When i began this blog nearly a year ago now, where does the time pass i will never know, but here it is a year coming up, i was going on the road to do my art tour as i had, for 15 years, knowing nothing else but this for all these years. I presently have, for the first time, decided not to travel, as the shows were weak last year, and the potential for improvement is unlikely.
Funny enough i'm being audited by the IRS for 2008, when, of all things, gas was at it's all time high, that summer, and at one point spent $4.35 a gallon, on our way to chicago, from New England, it was a fortune to fill that 75 gallon tank. $326.25 and we had to fill it twice at least to get there and twice, back.. That show, which we did in Evanston, just outside chicago proper, wasn't good, i don't know if we even hit $4000. when u take out the Gas alone, $1200, plus the space and the cost of goods, forget it, a loss. oh and we had to eat, and food prices rise with gas prices..additionally, we (At the time) travel with children, so we are not feeding a couple but a foursome while on the road. we were never extravagant, i always cooked. we didn't rent movies, or go to one. I always love it when some one tells me that if i were to just cut out Star Bucks coffee, or at least one dinner out, we could save a fortune. well i'd have to do those things to begin with.. and i don't buy that icky coffee, or eat out. so if my life style were a calorie count, i've slimed down to a size 4, from a size 10.. and there is no where else to cut corners.
So, outside of not doing the shows, altogether, i must make another plan. This has to be the most difficult transition i have ever had to make. when one has been doing something for all these years. I have no idea how to live a different life, and as i write, i tear up, as i have so loved traveling and earning a fair living off of what i have loved, 17 years in total. I think daily of the driving, the sights to be seen, i will not this year, the friends i will not see, this summer. the Lobster i will not have to dine on, at dirt cheep prices, in the cape!! and fried clams.. oh but i remind myself, though they were luxuries, just plain grocery shopping on the cape is outrageous, and every thing is really expensive. Because of the price of fuel. and can u imagine what it will cost, this year.. holy mackerel. This then, is out.. And if it cost more for us to travel, all of us, then where is the extra $$$ to spend on earrings, jewelry, photography, painting, ceramics, glass ware, hand made and designed clothing, wooden carved bowls or sculpture, the bottom line is the extremely wealthy don't usually attend these out door fine art and craft shows. They can afford to travel to exotic places, and miss out on those shows, in towns near by, unless they are tourists, visiting, the shores of new england, and will this price of fuel cut into their travels as it did in 2008? I'd say so..much less their budget. It is simply logic.
These thoughts have been going through my head already months, so when i finally turned on the T.V to try and take in the news, this made my decision seem quiet right on.. If theres money to be made, i'd better stay right where i am and not spend it on Gas. even if the profits are less, they won't be eaten up by the cost of traveling.. boo hooo..
This discussion came up not because of my thoughts on this, but an e-mail i received early this week on the subject, i'd not actually discussed with my friend Roseanne, and i will post the e-mail and some of the responses, as i get approval, from those that did respond to a theory on how to make Gas prices be reduced. and their thoughts on the subject all together.
In this reduction of things, where is the bottom? ok no movies, no eating out, maybe we should forgo hair and nails, clothing, shoes, skip cable, which i already do, and internet, and get rid of our cell phones. maybe we should all move to a fucking farm, and herd sheep, like thats affordable, still have to feed the animals, which is already getting pricy I'd imagine, as transporting the grain, has to costing more to do so, but how much mutton must we eat before we say no more? Evidently we are still the second richest in the world, America that is, and yet we seem to be on a down turn financially of un-proportioned levels, out side of the great depression, which i find it hard to believe we are not actually in a worse situation, or certainly equal. I have but a few friends left in the art world that can still make it, but cost of goods for them have to be very low, in actual materials, so as to pay for the increases in other costs, if one works in a medium where materials cost less and your time is at a peak, then one can actually make money, but for those in that, they too will find the cost of goods increase, shipping of those goods is not free, and the expenses are going up each and every day.. as fuel rises. take a deep breath, i say to myself.. with this comes change for us all, be it now or in the near future, start planning.. as i have.. to make the changes necessary to feed my crew. and continue the best i can, to see them get to school on time, and get the most out of the public school system. another subject i will discuss sometime. for the moment they are in great schools, with dedicated instructors, who seem to endlessly strive to do better with limited resources.
with a brief interruption, i drove madeline to her first rehearsal, for a play at school, and will be for some time to come, opps there goes that gas bill for my most conservative car, "little red riding root", a 2003, toyota echo. which gets darn near, if not 40 MPG. but what cost me last year $30. a month to take them to school has cost me twice that this year, as they are each in different schools, this year, and now an extra trip to school saturdays for rehearsal..
But what i wanted to mention, was how spectacular the day is, finally warm, the sun shinning brightly, i must look for something free to do today, and take advantage of this glorious day.. sounds like walking might be on the agenda!!! hahaha
Normally i am very positive and cheery, which i do feel i am, even today, but sometimes when one speaks through logic and fact it appears to be less than up lifting, i would rather take another look at this to say, with this door, again another to close so shall others open, and as i brace for myself the changes I skip, not a beat, as i am sure the best is yet to come, my arms and mind are open.
be well, find solutions, and if anyone has any, i'm open to listen, or just add a comment, their are so many readers, that are so bright and full of opinions i'd just love to hear them.. and if u write to me via my e-mail, plz let me know if i may post your thoughts.. as we are all together, in this!!
Andrea and Crew
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