It occurred to me that every stick of furniture in my home, every knick knack, every item in my medicine cabinet, every canned good in my pantry, every book on a shelf, every beverage in my fridge and every technology piece in my home required a decision. Every last item has a back story. Every last one.  How fun would it be to unwrap those stories and to share what shapes me.

What shapes me

Beyond the stuff which gives ambiance and nourishment to my body and soul, there are rituals, celebrations, conversations and meals that lend character and create a culture for family life. A flood of life experiences and memories fill my cranium when I reflect on the many paths that shape my world. Something or someone influences all the areas of my life.

Who, What, When, Where

Thousands of conversations and written words have impacted every step along the way. Our families and our work are common threads of influence.  My personal style is unique but it is a hybrid of multiple ideas taken from travel, authors, media, family and friends.  Every experience sculpts our lives. Historical events  help shape my worldview and deepen my perspective.  Relationships color every aspect of my life.  Something interests me so I research it and then it grows into a passion. It will likely inspire a tradition, a purchase or a value that eventually becomes seamlessly part of my live, part of who  I am.

Product Testing

The meal I am about to cook is influenced by disasters and experimentation in the kitchen that have produced tried and true recipes for all occasions. I have without realizing it spent years product testing.  Everything from the peanut butter I eat, the sheets I sleep on, the flowers in my garden, how to cook the perfect hard-boiled egg, the makeup on my face, the tea I drink and the shoes on my feet all have been vetted.

I saw something. I read something. I spoke to someone

We consciously and by osmosis take in all that bombards our senses with information. Knowledge is at our fingertips; knowledge that shapes our values, our consumerism, our opinions and our style. Wisdom is how to best use it.

Each of us has adapted precepts on life and living that are as unique as a thumbprint. The nuances are to be celebrated. We have shared but not identical influences.  My blog is about my thumbprint. It is a culmination of my wonderfully eclectic collection of stories on life and living.  Daily I am adding to those lists new interests, insights and ideas.

I hope my stories will help inspire yours.