This is what my studio looks like when I’m in production mode.  Four torsos for Sacred drying, 3 french hens, two turtledoves – no, wait!  that’s wrong.

The four torsos drying is correct.  The middle picture shows 4 made torsos back-to-back waiting to be finished on the top, an experiment started last year  and a finished torso in the middle and 2 finished torsos on the bottom; and the picture on the right is supposed to be my work space area but it has a torso waiting to be finished, a mask waiting to be reglazed, and an assortment of other things that render the "flat surface" anything but.  Shortly I will have to start buying containers and labeling them.  But first everything has to be finished, photographed, a story written, put on the website, and a price tag and necklace made or amulet found.

In addition to all that, I went out today and bought folders for press kits (10), put together the press info (decided on magazine covers and articles since they’re colorful and thus more impressive than newsprint), finished the administrative forms for the Philadelphia Buyers Market and got them faxed off to the Rosen Group and to Hargrove who is doing the set up.  Ordered my lighting.  Sat on EBay this morning and ordered a bunch of goodies to make necklaces with – oh, I’ve got this bidding thing down now.  Saving myself a bundle on postage now that I’ve figured out who my favorite seller is – just bid on the stuff that’s almost ending and take it from there.  They bundle it and that saves me $2.00 shipping per piece (although the shipping does add up – it’s still cheaper than buying retail).  I’m getting good at getting what I want!  Also bought flooring – those nice 24×24 interlocking rubber mats.

Tomorrow I’m making photographs of all my available work to take along with me  and price lists (it’s supposed to snow some more!  woohoo!!  Here’s a nice photo of last week’s; isn’t it gorgeous?!).  Today I tweaked my order form into perfect condition.  I emailed another photo to Heather for Body Politics and worked with my admin help on perfecting what she’s sending to shops and galleries she find who aren’t going to Philadelphia but who are interested in my work.  AND I got a query in on a $400 commission (which I sadly had to write back and say I couldn’t even think about until the week of March 10 and then told him why…maybe he’ll be able to work with me).

Bought Turbo Tax so I don’t forget I need to deal with that as soon as we have all of our information in (I thought it all had to be in by end of January – I’m definitely missing a bunch of statements).

And I have discovered that I LOVE DOING ALL THIS STUFF!!!!!  The only worrisome thing in the back of my head is the cost.  But (and everybody vision this with me please), I’m going to sell all of my work at the show and then money will no longer be a problem.  Right?!  You betcha!

thought for the day:  This year I’ve decided I’m going to write – no matter what form resistance takes.  I may have to walk past a screaming baboon, crusted barbed wire, or stay in a room with a foul odor.  I may have to look in the mirror and confront cellulite and age and the breaking of past promises.  But it’s all okay.  Because I’m on the road to freedom.  There is only one road through this.  I’ll be gentle with myself, but I’ll hold to my desires with both fists, all my breath, and the golden stallions of my yet untapped strength.  I’ve fooled myself for far too long, saying it’s easier not to make the commitment.  Now I know I’ll never live my full dreams without this commitment.  Besides, resistance is the clear sign that I’m getting to near the gold mine or stash of real change.  I must be afraid of something very big and explosively good.  Ooh la la.

What’s the one thing you can do this year that would make every difference in the world to you?  …That’s the pathway to everything you want.  Your monkeys are out there.  but so are the angels.  That’s where you’ll meet your white hot truth and freedom.  Everything else is a secondary version of your real life.

I might have to crawl or step over broken glass and hidden rattle snakes, I don’t know.  And I don’t much care now.  It’s the only next step I can take that points me in my true direction.  I’ll bring snacks, bribes, amulets, faith and self-mercy.  But I’m going, baby.  I’m taking the road to freedom. I hope I see you out there….  Tama Kieves, "The Only Road to Everything You Want" newsletter 1/18/08