There's a Big Day Coming, About a Mile Away
Talking about goals, figuring out what this year looks like
I want to start this week with a heartfelt thank you to everyone who reached out and commented about last week’s edition. It was clear that many of us were feeling some kind of way! I was definitely not alone, and nor were you. I read that the full moon in Leo was causing all that wild energy, so let’s agree it was that, and it was totally out of our control.
It’s the end of January now and I’ve finally finished my goals for this year. Last week, Kyle arranged for us to have a card reading with a woman named Rayna and it was alarmingly accurate to where I’m at in life. It really helped me understand what I want to attempt this year, and what is important for me in this time. In short, this is a year for a reset, to do things in new ways, and to absolutely go with the flow when opportunities or challenges come my way. There’s no use fighting the tide. So! I have five primary goals, with sub goals that nest neatly under each.
1. Grow my skills to help with future projects.
2. Make new friends and community (and connect with old friends!) in physical and digital spaces.
3. Spend more time outside my apartment.
4. Build AGILITY to pay the bills.
5. Evolve my sense of personal style.
The first goal is really about building skillsets. I’ve been languishing in learning Spanish, not really growing in my knowledge, so that’s a huge priority. Additionally, I’m trying to get a side gig making coffee so I can learn and grow as a barista, and maybe try to learn some bartending. Get that future coffee shop rolling…
Second, is friends and community. I’ve been emailing with many of you over the last couple of months, folks I hadn’t heard from before, or in a long while, and that’s been nourishing. My next step is to start emailing other creative folks here in Barcelona to see if they want to grab coffee or a cocktail. I know there’s an opportunity to build a closer knit creative community in Barcelona. Ultimately, rebuilding social connects in a post-pandemy world.
Third, is a funny one, maybe it’s specific to me? As I don’t know a lot of people in Barcelona I tend to spend a lot of time in my apartment. I’m either writing, rotting on TikTok, or playing video games, though, there are some nice things as well, like hanging out with the Kyle and the dogs, or cooking. Essentially I want to be more mindful of how I spend my time, and to this point, Kyle and I made joint goals to go on more hikes and see the sea more. Also included here is running outside again once winter has passed a bit more and I’m done hibernating.
Fourth, continue to build AGILITY and my freelance design clientele. I need to pay bills, have money for travel, etc, and at this point in my life, I don’t want a career. I have a few promising calls this week thanks to some great folks I used to work with. Funny enough, this is something Rayna pointed out in my card reading. If you need any branding or identity design, be sure to hit me up!
Finally, continuing to evolve my personal sense of style. My body is changing, I’m in my 40’s, I live in a new place with very different weather patterns, and I want to be stylish and comfy. This is going well so far, though I want to be buying more thrift and vintage and less new things this year.
How about you? Do you have any personal goals set? I’ve been looking at my life like it’s an RPG. Figuring out ways I want to level-up skills, side quests I want to take, adventures I want to go on. I feel like many people look at goals as things they dread, though for me, it’s simply a time for reflection and ensuring that I continue to happy in life. Hopefully in sharing these it inspires you to take some to do this for yourself 💙
The most exciting thing happened last week was Maison Margiela´s couture runway show, which, was mind-blowing. It was dramatic, dirty, entrancing, captivating, revolutionary. Please click the previous link, watch the entire 30 minutes of the presentation, and then go read Cathy Horyn´s review of the show which summarizes the genius perfectly.
💿 — One of the best mixes of the year has already arrived with DJ Python taking his stab at an Essential Mix. The track list is epic and sprawling, traversing so many different genres and styles, and culminating with a mash-up of Nina Simone and AIR that will leave you breathless.
🍽️ — The New York Times gathered 121 different menus from around the U.S. to understand what is trending. They look at dishes, design, and more to find the commonalities. As Kyle said to me, it’s a good marker of time right now. Overall, I think they nailed a lot of good things, though I don’t see fried chicken as a trend, it’s a classic forever!
🍪 — Something I made recently for a dinner party, miso chocolate chip cookies. I found them to be extremely rich and complex, much more full-bodied than a traditional recipe.
After reading your post, it serves as a powerful reminder to stay focused on our personal goals in our daily lives. This year, my primary objective is to prioritize where I invest my attention!
ps. love dj python's tracklist