Along for the ride:

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Pipe Dreams & Reality Checks

The Artistic One does not live on the same planet as the rest of us. He inhabits a place (in his mind) where rules and plans are for sissies; where bank coffers automatically stretch and replenish to meet the demands of checks written and where traffic citations can be ignored with impunity, especially if you have lost the paperwork, so considerately supplied by the kind police officer, and not updated the address on your drivers' license that, "Oops!" you can't find anyway. (That will be a post for another day; mandatory "one-on-one" time with a traffic court Judge and French translator, July 17th).
A declaration, made as a New Year's Resolution, that "This year, we will close up our business for a month and spend the whole month of July in Europe" seemed far-fetched at the time; Clients were not knocking down our doors to place orders; the phone was ringing with reminder calls from those nice folks at the finance, credit card and utility companies and an over-abundance of rainfall was paralyzing the construction projects of our industry, already mired in the general economic morass. 
Not seeing any value in being the Killer of Dreams at that time, I embraced the idea with a few "If everything goes our way" and "I hope we can afford that" disclaimers. I even spoke to the dog-sitter and had her pencil in the time slot, just in case of a miracle.
Well... Here we are...June already. How time flies when you are having fun! On the plus side, we are still standing. There's even some positively hopeful energy in the air as far as work is concerned. (We have three Venture Capitalists in our client portfolio; one High Tech and two Medical and Green Energy crossovers). The big boys are getting their confidence back.
In addition, some of Hubby's paintings have been selling through the gallery on the East Coast. Checks are slow in trickling in from that source and there is much whining and attempts to get the gallery percentage to increase above the negotiated 50%. "Paint it yourself!" is the answer to that one.
Hubby has been invited to show some canvases in Paris again in September; in the exhibition space under the pyramid in front of The Louvre. The exhibit is called "Grand Masters of Tomorrow" and there will be no living with the Ego now, but it did give me a reasonable and non-confrontational excuse to broach the possibility that it might be better to postpone our (Imaginary) trip until September and take care of everything at once.
This time, I actually believe that it might happen, although maybe three weeks rather than a month is more likely. The dog-sitter is booked up for other canines on the new dates so I have to find a solution for my girl Diva who is too old and fragile to go to the kennels. Tickets will cost a chunk less then and a large number of those nice tourists and their children will have their noses in their school books or back to the grindstone.
We are not yet surfing the waves but we have progressed from drowning in a stormy sea to doggy paddling towards a distant, but visible shoreline.



14 comments:

  1. Keep those suitcases dust-free... sounds to me like they're up for a good journey...! Fingers crossed for you!

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  2. Steve, Thanks for the cheer-leading. The disappearing suitcases are another topic. Mr. Jet-Set fills them up heading to France, and leaves the empties over there to travel light on his return. I've taken to buying suitcases at garage sales and flea markets.

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  3. Things sound promising at last. Good signs for the business and the economy as a whole, it appears.

    You are right about the Louvre and Ego. But you have to admit it is an honor worthy of the brag. Glad to hear Artistic's passion is reaping rewards beyond the satisfaction of mere creation. (Seriously...it is wonderful news! Congratulations.)

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  4. Don't forget to check the shore when you arrive, there might be champagne on ice!

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  5. Jean, it is gratifying that the Artist is getting some recognition. I am excited that I will finally be a tourist in Paris. I haven't done that, although I lived and worked down South for five years.

    Silliyak, sweet thought, thank you. We won't wait though. We break into the champagne at the smallest of excuses. "Oh, it's Monday. Let's celebrate" etc...

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  6. Grand Master of Tomorrow? I'd have an ego if I was invited to take part in something like that! Hoping all goes well for all of you.

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  7. Well, it sounds like a plan. Wonderful that the art is being acknowledged. Wow, at the entrance to the Louvre, wonderful.

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  8. ER, even though I've only known you for about a year, and even though that's only been through blog posts and a few bits on the side, I am fully confident in saying that you deserve every ounce of pleasure that this trip will give you. I'm also thinking that there's enough time to give Nicolas and Carla a heads up and slot you in for a legion d'honneur gig since you so clearly merit one. For advancing the cause of French culture internationally, and all that. Pack your fancy duds.

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  9. Crème de cassis and Vouvray or Saumur Brut works just as good and we, too, celebrate all non-events with a nice glass of an evening.

    Thought the thought of seeing you in July was too good to be true. Will be delighted if you turn chic for September and get yourself a Navigo. Unless, of course, you meant "someone who gets about in taxis" when you mentioned being a tourist. I know all about never seeing Paris as a bonafide tourist when one has a French husband...

    Hope you succeed in keeping the Conehead's nose to the grindstone until September so that you can actually have a relatively stress-free trip abroad.

    Bonne chance!

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  10. Argent, He is pretty good (at painting, at least)

    TechnoBabe, the closest I've been to The Louvre so far is via Google Search.

    Deborah, Thank you. You know the perils of multi-cultural couples as well as I. The Artistic One did receive a medal a while ago for advancement of French Culture and Commerce abroad. (Not real gold though).

    Ms. Pliers, I know that you know etc. We'll plan a gallery-free trip or two together, I hope, you and I. Chantilly has horses I want to see. I am not averse to famous cemeteries and markets galore. Forget Rue Faubourg St Honore and that silly pointy tower. The worst detail so far is that it seems I may be on the same flight to the same country with "He who loses passports, sometimes has screwdrivers and chisels in his carry on luggage and such" at least one way.

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  11. Dear E.R.,
    You may or may not be aware that a certain blogger on the French side of the pond actually lives in the general vicinity of Chantilly, would be wonderful to see you in those parts, or in parts Parisian...

    Sounds like you are at least halfway here...

    Loved this post ! My goodness, in the Louvre ??? Can't wait to see that !!! Hope we'll get the details well in advance so as to plan accordingly...

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  12. Lovely thoughts, Owen. For now, I feel a bit like Dumbo learning to fly on his big ears. I'll let you know if we succeed in getting off the ground. Save some chocolate oysters for me. I am probably a distant relative of your Brittany family. Cornwall is almost within walking distance.

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  13. Sounds like a plan :-)
    I would love to go on a holiday... I realised this year, when the kid turned ten, that we have never been on a holiday... that's having animals and being skint artists for you! lol! :-D

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  14. Ahh Watercats, The "Everyday's a Holiday" approach, gotta luv it! Otherwise known as "No Plan-B" I know it well.

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