Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Monday Misery

After any big show, I donate the next few days to serious R&R.

Much to my chagrin, Andrew had PT scheduled for 9am the following day -that just happened to be Monday. I begged him to change it days in advance (he tried, but to no avail) and I had to drive him to the health center on campus.

No matter how comfortable the chair was in the waiting room, it wasn't as comfortable as laying horizontal in my own bed. For the next 2 hours, I contorted my body with our jackets wrapped up beneath my head -among coughing children and chatty colleagues- hiding from the burning sun behind a large plant and my body growing more weak and painful as the common cold set up camp in my limbs.

With one ear open, I heard Andrew finally reappear into the waiting room only to discover a few of his colleagues wanting to chat up a storm. I felt badly that I wasn't cordial to his plight or to his need to reacquaint himself with his professional network. I needed to get home because I was failing fast -and I had to drive.

I feel like crap. I have holiday orders to fill. I need an intern.

Mother Nature Isn't Loyal

After weeks of preparing for Boylan's show, I didn't have much confidence in this year's event. The day began sunny and bright that quickly turned to cloudy, dull, and eventually rain. I had promised my enthusiasts no rain alas, being a weatherman is the only job where one can be 100% wrong all of the time and still keep his job.

Weeks ago, I had lined up 2 high school students to help me set-up, provide sales support and tear down since my comrade Andrew, would not be able to help me in any fashion. He had a spinal-fusion mid-November and its his job to heal properly; it's my job to lament that I wouldn't have my partner in crime, to stand with me and be my cashier and evenutally twist a grim day into a ribald event. Boy, did I miss that.

Sarah and William both arrived in a timely fashion and I still wasn't ready for them to assist. Going to bed at 1am and rising at 7am, I was eager to get my pieces and parts together for them to help assemble. Regardless of how much they were able to help out, they got paid, but they were reluctant in receiving monetary reward for watching me work up to the 11th hour. I reminded William, who is currently working on a huge project for school, that while he works up to the end for his projects, real-life is very similar, so don't get comfortable in believing that the real world will be much different.

Sarah, my interim intern, did a great job of keeping my irrevence in check. While she's only still in high school, she's got her father's demeanor. She'll tuck her chin in response to any potential offensive remark and cock her head and secure her stance when someone attempts to rip personal craftsmanship in public.

Overall, the enthusiasts, new and familiar, were fun to talk with and learn about, but there will always be someone who judges with a fine tooth comb, a person we don't want as our customer. On the flip side, I've had customers stand at my booth defending my work! That definitely brightens up a sour day.

Unfortunately, my ROI for the day was just as exciting as the day itself. I love the show, but Mother Nature isn't loyal to any farmer or any artist. Better luck next year.