Open to Opportunity

 

Over the years I always tried to think up things to do for myself but also?  I made a practice of leaving the door open to opportunity.

It's a bit (a lot?) scary to be self-employed, relying on primarily your own efforts to bring in an income.  Especially in an extremely niche market.

Deciding to 'retire' (for certain values of) was also scary.  I get a very tiny state pension, largely because for many years I was too poor to pay income tax, never mind contribute to the state pension fund.  But it was time.  My body was telling me so, in no uncertain terms.

And then Covid hit.  Suddenly a lot of people were looking for increased ways to learn on line.  I started an on line study/mentoring group and learned how to use Zoom.  Practiced using the new technology, just like I'd done CDs when they first became available.  Just like I'd self-published educational materials.  Just like I'd done both text and CD content - something new that very few were doing in the weaving world.  Figured out how to make a You Tube account and load videos to it, when I decided I wasn't going to do the CD route anymore.  (A combination of a larger organization digging in and making workshops on tape, then  CDs - only *they* had pre, during and post production teams.  I just had me.  And I'd rather be weaving than editing film, thankyouverymuch!)

When Olds College asked if I would teach the master level classes for them, I was delighted.  But the early years of covid there were no classes.  This year they did run Fibre Week, but I found it incredibly stressful to drive there (11 hours one way), avoiding eating indoors, avoiding others in the toilets - because hardly anyone was wearing a mask.  And then worried about transmission happening at the college.  Thankfully I haven't heard of anyone who got sick, and for that I'm incredibly grateful, but especially so to my students who all masked up to protect me.  

Now I'm home and begun working on two more on line classes for School of Sweet Georgia.

The first two classes launched early this year, two of the lectures have launched, and the next two classes will be filmed in October.  The lectures will continue every second month for the next while.  The next one is The Goldilocks Zone if I remember correctly - wherein I will talk about tension - too little, too much and juuuuuuust right.

And then today another opportunity dropped into my inbox.

I won't say more yet because I haven't actually agreed to do it, although I'm finding way more reasons to do it than not.  But I have to fit their deadline into my schedule and I need to think carefully - and find out more info - like deadline.  It sounds like it's not imminent, but I want to make sure.  

So my  initial reaction was to hit 'reply' and say 'sure', but my inner voice went 'hold on, when is this needed by?  How much of a commitment are you going to need to make?'  So instead of saying yes, I said, maybe until I got more information.

Summer has arrived and there are threats of much higher temperatures coming.  I don't have any appointments next week so I anticipate spending a lot of time in the studio, where it's cooler than the main floor.  

On the stash busting front, I will continue to work on the fine yarns but I've also managed to give some of my yarn away.  I've spent 3 years working hard to use up as much of my stash as I can, but have finally come to the realization that I really do not need to personally weave it up if I can find someone who will appreciate and use it.  So the first bag of yarn was delivered this week, and another box of yarns will find a new home next.  Other yarn has been offered for the cost of the postage.  

Little by little.