Claire Keane

Love Begins
h
wallacepolsom
No title available
Aqua Utopia|海の底で記憶を紡ぐ

roma★
ojovivo
trying on a metaphor
Monterey Bay Aquarium
Mike Driver
Acquired Stardust
d e v o n

No title available
I'd rather be in outer space 🛸
Keni
YOU ARE THE REASON
Game of Thrones Daily
art blog(derogatory)

祝日 / Permanent Vacation
seen from United States
seen from United Kingdom

seen from Indonesia
seen from Germany

seen from Malaysia
seen from Canada
seen from Netherlands

seen from Germany

seen from United States

seen from Türkiye

seen from Japan

seen from Vietnam

seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States

seen from United States

seen from South Africa
seen from Malaysia

seen from Malaysia
seen from Poland
@musingandmuttering
2023 by the numbers
Another year, another opportunity reflect... 2023 had good and not so good... so here is the year by the numbers...
1.7+ million steps taken & nearly 800 miles walked
116 hats donated and achieved a 10 year milestone of 1065 winter accessories donations.
30 museums of various sorts visited, more than half of which I’d never been to before (check out my new blog page which includes all my travel recommendations - nerdcation locations.)
8 years of civil service
7 states traveled to: Alaska, California, Colorado, DC, Illinois, New York, Virginia, (8 if you count the 5 hours in the Dallas airport)
7 years of Ally is a Verb (although I’ll be stepping back in 2024 to focus on other things and avoid the angst of the algorithm)
3rd season and so many Sundays as a guest artist with my friends at the Baltimore Farmer’s Market selling photographs, mixed media pieces, and watercolor notecards
2 great vacations in Manhattan and the Hudson Valley – all filled with art and air and awe and reflection
And a few solid reminders that depression and anxiety are chronic conditions that need ongoing attention, so my mental health is going to be a big focus in 2024…. breathing, creating, meditating, exploring, and remaining present (and avoiding that dang spiral).
I have so much for which I am grateful and that includes so many of you.
top nine (l to r)
birthday art acquisition
9 year no-more chemo anniversary in NYC
manifestation of headline fatigue
lunch at the san diego museum of art
Yayoi Kusama at the Hirshhorn
ice skating in central park
anchorage museum
ella jane in a dusting of snow
dawn in howard county, maryland
2022 By the Numbers
Took over 1.5 million steps and walked nearly 800 miles
Completed my 48th trip around the sun
Marked over 20 years of working in the area of culturally and linguistically appropriate services… including the publication of this item from 2002… The Role of Spirituality in Patient Care Incorporating Spirituality Training into Medical School Curriculum, which has been cited 99 times, also in the work category, completed 2 details (it’s a Fed thing) and received 1 promotion.
Celebrated my 8 year no more chemo-anniversary and 8 years with Ella Jane
Marked 7 years as a civil servant and the release of a document I’m very proud of - CMS Framework for Advancing Health Care in Rural, Tribal and Geographically Isolated Communities
Spent 20+ Sundays during my 2nd season as a guest artist with https://sogh.org/ at the Baltimore Farmer’s Market and selling over 140 photos, art, and cards along the way (plus 4 commissions which all included multiple pieces)…
Looked at art and toured 9 museums and historic homes
Baltimore Museum of Art
The Maryland Cultural and Conference Center in Annapolis
George Peabody Library
The Walters Art Museum
Saint Louis Art Museum
Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum
Historic Samuel Cupples House and Gallery
Nemours Estate | Nemours Mansion
Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library
Donated 132 hats bringing my total in the 9 years since I started Heads Need Hats to 949 hats/scarves donated all over the country.
6 years of moderating Ally is a Verb
Placed 2nd in the Baltimore Farmer’s Market Hula Hoop contest (after calling it ‘good’ at 1 hour and 15 minutes, recognizing the law of diminishing returns).
Followed the preventive medicine thing with my 1st colonoscopy, 4th booster, vaccines, and of course check-ups
Continued to celebrate milestones with my 4 amazing nieces – including matriculations, baptisms, and birthdays…
And finally, and maybe most importantly, after too many years apart hugged a lot of folks I hadn’t hugged in a long time…
given the givens, all in all a good year.
2021
Well... the end of another year requires reflection... my goals for this year were: learn, create, and share... and not that life is measured in numbers, but here are mine for 2021...
Made and gave away 108 hats
Attended 25 art lectures
Completed 18 or so puzzles
Celebrated 7 years cancer free
Marked year 6 of advancing health equity at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Celebrated 5 years of Ally is a Verb (FB) and added sister sites on instagram and goodreads
Received 3 shots (hope you did too!!)
Completed 1 Specialization in Value Based Care
Completed 1 Certificate in World Art History
Made it ⅔ of the way through a Google Project Management Certificate
Welcomed niece #4 (and hugged all nieces as many times as I could)
Managed to squeeze in a short trip to Philadelphia and visited 5 (?) museums
Gave a handful of lectures/presentations to university students, corporate teams, and on behalf of nonprofits
Leaned into my creative side and sold a number of photos at local events and started playing with watercolors
Whatever the new year brings, I hope that you and yours remain happy, healthy, and get to prosper in all the ways that matter.
Xoxox
2021 venn
given the givens... 2020 reflection
so as is the tradition for me on nye these days, i spend the evening reflecting on all that has occurred..
for the last 9 months when asked ‘how are you?’, i have replied ‘given the givens, i am doing well’... with a job that allows me to work from home, my mom under my roof so that i know she is safe, a dog that makes me laugh everyday, and family and friends who are wonderful beyond measure.... i feel so very, very fortunate.
so given the givens, this was my year...
i started the year with meetings and conferences... celebrated 6 year no more chemoversary with a day trip to new york to climb the vessel and see the new parts of moma... two weeks later in early march i was at the cdc for the meeting (not related to covid, but it was certainly discussed)... it was the definition of surreal. two weeks after that, i started working from home and am grateful for the safety it provides.
the headlines haunt me for sure... but every day at work i strive to make our health care system as equitable as possible.. that is my part of the puzzle and it is work that means the world to me. earlier this year, i switched roles and now have a whole new set of opportunities to make a difference....
there have been losses... most recently my dear friend and mentor, Dr. Louise Arnold... i still don’t have the words, but suffice to say i would not be where i am today without her. her making me a faculty member at the age of 26, laid the foundation for all my professional accomplishments to come... we remained friends long after my tenure at the medical school ended. she was a force and she will be missed.
one of the last exchanges i had with louise was about the art history classes i have been taking online... through the smithsonian associates, coursera, and stackskills, i have taken/attended dozens of classes/lectures this year... on everything from modern art to project management to civil rights and more... this is a trend i plan to continue into the new year... always more to learn...
speaking of learning, ally is a verb, turned 4 this year and almost doubled in size... helping to nurture allyship in others has been a bright spot when there has been a lot of darkness. heads need hats continued to spread warmth with 126 hats/scarves going out this year, bringing my total donations since 2013 to 714 items...
there were of course also all the laughs brought about by stickman over at stickman’s log... we all needed a silly creative outlet... so i’m glad so many of joined me in that effort and i look forward to see what we are going to do in 2021.
finally (well... not finally... but finally for this session of musing and muttering)... i got to let all my auntie mame-ness show multiple times throughout the year... through zoom storytimes, reverse trick or treating, and lots of air hugs and distant high fives. i got to see my 3 amazing nieces this afternoon and i can’t think of a better way to end the year.
i know how lucky i am. i really do. sending each and every one of you happy, healthy, loving, grounding vibes now and long into the future. i look forward to hugging all of your faces in 2021 (or whenever we get it together/get vaccinated).
xo
d