Unedited Thoughts

Today I had a small frustration with the blog world…I was checking up on a blog and found out about a new online magazine called Matchstick and decided to check it out. Great! new design ideas and photos, right? In the letter from the editors, they write that they started the magazine to help women design a life they love. Something about the phrase really hit me wrong. I started thinking about all these vintage lifestyle blogs that follow girls that seem to have the perfect life. I had this thought … these bloggers are sending messages to “design your perfect life that you will love” you will have to have these amazing clothes, design your home just like these 1950’s photos, wear red lipstick, bake cupcakes, ride old bikes with baskets, and write your friends letters on expensive letterpress stationary.

It’s not that I don’t like these things, I do like riding bikes, I like new clothes, and I like vintage design. But I don’t want to ever get stuck into thinking that my life has to be perfectly designed for me to love it. Our world can be so materialistic sometimes especially in the design industry. It is so easy to get caught up into thinking that if only I had the perfect wardrobe, the perfect house, the perfect wedding etc. then I would be happy and life would be good. It is quite the opposite, design and material things are just a cherry on top. What makes a happy life is your family, your relationships, your hobbies, your faith, and your contributions to the world. Too much blog time and catching up on bloggers seemingly perfect lives can really leave you feeling down and like you need to go out and spend a whole lot of money on clothes and accessories. You just have to remember that they are just sharing the best of the best moments of their lives.

Ok, I will get off my soap box now. And I know what you may be thinking…you are a blogger Jen! I know, and I know that my chosen profession is materialistic. I just hope that Opal is a blog that is always teaching design principles, sharing tricks and tips of good design and isn’t the type of blog that emphasizes a certain lifestyle. So please, keep me in check!

Remembering My Grandpa

This post is a tribute to my wonderful Grandpa who passed away this weekend. We love you so much and are going to miss having you a part of our lives. Thanks for being such an amazing example of service and for always being so interested in our lives. Thanks for attending all the birthday parties, softball games, piano recitals and school performances. Thanks for your words of wisdom, your playful personality, your whistling while you worked, your love of family, and for being the best Grandpa a girl could ask for.

I consider myself lucky that I was able to visit my grandpa each day this past week and half. I am grateful that I was able to tell him that I love him and will cherish the tender moment of him calling me over to his bed and whispering three words...I love you.

I am grateful that I was able to be there in the room while he recieved visitor after visitor and was able to learn so much about his life. How many people he influenced and the many boards he sat on and awards he has recieved. He kept busy serving others even in his final days --attending honorary kernals meetings, lions club, and being on the board for the Noal Bateman award. In fact, I didn't even know what a Noal Bateman award was or that both he and my grandma had recieved one until this week.

Sitting in his office this past weekend I was overwhelmed by the awards that hung on his wall, service this...community that... there had to be atleast 50 plaques that covered the orange plaid wallpaper. It made me realize that I had a lot to live up to, and it inspired me to be better at serving in my community and making a difference.

We will miss you Grandpa! I will try and make you proud each day!