Catalyst
Forty-Six was: What’s your favorite poem? Why?

Here’s my text:

If I had been asked this question years ago, I think I would have ended
up with a Robert Frost poem as for the longest time, he was my favorite
poet. I have always loved “Nothing Gold Can Stay” and used to write it
in my diaries. But that was all before I was introduced to William
Carlos Williams. As soon as I read this poem, I fell completely in love.
I can’t even tell you why. I think it’s because it’s so ordinary, so
simple. Such a beautiful representation of something that’s a part of
regular, married, loving life.



this is just to say

i have eaten

the plums

that were in

the icebox



and which

you were probably

saving

for breakfast.



Forgive me

they were delicious

so sweet

and so cold.

Catalyst
Forty-four is up: What’s something about the way you live your life
that doesn’t align with who you are (or wish you were)?


Here are my words:
Ever since I can remember, I’ve made career and life decisions such that
I could stay at home when I had children. Even back when I was 10, I
wanted to study computers because I knew it was a career I could pursue
from home. And yet, here I am, working at a large company, spending a
lot of time in meetings, and not at home with my wonderful boy. With
another little one on the way, this is the largest way that my life is
out of sync with how I wish it were, so I know I need to find some
solutions.

2009 Promises to be a busy year for me. I have long list of important
deliverables at work in the first three months of the year. And then our
little baby is due on the fourth month of the year which, I am sure,
will make the next few months a blur. Not to mention a possible move.
Knowing all this, I don’t want to make too many commitments for myself
for next year because I hate letting myself down and I don’t want to set
myself up to fail. Also because 2009 is the year I am cutting myself
some slack (more on this later).

But, of course, if I didn’t set a few goals, I wouldn’t be me. So over
the next few days I’ll be thinking of and committing to these goals. On
the scrapping side, I am thrilled to have come up with a project that
combines a few of my goals:

1. I loved doing the December Daily
album this year. The restrictions of the precut pages was liberating and
gave me more creativity. But I knew there’s no way I could do it all
year round and I’ve been searching for a way to continue the magic.

2. I wanted to use up some of my paper stash that’s been building. I
have a lot of “old” paper I love and I don’t want to keep buying and
never use these.

3. Like 2008, I wanted to make sure I do each week’s creative therapy prompt.
The other artists do them on a schedule but I’ve done every single one
so far and I really wanted to find a way to continue that in 2009. I
love the therapeutic aspect of CT but the pregnancy took away all my
mojo and between that and the baby, I was worried there was no way I was
going to get to them all. I needed a simpler solution.

So today, I decided to combine all three. I made a 7×8 minibook that is
prefilled with a lot of the “old” papers I love. Cut and placed in
random order. This is my 2009 Creative Therapy book. Each page will be
one catalyst. I’ll do the catalyst on one side and print out the date,
topic, and my thoughts that go on the site to adhere on the other side.
This restricts me to a 7×8 page and pre-chosen paper.

I know it’s working because I’ve already completed four catalysts
today! This might mean my pages aren’t as varied next year but I am ok
with that and I reserve the right to change my mind. So far so good.
Here’s a glimpse at my book:

Catalyst
Nineteen is: Create art around one of your quirks/idiosyncrasies.



I never learned how to really drive until I was thirty. I left Turkey
before the legal age to get a license (eighteen) and then went to
college where I didn’t need a car. And then I lived in New York for
seven years, where, again, you didn’t need a car. So I was almost thirty
by the time we moved to San Diego where you couldn’t do anything without
a car. Let me be the first to say that learning to drive at thirty is
not the same as when you’re sixteen and dying to have some freedom. It’s
scary.



So here we are, four years later, and now I can drive. Well, just
barely. I still don’t get on the freeway. I am still pretty nervous.
But, I can go to work, to the library, and grocery store. I can also go
to David’s doctor’s and mine. That’s about all I need. For now at least.
OH, have I mentioned I can’t ride a bike either? Yes, I know. I am
transportation-challenged. Then again, I can walk just fine.



Most of the time.

Catalyst
Forty is: What’s a principle you firmly believe?



This is the quote that resonates the most with my principles. People are
quick to complain about the world we live in; they are quick to judge.
Yet they are not nearly as quick to jump in and help make change. I
believe we’re all part of the problem and we all need to be part of the
solution. Change begins with you. Be the change you want to see in the
world. If we all did that, imagine how amazing things would be.

Catalyst
Forty-Two is: What was the best moment of your life (so far)?



I have a strong belief that any particular moment couldn’t be possible
without all the ones that came before it. So to pick on moment without
acknowledging the others wouldn’t be fair since, without them, I could
have never had that particular moment.



I’ve had many magnificent moments in my life: coming to the US,
graduating from college, getting my green card, marrying my husband,
giving birth to my son, being pregnant with my second. There are too
many to count. But at this moment, I am happiest I’ve ever been. I feel
content, peaceful, optimistic and thankful. I know it wouldn’t have been
possible without all the moments that came before this so I am thankful
for every moment that led to this one and for this very moment.