Thinking Time

Well, I got the words. The numbers. I am glad to know how long and how much the rent goes up. I have been waiting to find out since a week before Hawaii. Now I can deal with it.
I am out of town for the weekend, visiting Rachel's future college home. It is good see where she will be at the University of Missouri in photo-journalism. I am proud of her. She is ready to go out and conquer the world with her talents.

While here, I can think and re-think the rental options. Survival as an artist. Here we go.
I won't commit to anything this fast. The rent will double with the overhead included. That is what I expected. From Venture's point of view, playing the real version of monopoly, they gotta have the money to pay for their new property. I get it. They will only promise us a month to month for one year, maybe longer.

From my perspective, there are many signs to beware and make a sound business decision. The construction makes customers avoid us, just as they did forever on the other end of the street last year. It will go on until at least August and maybe more. Parking is a disaster from their point of view. A lot of people won't bother to come behind and use the back door. The dust and noise is horrible and they are not even on our side of the street yet.
The electric company is raising prices now.
The rent is increasing as well as additional water bills and maintenance fees.
The gas prices are constantly on the rise competing for those extra dollars in every ones pocket.
My arm is still not at full speed and I am in physical therapy with ultrasound and exercises.

I will not work this hard and have to get a loan to stay in the business.

I could teach more and work harder and raise prices a bit and probably not get ahead but make up the difference in rent. That would mean working one more night a week consistently.

I want to scale down and simplify and do my work. Yes, there will be many more big yard sales with clay supplies and fixture and hundreds more small objects. Yes, I can do it. I have the strength.

I look for little signs about what to do, like a child avoiding the cracks on the sidewalk.

The inside of my flax shirt says:
"I am not stuck with anything unless I stick to it." Is that how wall mart makes their decisions?
Signs from shirts and jumping over cracks in the sidewalk and throwing salt over their left shoulder when it spills on the table?

I have not decided anything for sure yet. Does anyone have an economic crystal ball?

My acupuncturist says he works 4 days a week at acupuncture and the 5th day of the week he does something else he is good at. I like that idea. I have missed a lot of 5th days of other skills. Should I take them all now? I don't think it works that way.

It is good to be out of town and think. I will decide very soon. I have officially until June 20th.

It is such a relief to know what I am dealing with. At last.