blog — holidays

I designed this card in recognition of how I bore myself making the same resolutions every year that I never keep. After a week, no a month, of overindulgence and inactivity we put ourselves under enormous pressure to change ourselves — to upgrade into a healthier, smarter and more successful prototype. To hell with New Year's resolutions, I'm done.  What about all those resolutions I made and kept throughout the year? What about: the new skills I picked up this year from that course I started/finished the hours I spent reacquainting myself with a language I learned twenty years ago  this small company I started the volunteering I did on those committees  the marathon...

The first Christmas without a loved one is especially tough. When I was 23, we had our first Christmas without our mother who had died the month before. I'm sure we put up the decorations, we definitely cooked a meal and carried on all the traditions but I remember a numbness hanging in the air.  I have vivid memories of counting the heads around the dinner table because I was sure about 10 people were missing but it was just one big void. Then last year, it was our first Christmas without our father who had died rather suddenly a few months...

We all have that friend, relative or sibling that never sends a card.  I used to try and operate a '3 strikes and you're off' my card list before I designed this card.  You see I literally cannot stoop to their level and have to wish them a Happy Christmas. I'll be sending this card to three of my five siblings and while not naming names, my sister Eve and only brother will not be receiving this particular card in recognition of their relentless adherence to Christmas spirit even though December is their busiest month of the year. Newstalk Lunchtime Live  Ciara Kelly was talking...