Hello, "Polish & Sparkle"!

This blog is a work in progress. Proof: its name has changed for the 3rd (and last!!!) time since its inception 2 and half years ago.

And as much as I'd like to say I'm a polished, perfect person, I have to admit... I'm a work in progress, too.

I've learned a lot, running this blog. Most notably:

1 Creativity doesn't come just because you want it to. Quite the contrary. If you wait for your muse to appear, she probably won't.

2 Churn out a whole bunch of ideas, and you'll say something brilliant (eventually). Keep working at it, and a gem will be borne.

3 Honesty is vital. I'm kind of embarassed by all the times I've changed things up here. But it's important to me to be transparent with you. Besides, some of those new things have really stuck, not mention they've been really great.

So back to the name change. Polish and Sparkle -- because those are the two things, I've learned, that every girl needs. Polish: refinement, class, sophistication. Sparkle: fun, glitter, glamour, whimsy. It's like yin and yang or chocolate and pretzels: put together two different but complementary things, and they'll shine.

- Polish is business, elegant, time-consuming (but totally worth it).
- Sparkle is fun, flirty and exciting. A perfect match.

More importantly, Polish and Sparkle are two traits every woman can have, even if she's battling a chronic or mental illness. I'd like to dedicate myself and this blog to erasing the stigma attached to invisible disabilities, to sharing my struggles and helping you with yours. You can live the life you've dreamed, no matter what obstacles you encounter.

Other than the name,the niche and my new, improved, deliciously beefed-up editorial calendar, this site hasn't changed at all! My attitude- optimistic, witty and helpful- hasn't changed, either. Your (near-) daily dose of inspiration, encouragement, news and fun is here to stay!

I love you. Thank you for standing my me-- and this site. It's all for you!

-Rebecca Esther

Things I Learned About Myself in the Big Apple

NYC as seen from the Staten Island Ferry. Photo by Rebecca Gorenkoff, Etched In Tin.

During my just-shy-of-3-days in NYC last week, I had time for lots of introspection + self-exploration. Here's what I found:

1 I'm much better with directions than I thought. While it's true that I get lost in my own city of Toronto, where I've spent all my life, I'm able to figure out which bus to take, which way Avenues versus streets go and how to ask for directions if (read: when) I need them. This comes in handy all the time!

2 I love taking pictures. I've known this for a long time, but it became more apparent than ever during my trip. I gleefully snapped photos of buildings in The Bronx, artifacts in The Museum of Sex, the Statue of Liberty... Even a few of pretzels. Photography is a great way to express one's self while keeping track of time and memories, so you'll see lots more photos (by me) on Etched In Tin.

3 I think I now understand how new Torontonians feel when they see the C. N. Tower. Seeing the Statue of Liberty up close is surreal. She's so much smaller than literature leads one to believe, yet she's larger than life. The moment you witness a landmark you've heard about all your life but never actually seen is magical.

4 I'm more capable of interacting with strangers than I thought. This is a revelation! I'm quite shy by nature, so learning that I can hold a conversation with ease was quite a confidence boost.

Do you find that travelling offers you learning experiences? When's the last time you learned something about yourself?