Well, it has been a hot minute since I came here to share my thoughts and news with you. What comes next is an unedited, heartfelt pouring out of where I've been, what I've been doing, and why.
I'm not going to lie. 2023 was a hard year. My "paid by an employer" job took a toll on me, and by October, I was exhausted and sick. The cold that should have lasted a couple of days hung on for a month. November found me diagnosed with an extreme case of adrenal fatigue, which was, of course, not helped by the holidays. I told my reiki healer last week that I am literally bone weary.
Many days, it takes everything I have to make it to the end of the work day. My boss asked if I could take a pill for it. I wish it were that easy. Treatment consists of reducing stress, resting, and making some lifestyle changes. As many artists are too painfully aware, the first thing to be set aside is the thing we should be doing more of—making art. For the first time in 10 years, I find myself lying on the couch reading after dinner instead of going to the studio to work. When I work from home, I often take a short nap in the afternoon to get me through the day.
All of this leads to what I want to say: I'm sorry I was absent most of last year. This year may not be much better, and I'm sorry for that too. I missed my annual New Year's Day Sale because I worked 60 hours the week between Christmas and New Year and didn't have the time to photograph work, write descriptions, and load them into my Etsy shop. Being a small business owner while working untenably long hours at the job that provides the benefits sucks the life right out of you.
But I end this post with good news. The weather has finally broken in northern Indiana and is no longer below zero. To celebrate, the annual 50% off sale will begin Sunday, January 28th at 10 am EST. How long will it last? That depends on how quickly the sale goes. I will close the shop again after the sale as I continue to try to get some rest. I wish you a new year full of joy and all good things.