[.end.of.year.journaling.]

It's a very busy end of year for me. But at least, I can say, 2009 has been an interesting year. Tomorrow last day at work in 2009, then a long new year weekend. No I'm not going to a party. Probably some of you would prefer to hear that I'm back to creating graphics rather than about me partying hihi. Ups and downs of my life in 2009 has prevented me from having much time to sit in front of my laptop creating graphics. That sounds really baaaad, doesn't it. I always needed aloooot of time when drawing graphics, because it's been always full of fun - and rewarding - trials-and-errors ;-)

But I have one thing I'm really proud about..it's that despite the so-often-chaotic day-to-day of mine, I never gave up journaling. Sometimes only a few lines, sometimes a few pages. And I put here and there some collages from magazine cutouts. Just like any previous end-of-years, I would look at my journals again, tracking what's up and where life had taken and guided me, what has made me feel good, what has made me down. Lately I tend to write "current state of spirit:" at the beginning of each entry (describing what I feel at that time of writing) then under that line i would list anything what I did, what I read, what I ate, what I heard, etc, before that. Sometimes just by looking at the list I could instantly evaluate the process. After awhile I noticed that (for example) I would feel happier in the morning when I woke up early - or event what kind of pens that made my handwritings look better :-D

That, I have no doubt saying it now, is the kind of journal that I really like. Now that it's time to evaluate, I found it very helpful when it comes to making plans for 2010. Focus on what makes you feel good and happy. I can complain about too much work but I can focus instead on the fact that I have an exciting and rewarding job. That needs a constant practice :-)

Ah, last note, I also discovered it's so much fun creating 'impromptu' collages in the journal. Mostly my cutouts are from Country Living UK, old magazines from France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Sweden - postcards, as well as printouts from the internet, images from blogs I like. By the way, I also learned it needs a constant practice...

See you next time with new graphics soon!