Back in the saddle again... but I need a boost!

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Val

Val

PFG, Picture Framing God
Joined
Nov 21, 2005
Posts
6,729
Loc
Carson City, Nevada
I was talking with another Grumbler this morning and we're both, being one-person shops, having a heckuva time getting back into the "momentum" of framing after the busy-busy holiday framing season.

I took Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and day after off, slept the entire time. Worked on paperwork and books and bill-paying and changing business insurance (bad time of year!) for the next few days, took off New Years Day (slept all day), while fighting off upper respiratory stuff, and wrist braces on at night so I can, hopefully, get the feeling back in my fingers.

It's been slow, business-wise since, because of the snow-snow-snow here, so you'd think I'd be getting a ton-ton-ton of work done. Still have framing jobs (a lot) to finish, that graciously stepped aside while the Christmas orders got done. And only two weeks until WCAF, so I should be even further ahead, because I'll be closed nearly a week.

ACK! What can I do to get the gumption back? It took awhile to "dig out" from all the piled-up matbd/fomecore/mldg scraps, and clutter, and now I look what I still have to do and want to go bury my head. I'm still just exhausted! I'm sure the snow and cold has something to do with it, but honestly, I feel like I have a framing hangover!

Help! Suggestions anyone? WCAF last year gave me a great boost of energy after I got back, but I need that boost now!!!

I'm not posting this to whine (well, maybe a little) but I have a feeling I'm not the only one with this Post-Christmas-Framing-Fatigue-Syndrome, and maybe it just helps to know I'm not alone. I don't remember feeling this depleted before, but maybe that's because I'm getting older and my rememberer isn't working as well.

Anyone else need a boost back on the Frame Horse??
 
sheesh, Bill! I didn't mean back off the saddle, but back on it!

Oh well then, catch a whopper for me! Cowabunga!

Guess I'll have to take a virtual vacation through you all that can!

(Bill, that's kinda mean. No, I mean, really mean! But catch-a-wave-dood, anyway. And I hope our snow storm reaches you and freezes your skinny -uh-fishing line-right off!)
 
Val! Thank you thank you thank you!!!! I'm not alone after all! And neither are you!

Took Christmas Day and New Year's off. I've been working at the shop ever since-cleaning, re-arranging, getting ready for inventory-clearing out the "barking spiders" and trying to figure out what to do with them. I was SO fired-up and ready for 2008! Last week. Life was good.

Had to spend yesterday at home, though-snowed in. Must have thrown all the energies out of balance or something. Got back to work today, and could hardly get enough energy to vacuum the floor. I've just been reading the Grumble, trying to find something to give me back my inspiration. And here's your post, complaining of the same thing. Now that I know I'm not alone, I feel much better! Hope you are beginning to feel the same! Thanks again so much. Consider yourself boosted!
 
Cowboy up, Val! You can reward yourself in Vegas by going out to a swank dinner with one dashing guy, and Paul N.
 
surferbill said:
Hey, Baer got to torture us with his caribbean cruise before Christmas. It's my turn now. ;)
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THAT my dear fellow was work. OK, work related. Actually, the enjoyable part WAS the work.
Let me just say, this sailor has sworn off the Windstar line. and BTW, it seems the Wind Spirit was taken out of service the day after we got off ship. Things are really bad when you have 160 passengers and turn them back to home with full refunds and a 50% chit for future use..... :icon9:

Val, just suck it up and muck it through, there is no extra time.... Vegas is 3 very short weeks away. Think of it as Christmas all over again. :party:
 
We too are suffering from this. The way I slog through it is to set small goals. You know... eat the elephant one bite at a time.

First, do the task you are least looking forward to. A huge oversize. Or an awkward stitchery. When that is out of the way, the others won't seem so daunting. After all, the Worst is over!

OK.. I'll stitch down that jacket now.... UG. The jacket is ugly and the design is ugly (but what they wanted) Ug Ly.
 
I feel the same way too, Val. I was sick basically the whole month before Christmas and on antibiotics. Trying to get all the framing done, and Christmas preparations done was just about all I could muster. I collapsed once Christmas came and managed to get a much needed break.

Now inventory is upon me, which is mostly done (it takes me awhile to take inventory being a one-person shop; but I've had my sister over to help me for a few hours). I've sorted through and filed away the piles of mat, moulding, foamcore scraps. Like Ellen said, setting small goals is a good idea. At least you feel you've accomplished something when you complete one of those goals.

Luckily, for now, our snowstorms have disappeared (but have been replaced with rain, so it is still a bit depressing looking outside). I truly believe the weather plays a big part in how a person feels. I think I suffer from SAD (seasonal affective disorder) every winter.

Glad to hear you made it through the storms okay and I'm sure you'll make it through the next few weeks until WCAF. You always seem to be such an upbeat person, Val, that I can't imagine you feeling down for too long...
 
EllenAtHowards said:
First, do the task you are least looking forward to. A huge oversize. Or an awkward stitchery. When that is out of the way, the others won't seem so daunting. After all, the Worst is over!


How ironic....I have one of each that I am procrastinating on!! Seems a lot of us are in the same boat. I start every day after the holidays with the best of intentions, but somehow my mind just won't stay put long enough to finish a task, and when I try to, something goes wrong! No amount of caffeine seems to work. I think it is somewhat age-related. It takes me longer and longer every year to get myself back togetther after the holiday rush. So far I have not found any trick to boosting myself back in gear.
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Val-I feel it too. Just sooooo much to be done! I just don't know where to start! And I just don't feel like it! I feel like I just got done with a race and I need some oxygen.

I'm putting off a huge shadowbox that I know will take me FOREVER!

I keep finding myself just standing around thinking of what I have to do. Just
standing, nothing else.......

My To-DO List is getting longer and longer. When you find your boost let me know! I need some inspiration too, kick in the butt, etc.

Too bad our 60 degree weather and tornados can't do it! What a weird month!
:nuts:
 
Val, its definitely going around. I've been doing much better at implimenting changes for 2008, than I have at getting framing done. Focus on the next 2 weeks and have fun in Vegas.

Just don't let the flame go out on the torch I have passed on to you while you are out there ;)
 
Me also.

Procrastinating on everything right now. I have a few jobs that should be easy but I'm making them hard if you know what I mean... Last Friday I wanted to leave the planet for a few hours but it was Sunday before that happened. Had a nice time but after re-entry I still can't get focused on business. Well TAX's times a coming :cry:, so I better get going.

framer:kaffeetrinker_2:
 
I can't say I share these doldrums. I'm working hard to bang out the last 35 pieces (out of 202) for my hotel job by the end of next week. I've straightened up the workroom, created a display board for my value mouldings, rearranged by sample wall a little bit, initiated a new online marketing deal for the year, started planning my Valentine's Day displays and promotions, and have started calling vendors of new products I want to carry this year.
 
It takes me longer and longer every year to get myself back togetther after the holiday rush. So far I have not found any trick to boosting myself back in gear.
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My solution this year......I'm leaving Thursday morning for five days in Key West. I hope that recharges ME. Then Vegas in a few weeks, where I hope to recharge the business!
 
I'm not alone!

YAAAY! This is why I started this thread! Support and I'm-there-too-and-you're-not-alone! Heard from the "other Grumbler" (Hi Dawn!) and after we vented with each other yesterday, she actually had a pretty productive afternoon, and got a honkin'-major chore accomplished. So did I....changed business insurance, and you know what that entails! And got my back room dug out, put in some organizers and cleaned out a couple drawers full of -uh- stuff. And even got a couple frames built!

I knew we weren't alone, and I know that talking about "It" helps take "It's" power away, so I feel much better this morning.

Even with the freakin' snow blowing sideways (as in, snowflakes-the-size-of-my-fist, can't see across the street right now, Storm Round 4), and knowing I'll probably only see KevinTheMailGuy today....oh, forgot, the NickTheArmyGuardGuy just dropped off flag-stuff for a $300 order.....

So if only the KevinTheMailGuy comes in, I'll remind myself to be thankful that I don't have his job, and it wasn't a total loss day. I'm not at home with the covers pulled up over my head, I'm here at my shop, where I love to be (usually), just got my new Loreena McKennitt cd's and she's singing me into renewed energy. Got my Happy-Feet socks on that Amy sent to me, inside my comfy seafoam-green Crocs (thanks again, Baer).

I have an entire day ahead of me to gallery-wrap that huge giclee-on-canvas, wrestle with the swan-back 3-1/2 X 4-1/5-inch frame, block-and-stretch the out-of-whack-by-two-inches oval needlepoint-with-buttons-and-bows-and-beads, the two-sided coin collection frame (ACK! but Yay for rare earth magnets!))....yep, all those things I've procrastinated about, it's time to jump in there and just GIT-ER-DONE!!

YES! "It" might be able to GET me down, but "It" cannot KEEP me down!

Steph...not the Barry-nose-hair torch? Snort!! Oh yeah, that torch!
Naa, my flame might get short now and then, but not snuffed. Never!!!

Thanks everyone. I love this GrumbleLand.

Sigh.....where's my blanky?:p

Snow-frame-snow-frame-snow-clean-stretch-grumble-snow...:D

Needed to remind myself of my own signature line......
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You go Val gal!!:thumbsup:

That's the spirit, it's so cheerful it's contagious!

PS: Made me almost wish for the same snowy weather.....maybe not; we're enjoying an early spring here, almost 65 right now.
 
Val - you are definitely not alone!!! I have the same lack of wanting to frame anything! I've been cleaning, sorting, etc. but not wanting to frame (unless someone calls or stops to check on that order from before Christmas!!) I have lots of work to do, lots of projects, etc., just no energy. I'm blaming some of it on getting a notice on 12/27 for the other store (Infused!) that we have to be out by 1/31 for renovations and won't be able to have access or discuss a lease until 5/08. There is a LOT of stuff to sell down or pack in a very short amount of time. Makes me tire just thinking about it. Thankfully, we can still sell online.

It's about 70 here today, so I can't blame it on the snow! That will be here by end of the week :-)

I am going to try to get backt work!!

Elaine
 
Val said:
...Anyone else need a boost back on the Frame Horse??
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My problem is getting the energy for the estimated taxes that are due on the 15th. On Monday I couldn't do it, so I went to the pre-circuit National Western Stock Show in Denver. Just wandered around the horses, the smells...

Well now I'm back at it and working on the estimates. Just got them done and ready to make copies and mail.
 
Grey Owl said:
On Monday I couldn't do it, so I went to the pre-circuit National Western Stock Show in Denver. Just wandered around the horses, the smells...

Well now I'm back at it and working on the estimates. Just got them done and ready to make copies and mail.
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Yay, Grey! My husband the former-rodeo-announcer says that the smell of horses and cows is the smell of money! And the stuff that encouragement is made from.

Hmmm...maybe I need to pull in a bag or two of cow or horse stuff .....oh...maybe not. Maybe the snow will be better.

Amazing! Snowing like a ....well...snowing like crazy, and I've had an incredible day, sales-wise. Wassup with dat?? Another customer just called, looking for directions , on the way in.
 

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welcome back, old friend

Val said:
Amazing! Snowing like a ....well...snowing like crazy, and I've had an incredible day, sales-wise. Wassup with dat?? Another customer just called, looking for directions , on the way in.
Click to expand...

Thank goodness you're doing better. It's not like you to be anything less than optimistic, especially about business. The snow is nice, huh? Was wondering if we were ever gonna get some. It's gotta be colder than a witch's..... well, pretty cold up there. See you soon.
 
This is embarrassing, but...

I was doing better until I slipped on the ice getting out of the car at the shop yesterday morning. Hit hard, hip-first, and couldn't move for a few minutes. Got the giggles, thinking "I hope no-one's watching this. I feel like an idiot!" (shock, yes?), then realized, still not able to get up "I sure hope someone's watching this and comes to help me up! If not, I'm going to lose my ear!" (Valorie VanGogh? It was kinda frozen to the ice....the only part of me that wasn't covered). I got myself up, back into the car, and back home to bed for the day....hips and knees intact, black and blue, but lower back in spasm.

Have lasted most of today at the shop, doing sit-down stuff, but headed home now. (Wonder if anyone would get a sign on the door "Gone home early to nurse my ear and my rear"...? Naa....probably not..) back to the heating pad and a good hot cup of -well- something good and hot! (Calgon, take me away!!)

I love the snow.....until I'm flat on my back and ear on it!

A good night's rest and I'll be back at it tomorrow - slowly, but back at it. Dang, I had such good intentions....

Still getting the giggles thinking of myself lying on that ice....thoughts of ice-fishing in Aspen (don't ask). Going to look for shoe-chains this weekend. And thanking the Titanium Gods for what might've been really ugly. The good news is...I think my ear will survive. My dignity?...snrrrkk!

sigh.......:icon19:
 
Sorry to hear about your mishap Val.

Make sure you ice your back ASAP! (re-usable ice pack, 5 minutes on the achy part, as often as possible) You don't want an achy back while sitting in that Limo in Vegas....:p

Hope you feel better soon.
 
I just moved for the second time in less than a year. Bad decision I made to sublet from a gallery.Will never do that again. I am now on my own again, but moving in to a fully equiped gallery and frame shop. The lady that owned it is terminally ill. Having to move my stuff in with her stuff has been a nightmare, while I am trying to liquidate her stuff. And I have framing to do. Most of the framing I have to do is time consuming (shadowbox,sewing, etc). I am still moving boxes to somewhere, and looking at that ugly huge stain on the carpet, but not motivated to frame. I need the money coming in. Where are my brains???
 
Well, I finally got jump-started and (almost) finished that nasty shadowbox for a customer. I TOLD them that black linen wasn't a good background choice for white wool flannel. All flecks will be on THEIR heads.

The customer is coming this morning, so I will finish it first thing.

Then on to the x3 14 opening double mats rush job. I HATE it when they pay it all up front!
 
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