I have been blessed with a year of maternity leave (yay Canada), and it has had a strange effect.  Aside from the absolutely wonderful time I have been able to spend with my two children and husband (and believe me when I say this is a blessing indeed), I have been spending some quality time with myself.  Me.

Finishing my masters, then working full time, then having a baby (then having another baby), it turns out, had left me rather little time for myself.  Or maybe a better word would be energy. Or focus.  Regardless, little of it.  Not surprising.

So, being off of work, although not actually freeing up any real time (any new parent will nod here, I’m sure), has freed up some head space.  All of a sudden, I have remembered how to think. How to feel, and how to muse.  I spent the first half of the year following whims, many of which I will touch on in future posts.  And the second half, I am hoping to devote to passions.  The passions I have unearthed through those whims.  Clear as mud?

Mostly, I have been reading.  No, scratch that.  Mostly I have been parenting.  Getting no sleep, feeding, talking, entertaining, loving, putting out fires, did I mention loving?  Oh, and no sleep?  Yes.  Mostly that.  But, then, I have also been reading.

And my reading has taken me to a funny place.  A place where I am ready to take on me.  And darned if I’m not excited!?

So, in preparation, I’d like to thank, Anne Lamott, Phil Keoghan, Timothy Ferris, Eric Maisel, Ken Robinson, Gretchen Ruben, Daniel Goleman, David Suzuki, Gordon Neufeld (off the top of my head) and a host of others for steering me in fascinating directions and getting me off my butt.

Here goes nothing as I attempt to label myself, writer, photographer, unschooler, blogger, ecomom, and mompreneur, along with librarian, mother, wife, dancer and learnaholic (yes, that’s right).  Who knows, I might even work my way up to runner, diver, and filmmaker, yet.

It should be an interesting life.

By the way, did I mention I love books?!  Never underestimate the transformative power of literacy.

(Visit your public library! Seriously.)