It’s Black Friday, friends. The frenzied holiday retail season has officially exploded in our faces.
I wrote this post a few times, editing down a lot of the darker things I had originally written. Why? I’m an optimist. I just believe that things are going to be okay. That the human race—and all of its magical members—have undiscovered potential and capacity for greatness/kindness/brilliance that will fight evil by moonlight, win love by daylight, and see us through any crisis.
However, one cannot ignore how much darkness we’re facing in the world right now. After all, I’m an optimist—not an idiot.
This morning my inbox is an even mixture of branded marketing emails that attempt to sound detached while saying “please, please buy our leftover merchandise” and alarming environmental newsletters breaking our planet’s rampant pollution issues and harrowing climate crisis.
How can one make sense of this mix?
One is indicative of a robotic consumer culture that has us shackled at every extremity, funneling our money into quick fix purchases that we think will somehow improve our lives, make us more appealing, or simply brighten up our days.
(Hands up if you buy things to “brighten up your day”!)
The other is, well… indicative of a grim reality most of us would rather not think about while we prepare for a festive season ahead.
These “buy, buy, buy” promotions don’t feel fun and whimsical anymore. Instead, they echo that second half of the mixture. Our addiction to more, our insatiable starvation for novelty and newness (and our tendency to define ourselves by those purchasing moments even when we don’t give a crap about the item we’ve purchased weeks later), is killing the planet and the people who live here.
But, as I said… I’m an optimist.
I try to focus on a positive action that can be taken to counter the darkness. Like most people, I want to be proactive and helpful. I want to make a difference through my daily life and whatever grand efforts I can muster.
And like most people, I could be doing a lot more.
I spend a lot of time thinking about the seasons and how they impact us mentally, physically, etc.
I thought I’d share a bit of that over some footage I took around Brooklyn and the Hudson Valley this fall. 🍁
To be honest, vlogging and documenting (or digital scrapbooking, as I think of it), has been the most cathartic thing about 2019. I hope to continue that trend in 2020.
It’s mid-November and getting super chilly in Brooklyn. Halloween (which spanned two full weeks) and my birthday have come and gone, leaving autumnal sparkles in their wake. Libra season was pure magic (obviously), and Scorpio season has been treating me pretty well.
This week I’ve been doing a lot of coffee sipping, video editing, sketching, and observing the work of creators I admire. Watching what other people are making can be inspiring, but as you may know, it can also result in some existential spiraling around one’s own creative output.
As Maya Angelou famously noted, “you can’t use up creativity. The more you use the more you have.” But what happens when it piles up inside of you because the act of creating has become disconnected from the inspiration—from the creativity itself?
Today, I thought it might just be nice to chill on the scrolling/watching/consuming and check in here instead. Maybe get some of this off my chest.
I’ve been especially full of inspiration lately—as if I recently gave my brain clearance to bombard me with seemingly brilliant ideas day and night. Obligations like staying on task while hitting client deadlines and sleeping regular hours are difficult. In the midst of it all, I want to reach for my journal and scribble something down or sketch something out.
A DIY project here, a themed vlog there…
While seasons of extreme inspiration always feel like a blessing at first, they rear their ugly head quickly. Namely, because I’m left feeling too scattered to take decisive action on this ever-growing list of projects and goals (as a decidedly indecisive Libra).
On top of comparison-itis—a phrase coined by Marie Forleo, I think—I do believe too many options, ideas, and outlets can paralyze you rather than lead to abundant creative expression.
I’m feeling that lately. Do you relate?
Perhaps if you’re also a right brain-focused individual, you know what I mean. Trying to exercise your creativity can turn into a vicious cycle of doubt, procrastination, flashes of inspiration, and …confusion.
There’s just so much I want to make and learn, so much inspiration to bask in and then “spin into gold”… but if I’m honest, much of the time I set aside for experimental creativity on my calendar ends up misused.
Sometimes it’s because I can’t decide what to work on first. Sometimes I can’t muster up the presence of that muse after the initial idea hits. Sometimes I can’t shake the feeling that there needs to be a “point” to the project. Is it monetized? Am I sharing it? Is the idea good enough?
I hate thinking that way, but sometimes I do.
I also fall into the trap of organizing my to-do lists, shuffling art supplies around, and reorganizing my digital and physical worlds needlessly as I chase that feeling of “having my shit together” in order to validate spending time creating.
I actually had this alarming thought the other day: Am I becoming all ideas and planning… and no substance? *gasp*
I’m not going to drag or judge myself for this, but I wanted to write it down, observe it, admit it. I don’t want to let myself get away with it anymore. And you know something? I’m 99% sure I’m not alone in this struggle.
I think there are three ways I can increase the effectiveness and frequency of my creativity sessions…
I’ve been vlogging my way through November as a way of keeping my sanity under a mountain of client work—and figuring out my creatively confused life. My suspicions were correct: it’s extremely cathartic, even though it’s not “perfect”.
It kind of reminds me of busting out the scrapbooking box and pasting photos, twigs, and tape onto a page. Except, it moves!
Today I’m showing you what it’s like when I work from home, from my morning routine to the basic makeup routine that literally on one asked to see.
Do I hit my deadlines? Do I clean my desk? Do I remember to shower…? You may think (some of) these questions are ridiculous, but when you’re your own boss, keeping track of everything you need to accomplish in one day can be something of a mind frack.
You’ll have to watch and find out…
I feel confident that this video will smash whatever preconceptions you had about the work from home freelance life being glamorous. 😉
What do you guys want to see next? Drop a comment on the video—and of course, subscribe to the Hey Mishka YouTube channel/hit the bell for alerts when I upload each week. I have a lot of fun making these videos, so I’d love to hear your feedback.
Off to plan my schedule for the next few days (with a v. strong cup of coffee in hand).
Halloween was wild this year, for one simple reason: It fell on a Thursday.
What significance would that have, you ask?
Even during a regular year, NYC tends to get a bit bananas about this particular holiday. If one were so inclined, one could spend a solid week celebrating.
When Halloween is on a Thursday, however, there’s such a debate about whether parties should happen the weekend before or after that they end up spanning both. What you essentially get is nearly two full weeks of Halloween fun!
I made multiple costumes for multiple parties and danced the night away with friends. The city was buzzing with creepy energy—in a good way, ha.
In addition to being the nerd at the party who had to vlog the whole experience, I threw in a little last-minute DIY cat costume I pulled together for the finale. I hope you enjoy!
If you like this video… you’ll most likely like my others! Subscribe to the Hey Mishka YouTube channel and I’ll pop up once per week or so with fun new vlogs, creative projects, and an IRL look at my #freelancelife in NYC.
I had the sweetest possible birthday this year for the big 35.
Amusing aside: My 25th birthday was spent DJing in the basement of an Eastern European dive bar in a zebra print dress… and I blogged about it right here at Hey Mishka. This blog is now over a decade old, so I actually have those wild memories all in one place. Kind of bananas, right?
Anyway, this celebration could not have been more different—which is to be expected a decade later.
See, I’ve been feeling sentimental lately for the girl I used to be, long before I got caught up in the second-guessing and adulting business of the ~real world~. What better time to reconnect with that version of myself than on this milestone birthday?
I decided to get back in touch with my semi-wholesome middle school-aged cheerleader self (haha, yes, that’s right) by throwing a proper Hudson Valley birthday in the yard of my parent’s house.
Mom loved the idea, and I was seriously eager to reconnect with a time where I drank copious amounts of tea, filled alarming amounts of sketchbooks/notebooks with endless ideas, and spent a lot more time outdoors.
My childhood and young teenage birthdays were always celebrated with adorably autumnal parties involving games (bobbing for apples and cinnamon donut-on-a-string, anyone?), costumes (close enough to Halloween, so why not?), and outdoor frivolity.
Basically, all the things I wish I had more of in my life right now.
The first hint of autumn in the air always revved me up for homecoming season, my birthday, and all of the festive things fall brings with it. It’s still my absolute favorite season, so this little waltz down nostalgia lane felt like a good vibe way to ring in my personal new year.
Before we left Brooklyn for the Hudson Valley, Eduardo and I raided a Mexican bakery and found an epic assortment of pastries, pan de fiesta, and my favorite peanut marzipan treats. I pulled together a colorful tablescape with a tiered bamboo tray, bright woven table runner, some faux-eucalyptus (I’ll be decorating with this thing all year—such a good find), and assorted fall-tastic finishing touches, like sparkly pumpkins and sweet little gourds.
We spent the day grilling—E made carne enchilada tacos, veggie kabobs, nopales, and a few other scrumptious things—and sipping celebratory champagne. Actually, my birthday was my first time drinking alcohol in over 45 days after doing a little self-imposed challenge to detox, and let me tell you… that was a delicious first sip of champagne.
(Sidebar: I highly recommend taking a cold-turkey break from alcohol, even for casual/occasional drinkers. I visibly lost weight from my face and experienced a host of other pleasing benefits pretty much immediately. Definitely making this a regular thing!)
We mixed champagne with pure organic apple juice and cranberry juice for a little fall-flavored rendition of bubbly. Grandma gave this concoction five stars. 😉 Simple, but highly recommended.
We had goodie bags (another homage to my childhood festivities), two fabulous cakes (one made by Eduardo, which came out beautiful!—another Halloween-themed brought by Maya, which was the sweetest!).
Needless to say, Libra vibes were alive and well.
Oh, and I also forced everyone to take festive selfies with me, because #birthdaygirlrules.
When the sun went down we lit up the fire pit to relax, play music, and talk late into the night. Finally, we crashed It was basically the perfect day.
You can watch it all unfold in this mini-vlog—or, as I’ve decided to call it, a video scrapbook. This includes my actual birthday, which was the Thursday before we trekked upstate. Some very special things went down! Think lounging with doggos, my favorite Twitch streamer singing to me, and really pretty flowers…
All in all, a dreamy week/weekend and a great way to close out an almost unbelievably cinematic, transformative decade.
Some people say a decade can fly by, but I have to say… I felt every minute of it. I guess I’m lucky that I was able to live life to the fullest in a lot of ways. Moving forward, I have plans to balance, simplify, amplify creativity, and just get to know the version of myself I’ve evolved into.
I definitely have a more robust list of goals that I’m focusing on for the next 365, but I think I’ll save that for another post. I need some time to sit down with a cup of tea and let them sink in before I share.
Don’t worry, though! I’m prepping some fun fall and holiday DIY, vlogs, and other stuff to share with you guys in the meantime. Because one of my biggest goals for the immediate future is to start documenting life again. It makes me very, very happy.
Thanks to everyone who made this birthday so special. Here’s to another 10 years!
P.S. I can’t wrap this up without sharing a snapshot of those middle school cheerleading days I was talking about… If I can channel some of this energy for 2020, I’ll be golden!
Hiiii, it’s your friendly neighborhood Libra, creeping around Brooklyn with my coffee cup clenched close, eyes scanning for dried leaves to collect…! My favorite season is here and it’s helping me unscramble some of the madness that summer put in my head.
I vlogged about it, so if you’d like to know what’s on my mind, you can find it in this video—along with some soothing fall atmosphere captured in New York. It’s probably the most honest and candid I’ve ever been on video, actually.
I also touch on the concept of documenting your life, and why that matters, even for those of us who aren’t losing memories to sleep deprivation.
I hope you’re considering doing your own vlog or scrapbook or whatever lights you up. But we’ll talk more about that soon.
Last Sunday was National Second-Hand Wardrobe Day, and I love that this day exists.
Aside from the fact that I’ve been rocking second-hand finds since middle school, there couldn’t be a better time to recognize the value of wearing previously-loved items.
As of 2017, 1 in 5 North Americans are reportedly shopping resale clothing regularly. That number is skyrocketing year over year, and it’s nothing compared to the rest of the world, where about 80% of the global population regularly utilizes secondhand goods. (source)
Secondhand clothing is predicted to grow even larger than fast-fashion in 10 years, and in my opinion? That’s incredible for consumers and the planet.
Wasteful habits may be on the rise in modern society, but upcycling, resale, and second-hand clothing shopping is growing at an exponential rate. Just check out this incredible 2019 resale report by Thredup.
Inspiring stuff, right?
I was thinking about the second-hand shopping phenomenon a lot while vacationing with family this month. While my little blog is just one corner of the internet, I’ve been feeling increasingly passionate about using it to promote the second-hand movement to my fellow fashion lovers…
As I write this I’m sitting next to my window and a row of dew-speckled potted plants, sipping hot coffee that reminds me of how morning smells at mom and dad’s house. It’s the first cool and crisp morning of late-summer, and my Libra sensibilities are taking over.
I’ve loved this summer more than the last few, but I’m ready to embrace sweater season, leaf-hunting, and all of those cozy cliches you’ll find on IG around this time.
Life is shifting and changing quickly, and for once I can say I’ve graduated from that feeling of barely keeping one hand above the surface. I’m quitting my multi-project addiction cold turkey and focusing wholeheartedly on one big dream.
And let me tell you… that’s a first in my life!
It’s as if all of the mantras and inspirational quotes and goal lists have started to take hold—at least, some of them. 😉
Since I’ve been working on establishing a flexible, but inspired morning routine (I crawled out of bed at 6am this morning), I thought finally updating this blog would be a nice way to kick off my day. Here’s a glimpse of what I’ve been up to (and how I’m doing on my 50 non-crucial goals).
Did you know there’s a yard sale in Dutchess County that is the literal size of an airport runway?
That’s because this incredible twice-yearly event actually uses an airport runway as its home. For one day only in June and September, the Stormville Airport’s Ultimate Family Yard Sale packs full of vendors and second-hand shoppers eager to keep the cycle of material possessions going.
The reason this event is so magical, in my opinion, is that it isn’t a flea market (they do have a flea market version of this, too, if that’s your thing).
Instead, it’s a bunch of families driving Uhaul trucks full of their stuff to one location and hanging out all day.
The result is an incredible range of wares, from rare vintage musical instruments to ornate antique furniture, kitschy records, decadent scarves, cheap (and amazing) jewelry, home decor, toys, holiday fanfare and so much more.
I have kept my attendance a secret for some time because, let’s face it—I’m a middle child and a recovering hoarder of pretty things. But now I’m ready to share.
Browsing this yard sale has led me to find some of the most incredible gems, from a $5 peacock chair (that’s not a typo), to my favorite beaded curtains, gorgeous gold-framed mirrors, vintage tiki bar signs, stunningly beautiful lamps, and so much more.
This year, I shopped a little bit lighter, and I’ll explain why in the video.
Check it out below—and don’t forget to subscribe to my channel for thrifting, DIY, and more.
Where is your favorite place to thrift and second-hand shop in New York?
Hey! I'm Mishka, a.k.a Michelle Christina, MC, or Meesh. I'm into vintage clothes, DIY projects, and writing in cafes with a giant foamy latte at my side. I've been blogging here since 2008. I'm so happy you're here!
Stop by whenever you need a reminder that life can be creative and fun—even when it's also hectic and stressful. ;)
I get my graphics from Creative Market, my favorite place to shop for digital scrapbook goodies. Click here to learn more about my partnership and what happens when you click my affiliate links.
