NAFTA, Oy

Today I begin the process of figuring out the paperwork necessary to ship my first international gallery order. While it sounds exotic it only going to Canada. In fact the gallery is closer to where I started my studio in Missoula, Montana than I am right now (it's in Banff, Alberta). Nonetheless, it might as well be Mars. Even doing the forms online with UPS holding my hand and telling me what forms and what info, I have to know VAT and Tax numbers, tariff codes unit something or rathers. My brain is full. When I finish this post, I am going down into the studio to make some glass.

Oh, and before I get too far, there is no coffee as it is after lunch for me and I am a morning-only coffee drinker. There is music on the Pod--"Lose Yourself" by Eminem from 8 Mile. Yeah, my no-longer-secret shame.

As it is Monday the day started with Ikebana and moved on to a packing material pick-up from ULine. Those supplies came just in time as I have a 16X24 hanging panel to pack and drop-ship for a gallery in Iowa this afternoon. On the dream-realization front I bought the styrofoam peanut dispenser (whoo hoo!). When I get ready to ship this monster order to Canada I will have the tools to make it fly. And of course all my peanuts are recycled or re-used. I like that the new recycled ones are literally GREEN. Now I just have to figure out how to mount it to the garage ceiling...

The rest of the day (what little there is left of it) will be filled with a slump load, a fuse load in the medium kiln, and more garage/studio set-up (shippers R us). Oh yes, and today's tarot card is the Heirophant. I always felt this card was a bit stuffy and pedantic, but maybe that's what Mondays are all about.