My New Year's Resolutions!

I’m not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions, especially for myself.  In fact, I don’t ever really remember making any.  My belief is “why set yourself up for failure”.  I see no reason to add to one’s disappointment.  But, I do believe the chances of getting what you want increases when you put the energy out in the Universe.  Many self help book authors and other smart people like Oprah say to write down what you want and visualize it.  Although I’m not sure the Queen of Daytime took her own advice when she ‘personally chose’ the shows and content for her new network.  Or maybe I’m wrong and she visualized a network of re-hashed ideas – who knows. 

But Oprah does have a point. You may have noticed a December posting about my Christmas gift list. If you read that posting, you probably remember some of my requests.  In full discloser, I have to admit that I did not find everything on my list under the Christmas tree.  The Cartier bracelet eluded me and Daniel Craig did not show up.  However, many of my top priorities were delivered by Santa.  I got my sarong (its black which was an unexpected surprise!), a gray kimono, and a rifle. 

A friend of ours, who spent the holidays with us, said if asked she was not going to tell anyone what I got for Christmas because people might think I’m weird.  I think she pictured me standing in the middle of the fields in the kimono with the sarong wrapped around my head shooting things.  Which I guess is possible if I decided to use these gifts at the same time, but that was never the intent.   I don’t think asking for a sarong, kimono and a rifle make me ‘weird’.  I prefer to think it makes me interesting.  Either way, I put it out there and I got what I wanted.

So with the success of the Christmas list, I’ve decided to make some New Year’s resolutions for 2011 – and share them with the Universe.  Also, by writing them down and posting for the world to see, it just may keep me motivated to actually complete them!  Sort of like shaming myself into action.   I don’t want to report back on the blog admitting my attention span is similar to a gnat and I just lost interest!

First and most importantly I resolve to sign more clients for the consulting business this year.  I haven’t hit the Mega Millions yet, so I have to do something to earn cash and the consulting business is the best thing I have going to achieve that goal, especially in the short term.  Besides, it allows me to continue to travel, see interesting things, and meet interesting people.

Secondly, I resolve to continue to focus this blog by fine tuning its voice and figuring out a way for A.J.Barnes to make money.  I don’t think one’s hobby necessarily must make money but, when it’s a hobby that requires the time commitment that a blog does, it needs to either make money or the writer (me) needs to be financially set so he doesn’t have to worry about money.  That is certainly not the situation in my case.  This blog was started for two reasons.  One as a creative outlet for me and the other was to create a brand and product line around an authentic lifestyle concept – to make money!  I’m still working on product ideas.  Originally I was going to source great product that worked within the A.J.Barnes brand – which is still a possibility.  However, after pursuing this for awhile, I’ve decided it would be more rewarding to actually develop original product.  Which is far more complex and takes longer, but I’m working on it - slowly.  You’ll hear more about it as the months go by.

And finally, I resolve to get more projects done here on the farm this year.  God knows there are plenty of things that need to be done and can be shared here on the blog!  I’ve decided things linger undone due to two reasons.  I’m lazy.  And, I have a tendency to discuss, think, design, think some more, redesign, second guess, and rethink; ultimately not reaching a conclusion on how the project should be completed so it’s just never started.  I assume that’s because I don’t want to make a mistake, waste time and money just to decide later that I reacted too soon and did the wrong thing.  Or I’m just lazy. 

So doing nothing is better than doing the wrong thing.  That makes sense, but lately I think I’ve been applying that philosophy to everything so nothing has been getting done! 

Soon I’ll post a list of this year’s farm projects.  I thought I may even include a poll on the blog so you could pick which projects you’d be most interested in seeing me undertake.  I’m not sure I could give up that much control, but we’ll see.

So here’s to 2011.  Let’s see how I do!

Art In Sets

I have this obsession that artwork needs to be properly placed.  This obsession can be proved if you examine all the holes in the walls of our house.  As a kid I remember my mother complaining that my father always hung her 'pictures' to high.  I think it's because he is tall and she is short.  For me it's not about the height, it's all about the impact - which leads us to today's posting.  I love the graphic impact that multiple pieces create.  Here are a few great examples.

Photo credit Josh McHugh

Cy Twombly Rome Horst Vogue

Elle Decor

John Kernick

Photo credit Simon Upton

Photo credit Simon Upton

Photo credit Simon Upton

Photo credit Simon Upton

Photo credit Thibault Jeanson

Photo credit William Waldron

Photo credit William Waldron

Photo credit William Waldron



 

Snow Watch 2011

As I write this posting, I should be preparing for a business trip to Miami leaving early this week.  Instead I’m staring out the back door waiting for the winter weather to blow in and expecting my trip to get cancelled.  The Weather Weasels are predicting several inches of snow followed by a thick layer of ice.  This is not a good thing.  As a kid growing up in South Carolina winter storms were a luxury.  It was such a rare event we didn’t care if it were snow or ice as long as something white fell.

I’ve lived in Georgia most of my adult life and the amount of snow we typically get is more than what I remember while growing up in central South Carolina, I never considered it to be significant by anyone’s standards – until recently.  I’m convinced the amount of snow we’ve been getting over the past several years has progressively increased.  It snowed here on Christmas Day!  Never have I seen a white Christmas!  A friend told me I should take pictures of the house in the Christmas snow.  I told them I had tons of farm snow photos from last year’s January snow fall that left 3 inches and then the 6 inches we got in February.  Not to mention the year before. 

I’m afraid we are entering a new mild ice age due to global warming that is negatively affecting the world’s climate.  I blame Dick Cheney.  Not because he did anything I can name to deliberately cause this condition, but he didn’t do anything to better the situation either.  Besides, I blame all the world’s problems on Dick Cheney.  But, this is not a political blog so let’s move on. 

In the past our local Weather Weasels could title the once a year snow storm as Storm of the Year and not be lying since it was usually the only one.  Looks to me like we’re headed down the path of monthly disasters – Storm Event January or Storm Event January - Week Three!  I’m particularly concerned about tonight’s impending winter catastrophe.  If the Weasels are correct there will be ice.  Ice is a problem.  Not only because our region does not have the equipment to clear roads of snow, much less ice, but the ice is a real issue for our landscape.  About seven years ago we had the front and side yards landscaped and added dozens of columnar magnolia trees.  A year later, we replaced half of them after they were broken by Winter Weather Watch 2003.  Two years later we had to have them severely pruned to reshape them due to damage from Stormagedan 2005.  The last couple of year’s Storm of the Year were snow, no ice and our trees have managed to rebound and look great.  So I’m hoping the Weasels are wrong as usual and we’ll avoid the ice. 

If Storm Surge January 2011, 10^th – 12^th” breaks one single magnolia branch, I’m suing Dick Cheney.

Here are some farm photos from one of last year’s Snowtastrophe 2010.  I’m not going to bother to take any pics of this storm - if it happens.  It’s all too routine!

A Charleston Kitchen

I decided to post these photos of this Charleston, SC kitchen.  It goes all the way back to a 2005 issue of Kitchen and Bath Ideas magazine.  I'm quite sure this publication is on your monthly required reading list, but in case you missed it I thought I'd share.  Actually, we used many ideas from this kitchen as inspiration when we remodeled.  We used a similar worn paint style on our cabinets.  The walls were planked instead of drywall, we used built-ins to appear as free standing pieces and of course mixed in modern appliances like the sub zero.  If you missed the posting of our kitchen, you can find it in the blog's 2010 Archives/November/Barnes House Kitchen and Labels/Jordan Barnes House/11/12.

  

Photo Credit Kim Cornelison

Classic Townhouse

While flipping through some back issues of Elle Decor recently I ran across this feature of designer Darryl Carter's Washington, D.C. townhouse - November 2009.  Since I'm the opposite of most people and not afraid of color, this all white townhouse is not my usual style.  I would have 'gray' it up a bit.  But, there's so much here that is my style - from the animal hide rugs, large mirrors, sisal, double shuttered windows, and classic furniture - I would be right at home.  I especially love all the black details in the furniture, doors and accessories.  It's a perfect mix of modern and classic! 

Photo credit Simon Upton