5 Years and 500 Posts!

Dear friends and readers, join me in the celebration of 5 years and 500 posts of In The Writer's Closet! Some time back in the Spring, I noticed that I was getting pretty close to the big round number of 500. That presented an interesting opportunity and challenge to write the exact amount of posts to sort of happily coincide with my 5th year blog anniversary. But then I realized that to me, it would feel too restrictive to try to fit in a certain number of posts... What if I would not feel like posting so often? Or, the opposite of that, what if I would had so much to share that I arrived at the 500th post too early? So after questioning myself like that and not having any answers, as I don't possess a crystal ball, I decided to let go of this intriguing idea and simply allow things unfold naturally. If it happened organically, then so be it, and if not, then oh well, it wouldn't be the end of the world. And so I forgot about the idea. But some time in mid August, I realized that I am indeed arriving at the number 500 without any special efforts, and more than that - even though the actual date of my first post was September 9, I can choose to celebrate on the 5th as well, so here I am, 

5 years, 500 posts on the 5th! 

FIREWORKS!!!

The weather is still very summery, but evenings cooled down notably, so when we bought tickets to a comedy performance by the local improv group Fools Play in Tacoma, this dress got my full attention. It seems a perfect fit for the occasion, as it reminds me to stay lighthearted and be a fool when it comes to creativity - don't ever start feeling like "I know it all" and can predict and deliver a result that I planned well in advance. Rather, play! Play as if it is your first day on the planet earth! As if you never know what's around the corner. Follow the first rule of improv - say YES! Yes to life, yes to your playmates, yes to your imagination! Stay open and naive as only kids and fools can be! Say 

"YES, AND..." 

So I say YES to my wardrobe! I'm happy to report that there is NOTHING new in this outfit, and you've seen all its parts previously, in different combinations. I love finding new friends (new treasures), but I also love creating new combinations with what I already own, and I am thankful to those of you who remind us all frequently that the true creativity lies in finding new ways of THINKING, not BUYING - and it is in combining old pieces that we own for years. To continue the analogy with playing, it would be like finding new ways of having good times with old friends vs. discarding all the old friends and constantly look for new ones. In fact, both new and old friends can be great, and I want to stay open to meeting new friends, as well as having fun with my old dear ones, and continue finding fresh opportunities for the existing relationships that I cherish.

Here is where you can find all these playmates in previous posts:

dress - SEPTEMBER 2016 

(as it often happens, I find that I am intuitively drawn to the same pieces on the same dates!)

cardigan - APRIL 2017, JUNE 2015, MAY 2015 

earrings - MARCH 2018

purse and shoes - most recently in AUGUST 2018 and many more...

If you're interested to see my previous blog milestones, read how I celebrated

ONE YEAR

TWO YEARS

THREE YEARS

and I am happily re-reading those old posts with you! 

It seems that I skipped the 4th anniversary, but I put together perhaps the most unusual post right around the date of my last year's blog birthday HERE.

CHAMPAGNE!!!

Thank you, my friends and readers, for the most wonderful, filled with shared creativity and friendship 

5 years of life! Here is to many more fun, joyful, colorful years! 

CAKE TO EVERYONE!!!

Photo taken at Tacoma Art Museum (2014)

All photos by Justin  - THANK YOU!!!

Dress - Isabel Toledo for Lane Bryant (2015)

Ruana/cardigan - Chico's (2015)

Clutch and earrings - vintage (Goodwill, antique mall, 2017)

Shoes - Clarks (2017)

Sunglasses - Christian Siriano for Lane Bryant (2016)

* * *