The Birth of (blog)abel

They say to always find time to acknowledge the ones you love - but how about finding time for the things that you love? Where do your own needs fit in with fulfilling obligations and spending the time with others?

It took me a while to put this blog together (as you'll notice my first post was intended for posting in March), and it was because I was doing a lot of things that I was required to do for others (my euphemism for class assignments and projects). Though this is all fine and necessary in life, I needed something that fulfilled other parts of myself. Thus, I am launching (blog)abel as a way to express two parts of me that tend to take the back seat in the flurry of life: creativity and nostalgia. 

When I was younger, I spent my free time doing arts and crafts. I would stay up late at night creating little tools out of mint tins and pipe cleaners, or little survival kits with what I considered to be the fundamentals (at that time, that included a hair band, a mint lifesaver, and a toothpick). I had a pet frog (and the only pet I ever had), and drew him over the span of a week, including sketches of his release. I made a series of three oil pastel drawings after reading a book where the girl did the same. After visiting an Andy Warhol exhibit in a museum, I went home and drew daffodils first in ink, and then a second copy in Andy's style. And with any bouquet of flowers or interesting cross sections of vegetables that my parents got, there was certainly a painting, sketch, or oil pastel that came along. My point here is that when I had the time, I allowed the world to inspire me, but as time and obligations piled on, I just let it slip away. It is my hope that this blog will provide a space for my creativity to root, as it brings me a lot of happiness.

One thing that has never changed about me is that I am such a sucker for nostalgia. My friends know that when I am procrastinating, the first thing I'm inclined to do is scroll through old photos. So in a way, (blog)abel is not only to share with you, but my way of keeping track of everything along the way. 

Here's to all those moments that bring a smile to your face, the people that lift you up, and the places you've always wanted to go- because that is what I am all about.