Aaaaannnnd...

                                   ....I'm back!  Hello Hello!  Boy, have I missed you, dear blogosphere.  In reality, we've only been apart for a few weeks, but it feels much longer than that.  There isn't anything super exciting that has prompted me to return to you, other than that today is my 23rd birthday and, in grappling with this new year of existence and the undeniable fact that I am really in my 20s.  Like way in there.  And in this new era of Ashleigh, I feel the need to reconnect--reconnect with myself, with the universe, with Mother Earth, with my family and friends, and with you, oh, blogland.  I feel a great change coming, looming like a giant wave (and not the scary kind of big wave, the exciting kind of wave that Big Wave Surfers relish)--it has to, I don't have a choice but to make a shift and move forward--and I welcome it with gusto and excitement.  I feel like this entire year has been preparation for what is to come--I have left a seat at the table for Elijah and now I just have to wait for him to arrive (that is probably a weird reference for all you non-Jews out there...sorry).  I have no idea what is in store for me in the next year, but I am excited about the possibilities and open to whatever the universe has in store for me.  This shall be a year of trusting, a year of letting go, and a year of allowing what is meant to happen happen.  


So, in that spirit, I have decided, starting tomorrow, that each day I am going to take a photograph.  This can be with my cell phone camera (which is surprisingly pretty good) or with my fancy SLR, whatever I can get my hands on.  I will document life each day, document the beauty I see around me.  I have gotten pretty jaded, living at home and being so far away from friends and New York City, that I've forgotten that I live in California, one of the most beautiful places in the United States, and I work in the theatre, and lord knows there is always something beautiful going on there.  I chose to find the beauty in this place that I haven't exactly warmed to yet (let's be honest, it's the place I have loathed for the past year).  It can't be that bad, right?  


Lord knows if I'll be posting a new picture each day, but I promise to keep a log of my photographs here, whether in lump sums or individual posts, and on the flickr (look to your right for a link).  Thank you to all of you who have stuck around through my weirdness over the past year and a half, especially over the past few weeks.  Life is strange sometimes, isn't it?


As motivation for my impending project, here is a beautiful picture taken by my dear friend, Brooke, who is off on a cross country adventure.  This girl is straight up amazing, and I find great inspiration and strength in her.  I miss you, my friend.  Be safe!

photo by Brooke H.

stealing is mean, so don't follow my bad example and take this without asking.

(sorry, Brooke, for nicking the photo.  It is just too excellent to not use).