welcome to kate's world!

capitalism killed the whimsy market. capitalism turned the cozy, personable coffee shops of the aughts into minimalist jail cells. Capitalism killed nora jones.

what used to be a valuable, coveted asset is now only CONSISTENTLY maintained in the least ipad infected of children: Whimsy. The Crusade against whimsy began in the mid to late 2010s, with the rise of social media, and was propelled even further as covid changed the world’s social culture and the u.s. grew further and further politically polarized. one could argue it started in 2008 with the great recession, but i’d argue obama’s entrance into the white house made that time perhaps a bit more tolerable and…optimistic.

But, DESPITE the times, we must fight to find joy, novelty, and gratitude in everything, muck and all. That is what whimsy is: finding soul in all things, reveling and delighting in experiences – big and small, old and new – and knowing that life is really only what you make it. whimsy is skipping rocks on a walk, learning a hobby from the ground up, trying new food, CHANGING your routine just because, forgiving the mistakes of yourself and others, living only in the present. it is the thing that most connects human beings to the stardust we come from.

whimsy can be found and whimsy can be made. everyone finds and creates whimsy SUBCONSCIOUSLY and on accident throughout their life; many never reach for more. but, to really have whimsy one must ACTIVELY pursue it. it is an active fight to find and cultivate real joy in the ordinary paces of life. humans love to want what they don’t have and ignore what they do have. to have whimsy in your life you must be where your feet are, appreciate who and what you have, and always slow down and look for adventure, lesson, or opportunity that always comes in the act of creating whimsy. it is a practice, not so different from how i feel learning to figure skate. it requires dedication, commitment, and practice. I suppose you could say I am dedicated and committed to living a whimsical life in the same way another may be dedicated and committed to their faith or artistic passion or dream job. it matters to me deeply.

in conclusion: WHIMSy – find it, make, chase it, cherish it- you gotta gotta have it!