The title of this post says it all, and Kang and Kodos said it best. I maintain that I am twirling towards freedom...like a toy top on crack. Freedom might simply be the edge of the table that the top spins off of... Where the hell has April gone? Where the HELL!? I have missed you, my little blog, I have missed you little studio, piles of mess, burned finger-tips, proper rest, cooking, tax preparation (ok, maybe I haven't really missed you, but...) house cleaning, time to think, proper vitamins and Etsy shop. I am at a loss to explain what the last 3+ weeks have even been like. So, in lieu of a silly backtrack, a recap, old news, and barely remembered rants, I'm just going to carry on like nothing's happened (ha!) and continue forwards, not backwards, upwards, not forwards...
After 2 weeks, the new job is starting to feel more 'normal', whatever that means. Now that I have started the 4-day work week, I can feel my brain start to unclamp...it's felt lately a lot like how you feel when you suddenly realize that you've been clenching your teeth unconsciously for hours...when you release the tension, the relief feels like pain, at first. Getting used to a.) a desk job, cubicle walls, sitting, sitting, sitting, b.) new peeps and the interpersonal currents that run in the office, c.) the TONS of new info to be absorbed and regurgitated in both official languages (one of them somewhat rusty...but quickly shining up) d.) being away from Mike, the boyos, the house, the studio a bit more e.) a whole new kind of time management...well, it's been a bit hard. Mostly from the b.) perspective. God, people can be weird sometimes. Not saying it as a bad/good thing, just as a thing. A thing that I had forgotten since the last time I worked with more non-creatives than creatives. That said, overall, it's feeling fine. And I'm happy with that.
I am over the moon to have started the 4-day week. Just typing that phrase, "the 4-day week"...it's a pleasure. I am so thankful that my new employer is open to this. So thankful. I feel like this split of time is so much more wholistic...I feel like I can be a whole version of myself this way, instead of feeling splintered. To a certain extent, asking for this has been like the Public Declaration of the Importance of My Business: I have to be able to do this, it is a key part of who I am. It's is essential to my life. I will be a sad puppy without it! Was it simply asking for it what made it materialize...was it really that simple and easy? Who knows. I'm just so damn thankful.
Now. Back to the work...it's been a long drawn out process to manage production with all this new work flotsam that I've had to deal with every day, but I now have tons of new work (sitting in front of me as I type this) waiting to be photographed and uploaded to Etsy over the next few days. Lots of prettiness, and I like all of it. That's another current that I've noticed running for the past month or so...I really like all the work that I've created. It's not hugely often that I like an entire body, or period of work, but lately, I've taken such pleasure in creating, and in all steps of creating (ok, I still kinda loath sanding...but even it's seemed less of a chore...) that I end up liking the piece that I made simply because I was so into the whole process. My dear and lovely friend D said to me the other day "I really love what you've been uploading lately...there's such a freshness to your new work." I loved hearing that...it was a confirmation that I wasn't imagining my satisfaction in my process. It's a nice place to be for now.
Oh...so behind in this news, but I had the very good fortune of being selected for some gorgeous treasuries over the past while, and managed to have the sense to grab some screen shots of them before they went bye-bye.
- Spring pretties, including my Oona barrette
I know, I know, brag much? But really, while I was busy running around like a crack-addled chicken with it's head cut off, my little shop continued to be noticed, and I was so touched to be included in these Treasuries, especially at a time when I was afraid that my business would feel neglected while I was trying to get my bearings...yes, I'm anthropomorphizing my shop, but I was so terrified that it was going to feel like I was bailing on it...like I was jumping ship. I don't know if I'll ever be able to express my gratitude properly to those kind, creative folks who included me in their gorgeous Treasuries. But I'll try to with: Thank you, thank you, a million times thank you!
Ok, it's most definitely time for bed, as I feel that I might soon be crossing the line into 'non-sensical ramble' country...and it's a big country. Besides, we have to get up early tomorrow morning to cheer on our brilliant friend H as he runs a 10km in the rain. Yup, that's right, he's running...we'll be cheering! His blog, 21stcenturyjester.com, is newly up, and it's worth a gander...H's illustrations keenly express his wicked sense of humor, and they are hilarious, sharp, and spooky-beautiful...in that order.
More soon, very soon...including pix of The Big Sparkly...