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A Story of Self Care
Aug. 26th, 2023 11:21 pmSelf Care comes in many different shapes and sizes and flavors. A LOT of the suggestions are "get a massage" or other semi-expensive, physical things. While I do like getting massages, there are issues with them as well. Sometimes for me self care means good chocolate, taking a mental health day from work, or even a road trip for a concert.
This summer, however, a photo grabbed me and tackled me to the ground (it's the 2nd one). I messaged the artist right away to ask if it was still available, but didn't hear back. I figured I was out of luck. never occurred to me to check his website. so when I commented on a different photo of his a couple months later, we had our wires crossed as to which photo I meant. We eventually figured it out, and I found myself ordering Audubon Sunset #1 in the middle of a work day at the beginning of August. Even though Tom was on tour with Better than Ezra, he was responding quickly, and followed up our DMs with an actual email once I made the purchase to hammer out the details. These were printed on demand, and he'd have to sign and number it once he got home, which was a few weeks away still. he laid out my options, which were to wait for him to get home, or have it shipped to me unsigned, and work out getting it signed later. Don't think that I didn't consider that second option quite seriously. it'd be a very long 2-day drive each way to NOLA. and while I could make the vacation time work, I've pretty much killed my discretionary spending for the year. part of asking about the print in May was to get it either delivered or signed at the Cincy show. In the end, I told him I was in no hurry as it was for me, and I'd me more than happy to wait until he was able to sign it and ship it. I think he was relieved by that. That he knew me on sight at the BTE show a week later was both a shock and quite a thrill. super-nice guy, but also clearly a professional businessman. He knew who his newest customer was.
It's been hard to articulate what this photo means to me. It reminds me of the Angel Oak on Johns Island outside Charleston, SC. and it reminds me of that whole experience - a weeklong trip with Dan, getting to see something that had interested me for a while, and just that snapshot of a moment in time. No, it's not the same tree, or even the same state. But there's a connection there, and I felt strongly that this needed to be mine. (it's probably also the dopamine hit, but whatever)
Tom posted yesterday that the print is shipping out. I DMd him to thank him and share my excitement, and he responded "Makes me happy you like it so much"!
the plan is to put this above my desk, as a reminder that there is joy out there.
This summer, however, a photo grabbed me and tackled me to the ground (it's the 2nd one). I messaged the artist right away to ask if it was still available, but didn't hear back. I figured I was out of luck. never occurred to me to check his website. so when I commented on a different photo of his a couple months later, we had our wires crossed as to which photo I meant. We eventually figured it out, and I found myself ordering Audubon Sunset #1 in the middle of a work day at the beginning of August. Even though Tom was on tour with Better than Ezra, he was responding quickly, and followed up our DMs with an actual email once I made the purchase to hammer out the details. These were printed on demand, and he'd have to sign and number it once he got home, which was a few weeks away still. he laid out my options, which were to wait for him to get home, or have it shipped to me unsigned, and work out getting it signed later. Don't think that I didn't consider that second option quite seriously. it'd be a very long 2-day drive each way to NOLA. and while I could make the vacation time work, I've pretty much killed my discretionary spending for the year. part of asking about the print in May was to get it either delivered or signed at the Cincy show. In the end, I told him I was in no hurry as it was for me, and I'd me more than happy to wait until he was able to sign it and ship it. I think he was relieved by that. That he knew me on sight at the BTE show a week later was both a shock and quite a thrill. super-nice guy, but also clearly a professional businessman. He knew who his newest customer was.
It's been hard to articulate what this photo means to me. It reminds me of the Angel Oak on Johns Island outside Charleston, SC. and it reminds me of that whole experience - a weeklong trip with Dan, getting to see something that had interested me for a while, and just that snapshot of a moment in time. No, it's not the same tree, or even the same state. But there's a connection there, and I felt strongly that this needed to be mine. (it's probably also the dopamine hit, but whatever)
Tom posted yesterday that the print is shipping out. I DMd him to thank him and share my excitement, and he responded "Makes me happy you like it so much"!
the plan is to put this above my desk, as a reminder that there is joy out there.
