Well, we picked a helluva time to launch a blog, didn’t we? I’m certain that everyone woke up on New Year’s Day saying, “Ya know, I just really think what the world needs right now is an economic, humanity-crippling epidemic.”
Yeah, that is EXACTLY what we were thinking: NOT! The year did not really start out with a traditional bang but rather a bomb: a big, hairy, in-your-face, you-just-cannot-make-this-s**t-up, mic-dropping detonation. Millions of people around the world shelter in quarantine while praying for loved ones, hoping they themselves don’t contract it, and scrubbing the hell out of every square inch of their homes, stepping out only when necessary while wondering and waiting for the time we can take off our masks and smile at each other again. Tensions run high, spirits are low, and there is no balanced midpoint for our emotions. Each human grappling with the new normal as he or she implements coping mechanisms to help soothe raw nerves, stay busy, and not drive one’s self, or others, batshit crazy.
For me personally, 2020 opened on a heart-sickening note: personal illness, sick and dying pets, and the rounding out of nearly two decades of a lingering depression that I just could not shake. Finally, the first quarter ended with a breakthrough that sadly also ended with a fated breakup. Simply exhausted, the root cause of my depletion was life. Damn it, I really needed a break and the Universe stepped in and granted one…to us all.
While in forced solitude, I have wisely used the time to relearn patience with myself, forgiveness for those who wronged me, and a renewed sense of self to get back up on my (high) horse and ride the hell out of the rest of this life. I have been able to leverage this much-needed timeout to reset myself and collectively group my poop in preparation for starting anew. I remembered who I am and recalled the days that I took no crap but did no intentional harm towards people who play games, bully underdogs, and take others for granted. Mean people still suck and someone needs to issue verbal smackdowns…I am back, and you’re welcome. (Go ahead roll your eyes…I’ll wait.)
I did not need to ponder long or look far because I can look at myself anytime I forget who I am, which is why I choose to work with my daughter Mae on this ancestral inspired project. She is the me that I once was and am working to be again. Fiery, badass, number-crunching artist who tells it like is, how it’s going to be, and what she thinks about what you think (get ready, she is a truth-seeker and holds nothing back). I, however, am a product of the 80s: briefcases, fitted suits, and office jobs for everyone, even this little girl who once dreamed of becoming a fashionably famous writer who travels the world with a backpack, wearing the coolest hiking-friendly designer duds and stays at the Ritz. Come on, I’m not willing to leave behind all of my favorite fashion possessions. Even the great outdoors can be fashionably fun and fabulous!
Why does any of this matter to you? Because Mae and I want you to take a journey with us, back to your roots, to find and flush out the artistic, creative muse in all of us and use it to help heal this world, curate new beginnings, bridge understandings amongst dichotomies, relax the rigidity of our convictions while letting in a little bit of wild, crazy, and creative vibes that could be just the ticket to finding your soul again. Oh, and we are planning to have a poop ton of fun, introduce you to some badass people, cool products, and kickass services along the way. We may call out some posers and haters, but we’ll give them a chance to make it right. Who says stability, sustainability, and style can’t be both sexy and responsible? Find that middle ground. Fix those situations, relationships, and other things that may be on the verge of brokenness while remaining true to becoming the one and only real you, so you can feel accepted as you are. How cool is it to think you can be that one persona different amongst your favorite, grounded tribe? Doting G-ma meets drag queens; it happened, and we will tell you all about it.
Dutch Moore Living is about curating a life of inter-dependency. We all come into this world alone, but it does not have to stay that way. Our interactions create opportunity for growth, excitement, love, loss, and ultimately frees us to be our best selves. Our motto is, “On your own, but never alone.” My grandfather, Dutch, will always be there for us in spirit, and so we will be there while you curate the life of your dreams. Go on now. Get off your ass and design your masterpiece.
Go Dutch,
M