Going To the Show... Not

Following a pattern established over the past 12 years, it's mid-winter and I'm at the airport waiting to travel. Oh some years I've driven and one year I took the train, but lucky years I flew. Dee is also at the airport--Atlanta, not Austin--as she is also flying today. But this year is the first time she is flying to Phillie for The Show, and I am not. Do I miss it? Not now. Not yet. Maybe by Friday night or Saturday I would if I were home in Austin reading about everyone's adventures, great sales, fabulous meals, fun reunions, and scrumptious food from the Reading Market. But come Saturday, I will be in mid Master Spinning Level One class spinning and dyeing and making new friends.

I'm also looking forward to trying something new to replace shows--repping. If I pay 15% commission to have a rep who will make sales on my behalf, my break even point for cost of shows versus cost of rep is about $45,000. That's more than I've ever made from a show. Additionally I don't have to travel, I have no exhausting set-up and breakdown, and I don't lose 2-3 weeks of studio time getting ready for the show, doing the show, and recovering from the show. I don't see my show friends, but at almost 56 years old, I am willing to give up some shared time if it means not having my body beat to sugar physically and being mentally and emotionally burned out from the show.

Of course success with the rep model requires a good rep, and I have found one--if she follows through with her idea to do it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. In the meantime I am still working on my website (it and taxes feel like never-ending tasks) and planning to email my current customers today to let them know I won't be at the show, but that Todd and I do have new work so to save a spot in their orders.

Now it's time to board. Off to a new adventure in life, and a new chapter in glass.