By Hayley Leray
The New Year lends itself to reevaluation. In the warmth of my office, I ponder some ambitious resolutions while staring at the neatly organized clutter invading my desk. A sea of yellow sticky notes frame my computer monitor while to my right, two stacks of neatly aligned and prioritized papers beg for attention. A half full or half empty (depending on how you look at it) coffee cup rests upon three identical notepads while a systemized stack of paper scraps with hieroglyphics scribbled on them sits next to a tall but tidy pile of receipts. I keep this neatly organized detritus for two reasons; fear and creativity. Fear that if I throw it out, I will realize later it was vital to my very survival. I’m also convinced that letting the organized clutter run rampant unfetters my imagination and lets the creative juices flow.
According to Albert Einstein, “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign?” I’m pretty sure he was alluding to the fact that a clean desk is just that, a clean desk. The real truth is, if I’m not knee deep in work and surrounded by a plethora of projects, my wheels just aren’t turning.
My organized desk chaos may seem disorganized to some but I guarantee I know where everything is and can locate it at any given moment. Outside the office is a different story. I once found my lost car keys at the bottom of our chest freezer — three years later. My phone turns up at the local coffee shop often …and my purse? Let’s just say my husband prefers I don’t carry one anymore.
There is one thing I never lose sight of and that is my perspective on what and who makes this magazine great. I am grateful to all of you. David Leray, Jen Moore, Heather Herrin, Nicole Molinario-Schneider, Jack May – all of whom, issue after issue, turns nothing into something spectacular. Thank you to our writers (we ask a lot of you yet disclose little), our photographers (you turn high expectations into visual works of art) and our loyal and continuously growing readership. Last, but not least, thank you to our advertisers who believe in print journalism and our philosophy that has made Signature MT the best read magazine in Central Montana.
So what’s in store for 2016? We have set the bar high, much like your expectations of our product. We will keep mining Central Montana for narrative gold and continue bringing you great stories with universal appeal. I have taken notes on many already and I’m confident I can pinpoint them on my desk at any given moment.
May we all be blessed with warmth and laughter in this New Year while kindness, love and understanding embrace us all on this 365 day journey.
