Pooping Rainbows

I had my first art show. I've put my art up in Starbucks and been in a church bazaar, but nothing where I was with other artists at a venue centered around art. The show was at a local bar called Maxwells which promotes local musicians and artists from time to time. The way this came about was that a friend was talking to my sister about an art show she was trying to get together and was looking for some new artists to feature. Well my lovely sister mentioned she should include me. Fortunately, I was standing near by and agreed to it immediately.

I've always done photography and tried some art classes here and there, but never imagined myself as an artist. Artists can draw for one. My handwriting isn't even legible and if you can't draw letters what hope is left for everything else. Some people assume I can draw because I'm creative in other ways until they are on my team in pictionary and they quickly learn when you assume you make a loser out of you and me.

Anywho. Another reason I never considered an art path was because I figured if you were good fame and recognition would naturally follow. Since I'm clearly not famous (except when I'm mistaken for Megan Rapinoe) that must mean I'm not good enough. I wanted to know what would make me good enough. So as I spent some time getting to know my art professors. I realized that there is much more to art than just being naturally awesome. No one will ever know how good you are if you keep all your work in the studio. This shouldn't have come as a shock. I guess I figured I'd just be dead when my grandchildren stumbled upon my great works and they made millions with my instant popularity. So what if I want fame before I die? Well... promotion. Art is about promotion. Just like in any industry it's all about who you know. This was disheartening. I think I like the glamor when I'm dead thing more. Promoting myself requires interaction with others. Interaction with others. It's not that I don't play nice with others. It's just that I don't play nice with others. I have a low tolerance for small talk so I avoid it. This means I avoid most basic human interactions. Now you can try to analyze why I'm like this. Oh she is insecure, homeschool didn't develop her social skills, she's an elitist, just too cool for everyone, ect. I think some people just aren't social. Not antisocial. I'm not a recluse. I just don't bullshit very well. Now I'm learning that if I want to become successful I have to bullshit all the time. Now some of you wouldn't call promoting yourself or networking bullshitting, but then maybe it comes natural to you so it doesn't feel like you are trying to poop rainbows. For me networking feels like I'm working. Work where I try to convince you I'm a valuable asset to you and if we work together it will benefit you some way. For me it feels fake. I can't narrow down my interactions with people I enjoy conversing with. Now need to include everyone because you never know what or who someone knows. How does this not feel forced, fake, bullshit? How do you know if people even enjoy talking to each other or if they are just trying to sell themselves? This just doesn't seem fair. Why do some people get the naturally ability to network while others get anxiety over the thought of it?

OK. Back on topic. So promoting myself is a challenge. I'm trying to stay humble while convince you I'm awesome... because I am awesome (shameless promotion through blog). Over the past few months I've tried to "promote" myself, which has lead me to this art show. Well technically my sister promoted me, but thats what networking is about... right? After I got secured as an artist to the art show I've been preparing all my work. Picking out new pictures to get printed. Buying new frames. Learning how to build my own frames, cut out mattes (ruined 3 before I just went out and bought the right size), and how to hang a piece. Then a week before the show I get a DJ gig. It's always like that. Every weekend is free then two events on the same night. Now it was art show or DJ gig? Both! I had a feeling I wouldn't make it to the art show and I was secretly relieved. First there's no feeling like no one is buying your art. Second socializing. It was my two greatest stressors together and I wasn't going to be too upset if the DJ gig went too long. So the morning of I set up my art. There was 3 of us and it still took 2 hours. Now off to the DJ gig where I attempted to promote myself... "ummm can I give you some business cards?" Ya real confident. Now for this wedding the couple had a strict play by playlist going between their Ipad and dvd player. Most people don't realize that what you want to hear in your house or jamming in your car isn't always what you want to hear on the dance flour. During the 30 minutes of live Bruce Springsteen playing on the dvd player people started to complain. Now I had a feeling this would happen, but I always want to respect my clients wishes. Well they threw out their wishes and gave me a please fix it plea. Unfortunately, all I had was their iPad and my iPhone to work with. Luckily I'm a damn good DJ and I was able to hurry and put together all the dance music. You say you don't like Michael Jackson, but then you hear it on the dance floor and notice everyone else dancing and then you just happen to know all the words to "Beat It". The party at first looked like it was winding down and I get out early and make the art show. Thank you Springsteen. Then my awesomeness intervened and I went past our scheduled time. It's a pride thing. If you are dancing then I'm doing my job and let's be honest, how sad was I really going to be for missing the awkward art show. Even though I did want to see my art up on the wall again. It looked pretty darn good. Oh bummer I didn't make it. Nothing sold, but at least I didn't have to be there hoping some big art connoisseur was going to join the party during the last 30 minutes. Also, none of the other artists sold anything either. Well hello misery so glad you could join us. I have a couple more things lined up, but I'm afraid discouragement is going to kick in soon. Tell then I'll just keep trying to poop rainbows.

Countdown

30 days left. I've chosen a path. I don't know what this path looks like. I don't know where this paths leads me. I look at this allusive path and it's dark. It's scary. But its mysterious. It looks like adventure, success, pain, doubt, but freedom. Freedom for the average. I've decided to be an entrepreneur. No more job interviews. No more being controlled by the man. Freedom. So here is what I'm doing.

I'm moving towards something. I'm not sure what. I'm moving slowly, but anything is better than stagnant. So far I've taught one tennis lesson, put up my art in a gallery, had DJ beat matching lessons, and filmed a promo. Only 2 out of 4 have income, but I'm hoping to bat 1000 in the future. It's amazing how expensive life is. I need about $500 a month to survive. But I don't want to just survive. I want to live, invest, enjoy freedom.

Reflect

37 day.

37 long grueling days of work left before I quit to pursue something better. 37 days fast intense days to find another source of income. What am I going to do? I have a long list of ways to get by, but nothing substantial. No career path. I just don't know what I want to do. Well I know what I want, but don't know how to get there. How does one become a National Geographic Explorer? How does one travel the world documenting what's going on in places we have never heard of? How does one tell stories of people that we know nothing about? How do we love the unknown? I don't know how but I do. I love what I don't know. I love places I've never been and people I've never met. I love tastes that I could never imagine and experiences I couldn't have written myself. I love not knowing what the day will bring. I'm not looking for security. I'm not looking for a husband, a job with a good maternity leave, and a house in a safe neighborhood for kids. I'm looking for adventure. I want a life worth telling. I want a life you could read about in books and magazines. I want a life worth living. What I have now I wouldn't call a life. I'm not living. I'm surviving. I'm passing time. Wasting away. I'm a vegetable and no one has had the courage to pull the cord. Life is my feeding tube. But recently my eyes have begun to flicker. I think might hand might have twitched. Wait it looks like their might be some brain activity. The doctor says I'll never be the same though. I've killed too many brain cells in my coma-like life. Is it too late? Never. I feel the fog lifting. I can hear voices. My eyes aren't open yet, but the voices are there. The voices are back telling me I'm going to live. I'm going to pull through. It's not over. There is so much left for you. There are aromas you haven't smelled. Flavors you have yet to taste. Places to go and so many sites to see. Hearts you have yet to touch. Life you have yet to live. It is all waiting for you. Just hold on. Wake up. Open your eyes. Come to life. Breath. Take out the tubes of mediocrity crippling you. Wake up Amy. As I struggle to come to life I feel fear. I don't know where I am. I don't know what I'm able to do. Will I ever run again? Can I leave the comfort of the known. The comfort of being average. The comfort of not failing due to not trying. What if I fail? Can failing be worse than this numbness. Can trying be worse than feeling like a victim to unfair circumstances? What if I'm not good enough? Is it worse than knowing I'm better than to live out my remaining days in a coma? What can you accomplish in a coma? All you can do is imagine how you were made for something more. She was so young. She had so much life yet to live before she put herself coma of average. It's like a dream the moment before you wake when you realize you are dreaming. You are relieved it's just a dream. There is the small voice that says wake up. Hurry and wake up. You are going to be ok. This isn't real. This coma isn't real. It's just a dream, more of a nightmare where you run and run but your legs are heavy. So heavy. You know you can run faster, but the lead in your legs is slowing you down. If you could just run as fast as you know you can run you'd make it to safety. The bad guy wouldn't catch you. Legs Run!!! Wake up Amy. I'm awake. I can run. I can breathe. I'm ready to live. Life what do you have for me? I don't need any more insecurity. I've had my share of doubt. Give me the good stuff. Give me what you have given the heroes. Give me hope. Give me life. If you don't give it to me I will take it. I will take it and never give it back. I will be great. Nothing will stop me. I'm ready. Even though my muscles have atrophied and my mind is muddled. I can't remember what greatness feels like I know it feels great. My coma has made me realize how wonderful life is. The soreness my body feel reminds me that I was made to move. Move mountains. Move hearts. So I'm at the starting line. I'm down in a runner's start position. My muscles are twitching in nerves and anticipation. I look around and no one else is around. Where are the other runner's? When will the gun blast? When do I start? I'm ready. Someone tell me when to start. Judge? Wait is this a sprint or marathon? Am I prepared. Just give me the sign to go. My muscles start to relax. I'm waiting. Maybe I should stretch some more? No I feel ready. Let's go. If I'm to run alone in this race why do I need someone to tell me when to start. Start now Amy. Now? I didn't hear a bang, a go, or start. You don't need one. This is your life. Just go. Now? Yes. RUUUUNNNNNNN!!!!