So much everything... so little time

For all of 2007 I've felt like I blink and another week has gone by without my getting done what I needed to.

The plater who does such a good job is nevertheless a flake. He keeps claiming he'll call me but never does. This morning, several hours ago now, he claimed he would be calling me back within 15 minutes. There are several customers waiting for pieces from me that are at the plater. This makes me sound like an even bigger flake.

I've been moving into the San Bernardino house. I rented a trailer and Jon helped me move the big stuff I couldn't get by myself. Everything is so filthy, it is really depressing. The entire back room smells like old gym socks. The fridge is still blowing air out the back that smells like mold. Don't even ask about the shower. Of course I now have a cold to top off all this excitement. On the plus side, a professional carpet cleaner is coming on Friday, and that should help. I cannot work up any enthusiasm about the war next week. I have no idea how many people will show up wanting to shop. At least I will get to camp in my little red pavilion again, separate from the booth. I have no stock, and I'm now torn between making my house habitable and going to the studio to get stuff done for the war and for Western Crown the week after. Money, Laurie, you need the money.

Let me back up to the good stuff. There is some good stuff! I spent five days in and around Denver at an awesome jewelry industry conference called Clasp. I got to talk with marketing people, business people, and web development people, all of whom were a huge help and injected me with confidence and enthusiasm. I am resolved to go forward with the line of fine jewelry I've been carrying around in my head. I even got to talk to a retailer who owns a fine jewelry store in San Diego, and he's willing to hear my pitch when I'm ready!

The best thing was a consultation with a business guru from MJSA (the Manufacturing Jewelers and Suppliers Associaltion), who said among many other useful things, "People don't buy your jewelry just because it's historical. They buy it because they love your jewelry." This was like suddenly looking at my life from a 45 degree angle to the upper left. :-) He didn't even mean it as a compliment, just as a statement of fact, but I had to breathe for a second and work to keep from tearing up in front of the guy. I had been so anxious about breaking into the 'real' design world. He told me that the stuff I was nervous about doing was stuff I was already doing, albeit in a bit different form. So now I need to find time to make this happen.

I also got to stay with some wonderful friends in Colorado, including redheadedlyon. So nice to stay in a home rather than a hotel, with great people, great food, and lovable dogs and cats. The Boulder area really is as nice as they said. :-)

So I have signed up for standalone DSL, which They claim will be active within 5 to 7 days (!), so right now I'm at Starbucks paying extra for internet. Tonight I'll go over to Jon's and mooch off his wireless. :-) and his Airborne vitamins. and his Tempur-pedic mattress. There's a word for that - it's called Sleeptopia.

I will end with a couple of phrases by the master wax carver Kate Wolf (she has carved a standing Grumpy the Dwarf the size of your thumbnail, among many other accomplishments), that I want to focus on over the next few weeks:

They always say life is short, but remember that it is also Wide.

There are exactly the right number of minutes in the day.