Twain

Samuel Clemens took his pen name from a maritime term, mark twain. It was in riverboat dialect for the calling out of the depth of water beneath the boat's keel (source). It was an indication of "safe water." For me, it also means the spot where you are in between places: the deep and the shallow. A standing ground of Limbo.

Perhaps that is where I am now. Betwixt. Between.  Twain. I'm capturing (or captured) in flux between two states of being- the where from and where to. There is no mention of the where-hows. Crossroads, and crossbows. In real life I take aim, and then detour. It's now my intention to get back on track.


Recently I took a trip, but it was not a vacation. I went back to my hometown of Sacramento to deal with some items of business. Funny thing was- it didn't feel like my hometown. It was a warm familliar place, but not home. Home was someplace else. With someone.

Since I was away from my computer, I took some time off this blog. Instead I shopped without thinking of the next blog post- or what was "trending." I focused on things that I personally liked and turned off the part of my brain that spins every article of activity into a potential post. It was refreshing. My tastes have never been particularly hip or cool or in, and it felt wonderful to just revel in my own delights. I read 2 fashion magazines from cover to cover, the first time in years. You see, over the last 4 years I've spend so much time reading other blogs and blogging, that I've stopped reading, even glossy, picture riddled fashion books. So imagine the deliciousness of re-discovering the tactile pleasure of page turning.

For quite some time, I'm been gearing up for a change of the Citizen Rosebud. I want to make it more about our community, less about me personally. And to put it bluntly, I never felt my personal wardrobe was of particular interest- there's a reason I'm not a Lookbook.nu super star, or Chictopia Style Icon. But I do feel like I have something to share about personal style. As a person not partial to wagging articles of advice at people, I've always preferred to show by example. Whether or not I've had any success in that is honestly better known to you, not me.

What I do know is, I ABSOLUTELY LOVE WRITING. And I treasure the comments and email sharing with me, how much something I wrote affected, influenced or inspired someone. When I see that my ideas or point of view have a positive impact, I feel like a million bucks. What I don't feel rich about is the heavily mined and tired subject of fashion. There, I've come out and said it- this has been a fashion blog, and I am tired of fashion. Bored to tears by my own immersion in the consumer culture that is wrapped (and rapt) around this industry. While I will never tire of the glories of a beautiful wardrobe and the art of costume, I am exhausted with my online expression of it. 

Meanwhile, it's November and there's so much more to think about- Hurricane Sandy, the upcoming election and everyday life- the sink that needs a good scour, the line up of books wanting to be looked at. We are waiting for the holidays- and yet are thick in the middle of a celebration. Everyday you wake up breathing is a reason to celebrate. So cheers, blog-mates and readers. Let's celebrate the beauty of our days, and the dressing up of it. Let's brace ourselves for change. My need for community and craving for meaning is undiminished.

Together, let's link up, and line up to create a space where we can share our lives, and feel safe.

A grateful thank you to the readers and sponsors that make this blog possible.