Thoughts in the USA

So, the chain of Annual-thingies is almost over.

Our very successful Annual Show keeps getting rave reviews, and will be taken down on Saturday. The reception went very well, and throughout the month of the show, we were extremely lucky to not have torrential rains, which did not leak through the rickety roof of the gallery and did not intermingle with the framed-yet-vulnerable watercolors... I don't even want to think about the what-if!

Even the all-member Annual Meeting on Sunday went, well, could-have-been-worse (reverting to Minnesotan here). Apparently, it was highly challenging, only I was so busy making sure it will not go downhill, that I did not even realize it in real-time. You know how it is, when you have to suddenly act in a stressful situation and do what you can to survive; you do not stop to think "Oh, this is so hard!", 'cause you just have to act and improvise and be in the zone of fight-or-flight!

We had some business matters to attend to, voted on three amendments to our By-Laws (yup, we have those), and then we were to have an attorney come and explain about becoming a non-profit.

Thing is... the attorney... Uhm... did not show up when we were ready for her. Like, she didn't arrive. Mostly my fault, as I estimated everything will take longer, so I asked her to arrive before 1:30pm. Well, we were ready for her just after 1pm. So, we kinda stretched the time, took a long break, and burst into a huge roar of relief when she finally arrived (1:35pm, but who's counting...). Poor gal, she did not even have a chance to catch her breath. After she presented the subject, came the questions. In floods. Remember these torrential rains that did not pour down on the gallery? Well, they materialized in the form of questions, some very legitimate, some - well, very creative. When I saw it was all starting to take too scenic a route into the nearest unrelated pit, I had to cut it short, asking to address further inputs to me.

Then it was time for WackieM to deliver her demonstration. Now, just to humor you, WackieM herself did not show up on time, as she somehow meandered to a different location, and caused us all another spree of anxiety.

But hey, all's well that ends well, and she started to do her magic with paint on paper. And then, and only then, when I could finally sit down and relax, the splitting headache that suddenly was bestowed upon me, made me think, "Whew, that was a tough meeting!".

I guess that's always the case when people sense the scent of change in the air. Even if this change will yield considerable benefits and great opportunities, open new doors and give foot-massages every other Tuesday - there will always be resentment and suspicion and the desire to keep things the way they are.

But, as I said, it's over!

...Well, there is still the show take-down on Saturday.

.........And the submission of stuff to the newsletter (deadline is also Saturday).

...............And the planning of the Annual Party (January).

But, Hey - it's over!!!

Kinda.

WoooooooooooooooHoooooooooooooooooooo!!!

Labels: Major Achievements, Making a Difference, Venting

# posted by Nava @ 5:03 PM