West of Whimsy

Triple Woo . . .

I had to take a little break after my last post for a brief vulnerability hangover.  Sharing things that aren't great isn't easy.  And at the same time it felt remarkably free-ing to be honest & true, and I'm going to try it more often.  Stay tuned for more snapshots of my awesome life which isn't always rainbows & unicorns!

Really though, I got some of the nicest feedback in the form of comments here (which usually only come from my Mom!), and one directly that said "You are best when you're at your most truthful".  Big gratitude for all of that - just the motivation I need to share more things that come from a deeper place.  Keep your eyes peeled.

In the meantime, a quick update on the Epic Space Clearing of 2015!

** I do want to note that clearing out a house that I'd owned with my ex-husband for 15 years meant that a LOT of things ended up coming to my place that I knew I'd have to go through again at some point.  That point is now. **

I am astonished (daily) at the random shit I have kept over the years.  Some examples:

• My High School Yearbooks.  Why was I keeping four heavy tomes of memories from a time that I wouldn't go back to if you paid me a lot of money?  Good question.  I kept the one from Senior year (for now), and the rest went to Goodwill.  (I think I've just contributed to the weirdness that is Classmates.com.)
• Purses.  So Many purses & I'm not even a Purse Person.  Maybe I was trying to be?  I found a wedding invitation from 15 years ago in an old Coach Purse, for a friend who recently got divorced.  Recycle.  Goodwill.  Next!
• Pictures in Picture Frames.  I don't have a lot of room for knick-knacks and extra things on shelves.  Photos have been taken out of frames, and frames taken to Goodwill.
• Christmas lights, Christmas wrapping, Christmas decorations.  Really?  It's kind of outta control.  Keeping 1/2 of it, letting the rest go.

I'm also a little surprised at the things which I am struggling to let go of.  Like:

• Reference Books.  Dictionary.  Thesaurus.  Synonyms.  Why can't I let these go when I know everything in them can be found on the internet and my kids will likely never use them?  There's just something about a good refence book with that thin, dictionary paper in it . . .
• CD's.  What exactly am I supposed to do with my CD's, most of which are from the early 90's?  Tonight I imported them all into my iTunes library on my old Mac desktop, and will take the rest to Goodwill.  (But wait - I could listen to them in the CAR!  No, No, No . . .)
• Photos.  Maybe this shouldn't be a surprise - but I find myself keeping a lot of old photos, even ones that are really BAD.  I can see there will be a "second wave" of clearing out that will reduce the crappy pictures of my past to a much, much smaller pile.  Baby steps . . .

And then there are the treasures . . . like this photo from my first photography class in the fourth grade.  I will keep this forever!  Clearly lots of thought went into this faux car-crash scene - it's hilarious!  My outfit on the other hand could have used a little more thought . . . ????

I'm about 1/3 of the way through this craziness which if you recall was originally movtivated by Kate Northrup's Feng Shui For Financial Freedom and I wanted to tell you that it's working.  How so?  Well, a year ago (against the advice of my accountant), I filed an appeal with the IRS requesting that I be relieved of a rather sizable debt that they were trying collect from me relating to an old unpaid joint-return - most of which was owed from my ex's business.  (I didn't know it hadn't been paid.)  Last week I received notice that my appeal had been approved!!  Is it money in my pocket?  No.  But that just moved me almost $4000 in the right direction.  I'LL TAKE IT!

I have the weirdest theory about this process which feels woo-y even to me - (not just woo-woo, but Triple Woo!) - hear me out:  I have an overwhelming feeling that everything in my house is made up of teeny bits of energy.  From all the material possesions, to the trash/recycling, to the dust bunnies on my stairs & under my bed.  Which is to say that even when I'm done with this massive project there will be daily efforts to keep my space at it's best - making room for the good bits of energy by clearing out the ones which aren't serving me.  (The city dust around here is kind of ridiculous.)  And I also think this extends to other parts of my life like relationships and behaviour patterns.  I believe with every fiber of my being that by letting go of what's not serving me, I am making room for new and exciting adventures and opportunities!

One more quick thing.  A freind of mine recently posted this on Facebook:

And sooooo - tonight I start Swing Dancing classes - I can't WAIT!

Happy Thursday . . .

xo

Getting Real . . .

Another reason for my blogging resistance over time has had to do with my avoidance of writing about things that are real.  I mean I'm sure you find my posts about road-tripping with my sister fascinating, as are my lists and links to YouTube videos and Etsy Treasuries in which my work is featured.  But let's face it - all of that is a little fluffy.  And it creates what I like to refer to as the "Facebook Syndrome" - you know where everything that's posted is so positive and happy, and then people think your life is well . . . perfect?  I've even had friends comment to me in the last year, "I want what you have!", and "You have it all figured out!"  

In this installment (of which there may be several), I am here to tell you that my life is far from perfect, and no I do not in fact have "it" all figured out.

Let's start with the story of this house . . .

My ex-husband and I bought this house together 15 years ago.  It's in the Queen Anne neighborhood of Seattle, which at the time we thought we'd never be able to afford - and somehow made it happen.  It is an old Craftsman which had been mostly restored inside, and was perfect for our little family.

We moved in when our older son was just a year old.  We landscaped the yard, put in new lawn with a sprinkler system!  When our younger son arrived, we remodeled our daylight basement so that all our bedrooms could be on the same floor.  As the boys got older the loft above our dining room became a haven for playdates and sleepovers, family movie nights and many, many hours of video games.  We built a deck in the back yard with a treehouse for the kids . . . I guess on the surface you could say it was pretty ideal.

When the marriage fell apart I was the one who moved out.  The house held lots of not-so-great memories for me, and I was ready to start anew.  At the same time with the economic downturn, the small business my ex had started faltered.  He eventually sold it, and subsequently was mostly unemployed for the next three years.  Yes there were jobs here and there, but many of them were start-ups that couldn't get funded, and then he'd be back looking again.  (To be clear, this is not about his inability to find work.  I know he busted ass every day to find a job - and that being unemployed at the age of 53 after years of providing for his family was NOT great.)

So what happened with the house?  He had no dependable income.  I couldn't afford the house payment on my own - even after months of negotiating a new supposedly lower payment with the evil mortgage company.  So we just stopped paying.  We became "those" people.  Oh sure we could have put the house up for sale, but without a job there was no way he could find a new place to live.  And given the real-estate market at the time, we would have walked away with nothing. 

We avoided foreclosure (sometimes by minutes) at least six times in the last eighteen months.  There were real-estate sharks on our porch after each foreclosure notice, and strangers looking in our windows assuming the property was abondoned.  My teenage son was getting phone calls on his cell asking about the house.  It wasn't pretty, and I'm quite certain not a situation that anyone would envy.

In November we finally sold the house, and walked away with a few dollars (better than zero dollars I keep telling myself!).  My ex found a job, which gave him the ability to rent an apartment in the same neighborhood so the boys can stay in their current schools with all their friends.  It was a massive act of letting go, one that involved a fair amount of tears on my part - mostly for my boys as this was the only house they had ever known.  Apparently the buyer plans to tear it down and build new townhomes on the lot.  I felt like someone put a knife in my heart when I heard that . . . letting go, letting go, letting go.

At the end of the day - it is just a house, it doesn't define us.  We are all healthy, and the boys are gradually adjusting to the new apartment (size, location & sharing a room).  We even had Thanksgiving and Christmas together there - which was kind of fun.  I have lots of gratitude that we can spend the holidays together as a family and actually enjoy each others' company.  There aren't a lot of split families who choose to do that - and I'm proud of how far we've come.

So there you have it - a real story of something that kind of sucked for a long time.

My life might look shiny & pretty from the outside, and sometimes it is!  But the truth is that there are days when it's bumpy & jumbly & I cry about it.  And I wouldn't have it any other way.

xo

Happy New Year 2015! . . .

Happy New Year Lovelies!

Today I continued the epic de-cluttering of my house.  I have made SO much progress and there is still SO much to do.  I hope to keep up the momentum tonight and over the weekend.

I also made time to go to the gym and then to Lincoln Park to get some photos of this beautiful day!

 

Looking forward into 2015 I see so much possibility, it practically takes my breath away!

My sister gave me Danielle LaPorte's DesireMap Day Planner for Christmas, so I've been giving some thought to my Core Desired Feelings over the last week.  And with that I decided that instead of choosing a word for the year that would help me get where I want, I would choose one (or two or three!) that are how I want to feel when I get there.

And with that I give you my word for 2015:  SEXY!

(followed closely by Strong and Clear . . . I'm claiming those too in some capacity)

My word encompasses so much more for me than just what it is on the surface. For example:  Having a house that is free of clutter and feels clear and calm when I'm in it?  Now that is sexy!

If you're still working on choosing a word for the year, take a look at Christine Kane's Word of The Year Tool - I think it's rather genius!  (I had already claimed mine, but her approach is really great!)

I hope you all enjoyed a relaxing New Year's Day - here's to an amazing 2015!

xoxo

The Great Purge of 2014 . . .

In addition to changing my name, and getting a new computer for Christmas (wait there's more?), I also gifted myself Kate Northrup's "Feng Shui For Financial Freedom".  It's a short course with tons of tips and overall I'm really excited about it.  The BEST piece hands-down however, are the questions she has you ask yourself through the de-cluttering process.  Simple & SO effective.

On Monday I made one trip to Goodwill, and last night I took over 100 books to Half Price Books - I made $45!  Actually I left with two books I really wanted & needed, so my take-home was only $25.  

I know, I know - you may be asking yourself why I'm buying "Digital SLR Photography For Dummies" when I claim to be a Photographer.  The truth is I do know a lot about some aspects of photography, but my knowledge is kind of sad in other areas.  For 2015 I am committing to learning more about my craft!

The WordPress book is all about the future Proudfoot & West blog.  Next I need to find a Wordpress template that is responsive (meaning it will accomodate lots of different devices - phone, tablet, computer - and still look normal), and then we can get started!  I'm not putting a lot of pressure on myself, but I am happy to have a book that looks like I'll be able to learn nicely from.

Back to the whole "space-clearing" thing.  The truth is that it is NOT about making money.  I think I was stuck in that mindset for awhile, but I don't have time to list things on eBay or Craigslist, so ultimately I just sit with a bunch of crap in my living area which is taking up space and energy that could be better used for things I really want in my life.  For whatever reason Kate Northrup has succeeded where others have failed, in convincing me I can be unapologetic when clearing my clutter.  If I don't need it and don't love it - it can go.  End of story.

 
I'm even letting go of some of my artwork!

I am working this morning, and after lunch I will spend the rest of my day making multiple trips to Goodwill.  Spending New Year's Eve alone?  Ok - it is kind of a bummer as I am definitely a fan of a nice New Year's Eve kiss.  But since it doesn't look like that's in the cards for me, I am going to spend the evening clearing my space of things that I don't want or need or love any more . . . making room for new adventures in 2015.  Bring It!

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

Go West . . .

I know many of you follow me on Facebook & Instagram - so this is kind of old news . . . but for those of you who don't, I wanted to officially share that I have changed my last name!

Nishi was my married name, and given that I haven't been married for quite some time, I was ready to choose something new.  Why West?  Well . . . Nishi means West in Japanese - so I feel like this will keep me connected to my kids on a certain level, and now I really CAN be West of Whimsy!  It also has all kinds of visions of New Frontiers for me and as I move toward getting certified as a Life Coach next year - it feels good and right, and a little bit badass.

So how about we celebrate with some Village People?

 

(Go west) Life is peaceful there
(Go west) Lots of open air
(Go west) To begin life new
(Go west) This is what we'll do

Hilarious . . . and I do kind of like those lyrics - perfect way to start off the New Year!

Eileen West <---- That's ME!

Super Sister Epic Road Trip - October 2014 (part 3) . . .

After we left Cottonwood Canyon State Park we headed back to Portland (wait . . . I think I might have already mentioned that?)

We had arranged to stay at an AirBNB in Northeast Portland, and the short story is that it was r-e-a-l-l-y lame.  Like we almost left to go stay with friends, and then just decided to deal with it.  We offset our disappointment with dinner at a super cute French restaurant nearby (Cocotte!) - where we had a cocktail (or 2) and brainstormed like crazy about our future co-super-sister blog, Proudfoot & West.  (URL has been purchased - let's see how long it takes for me to figure out Wordpress to get that going!)

The bread was soooo yummy . . .
The next morning we got up early to beat the crowds, and headed to Petite Provence for breakfast.  I know, I know - I'm all about the food.  But really people - when in Portland?  You have to do the FOOD.

We were definitely claiming our French heritage . . .

There are a ton of really cool murals along Alberta - this last one is kind of epic, though my blurry, backwards photo of it is NOT . . .  The quote throughout says, "You are only confined by the walls you build around yourself." (Andrew Murphy).  Awesome.

We then hit the shops in that neighborhood as well (you know - to balance out all the eating), I found some killer stencils at Collage, a beautiful grey sweater at Tumbleweed, and some perfect yellow shoes at PedX.

And then it was time for one last selfie (of the two of us in all our unshowered glory - no way were we going to shower at the icky rental - bleh!) before I dropped my sister off at the Bolt Bus downtown and made my way back North to Seattle.

And that's the story of our Super Sister Epic Road Trip 2014 - we are already planning for next year!

Super Sister Epic Road Trip - October 2014 (part 2) . . .

The next morning after a lovely breakfast with our fellow Bed & Breakfaster-s, and a quick workout where my sister almost broke the front porch of the cute pink house, we drove over to the Pendleton Mills where the fabric for their infamous blankets and shirts is still made.

We missed the tour (darnit!) but it was still fascinating to look through the window and see those huge spools of thread that they put on the looms . . .

After the Mill it was back to downtown Pendleton where we checked out all the little stores and had lunch.

 
Right before we headed out of town we stopped in at Alexander's Chocolate Classics - which was DIVINE.  I'm not sure why I don't have any photos of their cute place but if you're ever in Pendleton I highly recommend stopping by - if only for a sample of their sipping chocolate & to visit with Alex & Steve who are delightful.

And then it was off to our original destination of Moro!

For the record, Moro is TEENY.  If you blink you'll miss it.  There is (was?) one restaurant, and it closes at 3:00 - serving only breakfast and lunch.  By the time we got to our Inn it was dinner time, so we had to drive to Wasco to find something to eat.  Which in all honesty was a little sketchy.

When in Rome (or Wasco, OR) . . .

We were the only people staying at our Bed & Breakfast, so we built a fire in the living room when we got back and proceeded to do art.  My project turned out goofy - but there is really nothing better than doing something with my hands (i.e. not on a computer or phone or other electronic device), and it was therapeutic and fun.

The Craftsman Inn Moro is adorable - stay there if you are ever in the area.  I'm slightly confused (again) about why I don't have more photos of the Inn . . . it might have to do with the whole new computer thing?  You'll have to take my word - it's really great.

In the morning we had coffee at the Inn, and then walked to breakfast down the street, followed by some more shopping and a fantastic vintage find for me - some 70's cups & saucers . . . SWEET!

  

The other reason we went East from Portland instead of West is because my sister has a friend who had been involved in the Cottonwood Canyon State Park project along the John Day River in Central Oregon, and she really wanted to check it out.  So we did!

I got my barn fix along the way . . . 

 

It was such a gorgeous day for the middle of October, and the park didn't disappoint - that area is so rich with history and the river is so beautiful . . . do go there if you happen to be nearby!  After we took it all in, we headed back to Portland for the last night of our sister-weekend.

Part 3 - coming tomorrow!

Super Sister Epic Road Trip - October 2014 (part 1) . . .

In October my sister and I went on our first ever "Super Sister Epic Roadtrip" to Central & Eastern Oregon - it was SO much fun!  The premise for the trip was that even though we see each other several times a year (usually in Eugene where all my family lives), the two of us rarely get more than a couple of hours to spend one-on-one - between making sure our kids are happy, and meals are coordinated, and spending time with my parents, etc. etc.  So we decided we needed to take a vacation together.  Because I'm in Seattle and she's in Eugene - we figured Portland would be a good place to start, and then we'd either go West to the beach, or East to the mountains/desert.  I wanted to take pictures of barns - so we picked East.

First stop - Multnomah Falls - it was totally random that we were both wearing orange sweaters . . . 

Our original plan was to head to the teeny town of Moro for a couple of nights, but as luck would have it, she ended up having to go to some awards banquet in Pendleton to get an award for this killer Skate Park Project that she helped design and project managed for like the last six years - and since her workplace was footing the bill for the hotel, we headed Pendleton for our first night.

We stopped a bunch of times to capture the gorgeous landscape, and then at some point we had to just bee-line it for Pendleton because she was going to be LATE for her event.


Yes, we stayed at a pink bed & breakfast - it was lovely . . .

As soon as we got all checked in she zipped off to her event at the Casino, and I walked into town where I had dinner in the bar at The Saloon.  Yes I did.

I captured this on my way to dinner, can you see where it says "Flow" on the water?  Awesome!

After all that driving (& suffering for days on end from some really random shooting pains in my arms & hands), I was tired & called it a night before she even got home!

(In an effort to not have this be the longest blog post ever, I am breaking it up a bit.  Stay tuned for Part 2!)

Merry Christmas to ME! . . .

One of the other reasons for my blogging hiatus (which I was really not trying to use as an excuse), was that my little laptop was so old and bogged down with stuff that it would take me forever to post anything.  Not even kidding, every time I clicked the mouse I got the evil swirly rainbow pie thing.  It was so wildly frustrating . . . actually that doesn't even begin to describe it.

So today I bought myself a new computer.  Woooo Hooooo!

She will have a name of course, but I haven't decided yet.  So far Maude is at the top of the list.

Happy (belated) Holidays to you all!!

Gratitude . . .

I have been away from my blog (posting regulalry at least) for a long time.  I love to write & share my photos, so really I can't tell you what's been holding me back.  It might have something to do with a belief that I don't have "enough time".  After a little chat with my dear friend Latisha today I decided that I am going to spend less time in the social network scene and more time here.  This matters more and feels better.  #bringingbloggingback!

So for today, I'll start with a short list of things I am grateful for (sans links - just for the sake of getting it all down quickly) . . .

1. My village - my boys, family & amazing friends near and far!
2. Tea - Earl Grey, Ginger Peach, and Black Currant Breeze to be specific
3. Eileen Fisher boots
4. A cozy sweater from Anthropologie
5. Change - it can be a doozy, but letting go always makes room for new adventures . . .
6. Road trips with my sister (blog post coming about that soon!)
7. Martha Beck Life Coaching certification program - I'll be done in July.  Folks this is my true calling!
8. Teenage boys.  Most of the time.
9. My iPhone (for better or worse - mostly for the camera)
10. Christmas Music - James Taylor At Christmas is my favorite.

It's a short list.  Baby Blogging Steps.  I'll be back soon. 

Happy long weekend!

xoxo