drug

Reason #55—had people over last night to look at our furniture to see if they wanted to buy any of it. Did you know you really don't stop to consider how shabby some of your stuff has become until you look at it through the eyes of a potential buyer. I just thought of it as “comfortable” before.

So, yesterday I slogged my way through various computer tasks until I could finally get to the thing I wanted to do. The other bits of work—odds and ends, really—took most of the day, unfortunately. When I finally got to my main task (yes, the task which I told myself, “You'll have the whole day to work on this…”) I had only two hours left before we were to meet our friends for supper.

BUT, even though I didn't have long to play around with it, I thoroughly enjoyed the brief time I spent working on the design for my 2013 calendar. Every year I print a calendar using photos I have taken, usually centered around a specific theme or idea.

For some reason I was really dreading doing it this year. I had almost no motivation, and what little progress I made before this was accomplished mainly through sheer will power and a sense of “ought.”

That was before I sat down to design, however. I can not explain it, but somehow playing with the layout, seeing the different elements come together, choosing a font—it's all exhilarating to me. Kind of like a drug. I was stimulated. Euphoric. When I tore myself away to go to supper I couldn't get it off of my mind. My dominating thought was, “When can I get back to it?” I have a few things to do this morning before I can start again, but I feel impatient with them—those interruptions, keeping me from what I really want.

The worst part of the whole process up to this point was trying to price the calendars. We are taking orders ahead of time, so that we know how many to print. So, we have to guess at how many we will print (the price per piece goes down the more you print) and then add in something to pay me for the time I spend designing, and then add in a bit more for some profit. I am not good at money, and not bold when it comes to valuing my work. Mr. on the other hand can be savvy and aggressive in money matters. That's why I have officially named him my business manager.

I got some push-back already because of the price we have quoted. Not because it's outrageous. It's actually reasonable, and cheaper than most. But because people in full-time ministry (which make up the majority of our clients) really kind of expect to get things for almost nothing because they’re “working for God.”

Anyway, we'll see. I am discouraged by that part. I'd love for lots of people to be able to enjoy my calendars. But in the mean time, I'll savor the process of designing. Well, maybe not “savor”, exactly. More like gobble it down in huge gulps!