for the last 2 weeks i've been writing daily in my journal. i am usually much less dilligent. since i've been blazing through the old journal i've been adding emails that my future self will want to read. some from others, some from myself – things i don't feel like writing over again. i like doing this and am going to keep it up. maybe adding 1 email per week…seems to form a more complete picture of where my mind was at on that particular day. which will be of no interest to anyone, but myself 30 years hence. however i think a lot of my future self and want to keep a record that will be substantive, readable, occasionally unputdownable. naturally understanding of course that the mary ann moss of the future will have more free time, thus won't mind wading through the fallasleepable parts to get to the few good nuggets.
Joan Didion says it best:
I tell myself, and then some morning when the world seems drained of wonder, some day when I am only going through the motions of doing what I am supposed to do. On that bankrupt morning I will simply open my notebook and there it will all be, a forgotten account with accumulated interest, paid passage back to the world out there
old journal on left, new (and blessedly unlined!) on right. and speaking of writing i found THIS article on why we write the other day. so good!
it's christmas eve! tonight i will have one eye trained on the sky. and one ear on the roof. alert for the clatter of hooves or the blur of flying reindeer.
Thank you again for journaling and your process. Loved the link to brainpickings a lot too!
I sure like seeing HONG KONG on your page 😀 Merry holidays my friend!
So many wonderful posts, so many delightful images, one heartfelt comment… You rock, lady!
P.S.
Mary Ann. Dahling. May I ask what pen you use to draw your sketch pre or post watercolor? Thanks bunches.
I like your thoughts on this. My problem is that I either can’t read my handwriting or when I can my reaction often is “oh get a grip, for crying out loud, you’re sooooo melodramatic”.
Wishing you a lovely, peaceful Christmas, and hopefully lot of watercolors made their way down your chimney!
Beautiful post. I get it, I think you will always have an interesting life with your perspective and outlook on life. I am mailing your palette tomorrow, thanks for adding me on your links page.
Love, love, love your thought process. I also love seeing how any page can be redeemed in the end. thanks for the inspiration!
Aloha, Kate
Merry Christmas Sweet Woman of the word, pen, brush and all things of visual interest which clearly is everything and anything. Love that article by Joan Didion, which found it’s way onto one of my own journal pages recently. Wonderful post, great article and I can’t wait to join you in 2014, right here, just around the corner from where you are.
Merry Christmas Mary Ann! Thankyou for all the delights – visual and written. How about this warm socal xmas?
Merry Christmas, Mary Ann. You bring such joy to your online “neighbors” … I wish you a beautiful holiday season.
I still love to read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” on Christmas Eve. I can remember listening to my grandmother reading it to me when I was 3 or 4, wondering what sugar plums were doing dancing around in my head. So while you wait for Jolly St. Nick, have a nog and share the cookies with the old elf. Merry, merry Christmas.
I heard the reindeer’s harness bells one night. My parents thought that it was the bells on the front door, but i knew better.
these visual feasts are a truly joyful!
Thank you for all your sharing, travels, art, ideas, ponderings and more. Wishing you the merriest of holidays.
My annual mantra is, “Be naughty. Save Santa the trip.” But, alas, we are from a very famous family (our last name is Rudolph)and our favorite reindeer always guides Santa’s sleigh directly to our rooftop. So I’ve spoken to Rudolph, and told him of my imaginary friend at Moss Cottage and he said he already knew the place, with the peach tree in the front yard and the bird feeders all over, right? Surprised, I responded, “Totally!” Well, he went on to say, that’s one of Santa’s favorite stops. “Santa is so jolly because he knows where all the bad girls live! Wink! Wink!”(ala George Carlin) So as we look to the sky for that bright star, on your rooftop I expect you will hear the clatter of hooves and the sounds of jolly laughter. All my best wishes to you and your family. Geraldine
I already find your journal often unputdownable (spell check insists I want to use the word unpardonable, darn it.). I go to your blog, which to me is your journal also, for enlightenment or humor or status or reinforcement of my own thoughts and feelings. I also go to my own visual journals going back over 15 years and totally agree with you that nuggets of daily life become more keen, if not insightful, with the passing of time and perspective. I love to put in news clippings, headlines, receipts, emails, and other daily squat but i do try to weed them out so that don’t take over the flower, the art and play. I often leave pages undone or even empty, usually because I am either overbusy or uninspired but I get joy in going back later and adding to them. Keep blogging and sharing, Mary Ann…you are such a fresh voice.
Dress WARM!!! 🙂
I wish you were my neighbor too! Merry Christmas Mary Ann…xxx
I like putting e-mail snippets in my journals, too. I mix everything in my journals – photos, sketches, words cut from magazines, quotes, etc. so every page is visually interesting. It’s my place to practice graphic design and record my life! 🙂 I have got to read Joan Didion – I keep seeing great quotes from her I like. Love the sketch of the gouache tube! I sketched one of those in my journal once,too: http://www.flickr.com/photos/naturegrl64/7749245154/in/set-72157619028855772/lightbox/ Safe travels!
I love Brain Pickings … a great site. Thanks for the link. (I read Peggy’s post and thought — but Mary Ann is our neighbor — neighbor to the world!) Merry Merry Christmas — don’t let Santa eat too many cookies — he needs to finish his route! Ho Ho Ho!
. Like usual your journal pages are outstanding and your Wit is intact. Keep up your entertaining pose in 2014 , I often chucke when I read your blog, and wish you were my neighbor. Merry Christmas