I purchased this domain ten months ago, eager to start firing off posts: about the jewelry my family had gifted me when I was a child; the jewelry I collected throughout my travels; the jewelry I inherited upon my grandmother’s death; my struggle to wear that jewelry, more than a decade after she died, etc. I came up with a publishing schedule, a list of topics, ideas for features. I was so excited. And, faced with a blank page, I quickly lost steam.

“Does the world need yet another blog?” I asked myself.

“Probably not,” was my response.

So here I am, nearly a year later, writing this introductory post, knowing that this blog isn’t about gold or jewelry at all, but about me, wanting to be seen. About me, wanting to add my voice where I previously thought it did not belong.

I am not a jewelry expert, and I have no education in jewelry or fashion other than my own fervent desire to surround myself with pretty things. I know that I wear jewelry, again, to be seen, to draw attention to myself without preening, to catch the eyes of people like me, those who adorn themselves to telegraph who they are without shouting: “HEY. HERE I AM.” I wear jewelry to remind myself that I am admired, treasured, valued, adored.

I am done hiding myself. Because I am gold. And gold is never plain.