Coffee in the New York skyline mug, "Cloudy This Morning" by George Winston on iTunes. "I shall clasp my hands together and bow to the corners of the world." Thus begins the epic tale of an ancient China that never was in Barry Hughart's classic novel "Bridge of Birds". It is good that I start my morning clutching serenity to my breast like a talisman to ward off the evil that is the day, week, month.
Almost every year about this time I am faced with the reality of winnowing. Christmas cards (for the first year in five)? Nope, no time. This present I was going to make (and that present and the other present)? Probably not. The orders keep coming in and show prep for January is relentless. Add that to open studio and the normal time demands of a wife/partner, mother, pet wrangler, household manager and there are not enough hours in a day. Deep breath, bow again. Ah, I can feel the serenity trickling in.
Today I will reset my schedule and to do list and check the delivery expectations of a couple of galleries (you told them they could have it WHEN?!?), and then I will focus on gliding through the remaining time between now and Christmas with as much grace and poise as I can muster. Display from Elliott Metal Works to unload from minivan so dogs can be taken to groomer. Dogs to take to groomer. Cleaning service is here--they were supposed to come tomorrow. FedEx has tried twice to deliver a package that needs a signature. Today is the final attempt and I have a day of not hanging around the front door waiting for the driver to show up scheduled. Deep breath. Ahhhh...
3 comments:
I'll let you know if I run across an author who can emulate Hughart's work, so you can reinvest yourself in that world...
grace and poise, you say? never heard of 'em. i am more a fan of scream and panic myself.
Ha. Don't believe Ren. She was done with her shopping weeks ago! I feel like you and just want it to all be over b/c I'm so behind and feel like I never catch up. I can't seem to meet my own expectations.
P.S. As is often the case with your and Ren's blog, I had to look up a word. I'm still not sure I fully 'get' what winnowing is, but I'll read more and try to work it into a sentence today.
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