maybe new shoes will help

what does this have to do with making art and doing projects?

nothing really, but you've heard the phrase "It's gotta be da shoes!"

I'm hoping these new beauties have some magic in them, because about now I could use some!

You might have noticed that posts here in this space have been few and far between of late.  Last night the DH said to me "are you going to do a blog post soon?" to which I said "I have nothing to show".  He thinks I should just talk about what's going on even if I have nothing to show, so I'm giving that a try here.

The last week has been alternatingly frustrating, exhausting, exciting and discouraging -- let's take those in that order

Frustrating: 

still dealing with computer issues -- after trying for five days to get someone at Microsoft to help me authenticate a licensed copy of an Office 2010 software package, yesterday my computer became a Microsoft software free zone (except for the operating system) ---- I do not use Explorer because it has had such problems and that has been true for quite a while, but it seems that not only have they stopped supporting Windows XP (the fact that sent me off on this great "adventure" to get a new computer), but apparently they have quietly stopped supporting Office 2010. 

So yesterday I uninstalled all vestiges of Microsoft Office and installed Open Office instead. Since then I've been opening a lot of the files I had originally created in Office without any issues at all.  

Hurrah!  at least that problem seems to be solved!

Exhausting (and exciting):

Last Tuesday I went to Denver for a meeting about an upcoming I'm helping with and to hang a quilt show.  

On Sunday I was back in Denver to work that quilt show all day and to take it down at the end of the day.

On Monday, after spending much of the day dealing with the above mentioned computer issues, I packed up the quilts that had to be mailed back to the artists.  Yesterday those went on their way.

It was fun to see the exhibits at the show, visit with my friend from London, and pick up some supplies that I had planned to get at this show.

I'm still recuperating!

Discouraging:

I'm having a tough time just now dealing with being pulled in too many directions and feeling like I'm not getting anything finished.

My responsibilities as the SAQA representative in this region have been eating up big chunks of time at the computer in addition to the show hanging and take down, and since I take that job seriously even if I'm just a volunteer, it has been hard to keep at it.

The idea of getting the house ready to sell is making me nuts.  I'm about at the stage of either giving up or trying to find a way to make peace with the idea that I just need to forget doing anything else and just concentrate 24/7 on packing/paint/etc., etc. until its done.  It will not make for getting ANY kind of artwork done, which feels like a gigantic step backward in terms of what I where I want the art to go.  

Like I said -- discouraging

Ok, that's where I am --- not sure this is exactly a great post for everyone to read, but maybe it will help me get on with whatever direction I'm going next