with rhinestones, and of course, lots of purple. It was a different experience, living alone for the first time, but I have to say I honestly enjoyed it. Sometimes I just laid in bed, listening to the wind rustling through the trees outside my window and thanking God that I made it through such a trying time of my life.
After a while, I felt ready to start dating again, so I went on a few, some good, some not so good. I hadn't really put much faith into the men I had gone out with as anything long term, and pretty much signed up to the fact that I was going to be single for awhile, until I met an Angel...
Long story short, what started as an amazing first date grew into an amazing relationship. A relationship on maturity, respect, adoration, friendship and real, true love. A type of love I'd never felt before. I had a partner, and we became inseparable...
After a few months of togetherness, I received the biggest shock of my life...I found out I was pregnant. Becoming a mother was something I thought would never happen for me. But here I was, growing a life inside of my belly. Our pending future as parents brought us even closer, and nine months and one week later, I gave birth to the most beautiful baby boy I've ever seen...
Throughout my pregnancy I had to make some major moves in order to prepare for my little prince, the biggest one being from the lofty suburbs of Westchester to the ultimate concrete jungle, New York City. It's been a dream of mine to live at least one year in Manhattan, and since Angel had a bigger apartment and he wanted to take care of me while I was pregnant, I finished out the lease on my place and moved into his Harlem apartment. It's been an adjustment to say the least, but it's a beautiful thing to wake up to my best friend every morning, not to mention peering out my bedroom window and seeing this...
This city can be quite intimidating for this small town girl. I often wonder how out of place I look as I walk these streets, but no one seems to notice. The creative energy found here is unlike any place I've ever been. Musicians and artists and actors are everywhere, honing their craft and hustling it out into the world like it's the last time they would ever do so. It's inspiring, and finally, after the dust settled around the chaos that has been my life for the past couple of months, I've been able to enjoy it and let it inspire me. I'm teeming with ideas and for the first time, I feel like I finally have the means to focus on my creativity totally, and direction of where I want to take my career.So that about sums it up. Throughout 2011, I've lost and gained jobs, came close to losing everything and then gaining it all back, been through family and friendship dramas. I had my heart broken, found a place of healing and found myself again. I fell in love, started a new chapter, and became a mother. All of my experiences have made me stronger, wiser and more focused. I feel confident entering into 2012, because I'm entering it with a happy state of mind. I feel like I can do anything, and I'm definitely going to accomplish doing just that. :-)
