so long Job. hello leftovers.

Being a mom has been wonderful. I like Lucy more than I thought I could ever like any kid – even my own. But post birth has been hard on me. I wrote awhile ago about getting my gallbladder out. Well that was unfortunately not the end of it. After my last post… back in February. I started on this long cycle of sick. I think it went cold, flu, cold, cold, flu and then……..

The last “flu” was bad. It was the last day of March and I finally relented and went to the doctor (day 5 of not being able to eat or drink anything without consequence). She said something like “It would be negligent of me as a doctor to let you go home, I’m admitting you to the hospital”. Eight bags of fluids and 3 days later I finally got home again. It was another week before I was “well”. While in the hospital, they discovered I have some funky liver things going on, which turned out to be fatty infiltration or fatty liver… Not so bad my liver is going to crap out, but bad enough I’m not supposed to drink any booze or anything else that might tax it.

My job has been stressful to say the least. It’s the usual non-profit story – under funded, under staffed, under paid… I don’t love that, but I love the job. I get to work with artists young and old. Artwork that’s barely dry and 300 year old masks from Sri Lanka. Being a curator in a community art center is really rewarding in a lot of ways. And I technically only work 20 hours a week most weeks. But during show changes (about once a month) I’m there for 40 and usually at 2am. The mental stress of it wears one out. And being a new mom wears one out. And I’m worn out.

I really started to look hard at my finances and my energy and my home. Not only was I making more being self employed, the house was cleaner, the garden was planted, and I was significantly less stressed out. Add into that all the amazing things Lucy is doing and how she is changing every single day… Well, it became a no-brainer decision to resign.

I’ve gained a lot working at the art center. Friends, experience, contacts, skills, opportunities as an artist. But I’m ready to move on from it and settle back into the studio – this time with a sidekick.

This past weekend I participated in an amazing project called Art Vacancy. My project went really well and the response from the public was overwhelmingly good. It just further emphasized this was the right direction. And now I’m planning a zinefest in Des Moines and hosting a once a month radio show called Ames C.art Art Talk. There are definitely many things to look forward to and keep me from being a hermit.

My last day is June 6th, so while I most likely won’t blog much between now and then, post June 6th I’ll ease back into telling you stories, making zines, and crafting up a storm. I’m so looking forward to it.

I’ll see you soon!

xoxo

Kristin