On the Road Again

I travel a lot. Not far, just a lot. My bottom is in a car seat or bus seat or train seat at least four hours on the days I travel. And, I travel. A lot. I'm traveling again today. Two hours on a bus/train, an overnight stay, then two hours home in a car. This is one reason it amazes me that I'm able to get orders out and actually get feedback stating 'fast shipping'. It didn't used to be like that way, and if you've read this blog for any length of time, you know my track record for expediting -- well, anything -- was poor. Was. Things changed a bit for me over the summer and I was forced into a frame of mind more conducive to positive business practices. Basically, I got a bill that I was 100% responsible for, and now I'm doing what it takes to pay it off. I know, it's a lame excuse for finally, after nearly 20 years of doing this, to take it more seriously than spouting the 'this is my art' bs. Even artists have to eat.

When I return from my brief travels, I intend to make soap. I've had all the makings here for a while, just haven't eked out the time to create.

I'm feeling a bit rushed by all the early Christmas advertising this year, and I finally pinpointed why it pisses off people, myself included, when Christmas starts in October, as it did again this year. Stress. Pure and simple, it's the stress. The stress of preparation, the stress of stretching, straining, and then ultimately breaking the bank to buy sh*t for people who may or may not like what you get them. My answer is to make stuff, food, baked goodies, soap(!), homemade liquors, bitters (for cocktails), anything that actually passed through your hands for longer than the time it took to pick it up, drag it to the check out, then remove it from a sack and wrap.

Anyway, I gotta run. Time's ticking and I have a bus to catch.