The 500th Post! And What Was Your Year Like?

A little year-end contemplation gacked from Papermusings and from Art Biz Blog. I should also mention that this is my 500th post, so it seems fitting to be a little introspective as well as retrospective. I can't believe I've been keeping this blog for so long, though it's certainly changed its emphasis over the years.  I started it originally just after 9/11 to try to sort out my reactions and make a public record of some kind. Gradually, it became a place to try out ideas for essays, and as my own focus has changed, has become largely a book and book arts blog. Being me, I can't help sprinkling some of my own little obsessions in, too.

It's been an "interesting" year, sort of in that Chinese curse way and sort of not.  Just a couple of weeks before I was due to go on my first real vacation in years, to Barcelona, I ended up quitting the job I'd been at for just over a decade. I lasted about as long in that department as I'd thought I would when I first moved into it (about three years) and it was about time I left to do something different. I wish I'd been able to negotiate a slightly better exit than I did, but at least I have a cushion beneath me now that is allowing me to do more of the stuff I really love.

The two weeks in Barcelona were a real renewal, and seeing all that amazing architecture and in such a historical city was something I really needed to feed my soul and remind me that, yes, I can take big risks and big leaps. I'd gotten a little too complacent, I think, and going abroad again to a place where I don't speak the language was a good way to jerk me out of that. Twenty years ago, that would have been (and was!) terrifying to me, but having lived in New York, where so many languages are spoken besides English, it seemed far less challenging and worrisome. And guess what? It was! Next: Italy!

I spent a good amount of the year setting up a workspace, getting equipment, planning my first big book, thinking about what else I was going to make to sell, and about how to market what I'm making.  Phase one is just about done—the workspace is more or less in place and I've got projects planned out. Now comes the hard part: making them real and marketing them. And the other hard part: finding some steady clients whose work won't interfere with my own, but which will pull in enough to pay the bills and buy new equipment.

So here's what all I've been up to this year, in the form of a couple of questionnaires. Feel free to gack them for your own, as I did.

1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before? Crossed the Mississippi, made commissioned wedding invitations, went to Spain, made Coptic stitch books, quit a job, went to California.
2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I've given up on resolutions. Better to try to change my life a little bit at a time, as an on-going project.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Er, no. All my contemporaries are sending their kids off to college.
4. Did anyone close to you die? Christ, no, for a change! Thank God for small favors.
5. What countries did you visit? Spain!  Yay!
6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? Steady freelance clients.
7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? The two weeks I spent in Barcelona, because it's such a beautiful city, and the day of Jen's wedding.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Getting my book business on the taxiway, if not quite on the runway yet.
9. What was your biggest failure? Not being able to negotiate with my ex-boss.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Ugh, yes. A vicious scalp infection and now a cracked tooth. Bummer.
11. What was the best thing you bought? My tickets to Spain.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My friend Melanie, who's taken some big steps in her life, made some hard decisions, and grown immensely. Also, she rode in a 100 mile bike race and made great time.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? George Bush's.
14. Where did most of your money go? Setting up my new businesses.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Making books, quitting my job, going to Spain.
16. What songs will always remind you of 2007? "Keep the Car Runnin'" by Arcade Fire
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i) …happier or sadder? Happier, definitely.
ii) thinner or fatter? 'Bout the same.
iii) richer or poorer? Slightly poorer in funds, but richer in time and happiness.
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Taken advantage of the fabulous city I live in.
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Sit on my arse in front of my computer.
20. How will you be spending Christmas? In Maine, with Rob, my platonic husband.
22. Did you fall in love in 2007? Nope.
23. How many one night stands? Same as always.
24. What were your favorite TV programs? The ones I watched on other people's TVs.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? I don't hate anybody. It's too much work and sucks up energy I could use for other things.
26. What was the best book you read? That's a tough one. I can't even remember all the books I read this year, and nothing really stands out as a "best book," not even the last Harry Potter.
27. What was your greatest musical discovery? Iron & Wine, Jose Gonzales
28. What did you want and get? A fancy new printer.
29. What did you want and not get? A new computer.
30. What was your favorite film of this year? I can't even remember if I saw any that weren't from Netflix.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was 47 and I went out with MG to lunch at Virage and afterwards to dba for Margaritas.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Getting Carlos's book done sooner.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? Same as it ever was, only more so now that I work at home: comfort above all.
34. What kept you sane? Periodic dinners with friends and making books.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Liam Neeson & Ewan McGregor.
36. What political issue stirred you the most? The Bush regime's rape of the Constitution, and endorsement of torture and domestic spying.
37. Who did you miss? My folks, who I thought about a lot, and Jennifer, who's moved to LA now.
38. Who was the best new person you met? Julie, Allyson, and Kristen; it's a tie.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2007. Stuff happens whether you're ready or not; take the opportunity and run with it.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. "You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you get what you need."

And from Art Biz Blog:

1. How did you promote your art? On my blog, as much as possible. I don't have enough stock yet to get an Etsy shop or do much else.
2. What did you do to enhance your online presence? Linked around, commented a lot, kept my website up to date.
3. What technological skills did you learn or improve? Brushed up my HTML, learned more about color management.
4. How many people did you add to your mailing list? No mailing list yet.
5. Who were the top ten cool or influential people you met? Er, author Ellis Avery, artist Julie Kessler, Felice Tebbe of Booklyn, Deirdre Lawrence of the Brooklyn Museum.
6. Did you create a new business card, portfolio, or other marketing piece? Not yet. not quite ready for that step.
7. What medium or skill did you attempt or master? Coptic stitch.
8. What did you try that was completely new? At this stage, almost everything I try is new. :^)
9. What did you try that was uncomfortable, but helped you grow? Talking to people at craft shows. I'm shy, really, and that's always hard.
10. What new art events, galleries, and museums did you visit? The Renegade Craft Show, the Bust Craft Show, and Brooklyn's Indie Market.
11. What resources did you discover? Paper Source videos!  YouTube!
12. How did you improve your studio habits? Finally got myself an organized workspace.
13. What books did you read to help your career? Guerrilla Art, the Art Biz Blog, Print & Finish, Craft Inc., and Living the Creative Life.
14. What seminars/workshops/lectures did you attend? Coptic stitch class, Brooklyn College's "It's All About the Book" seminar.
15. What organizations were you involved with? The Center for Book Arts.
16. What grants/honors/awards did you receive? Nothing yet; still working on that.
17. What articles were written about your work? Heh, definitely not ready for that, yet.
18. What submissions did you make? 1,000 Handmade Cards; Bronx Council on the Arts.
19. Where did you save a wad of money? On my printer, buying it on e-bay.
20. What was the single best thing that happened to your art career in 2007? The ego boost Jen gave me by asking me to do her wedding invitations.

There it is in a brief nutshell, though it hardly sums up what a weird and wonderful year it was. I reconnected with old friends (Rob & Helen), made some new friends (Allyson, Julie, Kristen), traveled to places I'd never been (Spain & L.A.), celebrated a good friend's marriage and made some big, scary changes in my own life. All in all, a far, far better year than I've had in quite a while, and I'm grateful for it. Hope the next one is just as good, if not better. I hope it's a good one for all of us.

Comments

[quirkyartist]

Yup. I love Barcelona too. I was there 30 years ago and again 3 years ago. It's an amazing place. If you go to Italy, don't miss Bologna. I loved to read your questionnaires and I may well gack them if I knew what gack was. lol.

[Lee Kottner]

It's just geek-speak for "copy shamelessly from someone else." :^) Barcelona is great, isn't it? You're the first person I've talked to about Italy who mentioned Bologna. I'll have to look into it. Thanks!

[Roger]

>> The two weeks I spent in Barcelona

I remember all your posts from then. I know you had a great time. Happy New Year.