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Monday, June 18, 2012

Yesterday my husband and I spent a quiet afternoon sitting outside sipping rum, knitting, and discussing the children's education. My father called on father's day to offer a big fancy new computer to support Dear Boy's emerging interest in computer science, perhaps for his birthday. Which is lovely. Pops feels its important to put current sharp tools--the best you can find, into the hands of children. I agree completely.

However, Dear Boy doesn't love computers that much and a bigger faster computer isn't all that different from any reasonably new computer, which he already has. My husband pointed out that Dear Boy's true love is reading. He reads all the time. He reads everything. His first choice of somewhere to go is always the book store or library. He has the temperament of a scholar. And he really doesn't need more quiet thoughtful hobbies. The archetypal Tarot card whispering through the stars above this kid's head is Earl of Cups, Quiet Thoughtful.

But plumbing put a smile on the boy's face last week. The wrench in his hand seemed to light him up. And his father and I think action is what's wanted. All those long years ago in the early homeschooling dark ages, I planned to encourage the children to build tiny houses. I still think that's what my son should do with his teen years, unless he decides to go to high school. Or until he goes to college.

Our daughter spent the day helping run a henna booth at a festival. It was her first true professional day of work and she was paid 10% of the door, (more actually) plus lunch. Of course, the true payoff was experience and mentoring, both of which were rich. She came home exhausted, sunburned, and wiser. She told me, "This could be a summer job, something I could put on a resume for college." Which is absolutely true. She spent the day studying business acumen.

Specifically, Dear Girl noticed how the artist handled the flow of money. Two little girls with one five dollar bill wanted two tattoos. Our Girl was surprised the artist offered to do a five dollar tattoo on each child, which was the written and clearly stated price. Rather than choosing to give two tattoos for two fifty--thereby splitting one. Or, seen another way, giving a free tattoo. I pointed out the artist was working hard to feed her family and deserves to get paid. She wasn't there for fun. We have also noticed a certain open giving attitude can serve business interests well. All of which we discussed. It can be tricky to balance giving with working to get paid--a confusing part of life and business.

My husband and I think Dear Girl may never choose straight academic training. Not because she's so artistically inclined, though she is clearly artistic to her core. More because she wears blue wigs when we go out, or cat ears, and notices such behavior requires bravery. Consciously then, she does not choose what's easy. Quite Thoughtful is in the Tarot deck of this child, but she is likely guided by the Goddess of Alternatives. And Dear Girl is driven to make money. She wants to be well set, able to take care of herself, and buy what she wants. She'll likely not wait around, dithering through college. She may be off and running her meandering path even now.

6 comments:

  1. We have a fantasy of building what we affectionately call "Plan B" on the old land, 12X12s off grid. I love hearing that Dear Boy is coming of age for such a project. It helps me consider the timing. I know of a couple who built a pretty cute caravan on wheels - you may know them too. Jay (of Tumbleweed) recently made a video about skirting codes. SO far, wheels still work. Hey! We have a half-built cottage out here if he wants to try waddle and daub. I figure he'd rather make something of his own he could roll anywhere. It's so much work, why not. He could live rent-free at that college he might go to, just find a piece of land. I tell mine they'll do the same, and commute.

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    1. So glad Dear Girl had a good time. She was a joy to share a booth with. I feel confident she will do well in a vendor setting when she sets out. I feel compelled to clarify though: I actually gave several hennas away that day though--to fellow vendors. I do not in any way have a "no freebies" policy--I have often given free henna, facepaint and fairy hair to customers (generally children) who really wanted them one but had no money. I think there are many circumstances where giving it away is a good idea. In a large public setting, it is important to be judicious about it, since I don't want a run on the booth of customers demanding free services because someone else had gotten something for free...

      The event in question with the $5..I really thought they had a $5 budget per piece, and had no idea they intended to split it. They never said anything about it either. All my prices are in $5 increments, which is posted on my signage. The reason for this is I don't want to deal with change for less than $5.

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  3. Steph, could you repost that same comment but without Dear Girl's name?

    I know you give away tons of stuff for free and you embrace a view similar to mine: that life in this universe is subject to karma. (Stated over-simply.) Dear Girl understands that as well. We discussed it. And it was wrong of me to write her perceptions here as if they represent the totality of all she saw and thought. Mostly, I think its so totally freakin' cool she has the opportunity to really study the running of that kind of business from up close. THANK YOU SO MUCH for giving her that opportunity! <3 >3

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  4. Hi K! Interesting post. i just wanted to say in regard to Dear Girl's dreams of being an artist and being set...My sister is an artist (she studied formally in graphic design) and does all kinds of crafty creative stuff and she always spoke to me about how she was going to become a big time graphic designer for a major advertising company and make huge amounts of cash. While at college she had to study marketing and so she found out what ad companies actually do. This was apparently more than her conscience could take, so after college and after sticking it out for three months in a 'safe' job she decided to go freelance. That was five years ago. She doesn't make heaps of cash and she is one of the most hard working people I know, always hustling, always promoting herself. She makes rent and she lives pretty well, but she works ALL the time. But she loves what she does, is who she is (that is, quirky, no nonsense and to the point) and has a great life, and I really respect and admire her for having had the courage to do what she did - but it was tough. Ironically her bread and butter is graphic design and the jobs she gets paid the most for are design jobs. I'm saying all this because my sister's dreams when she was younger sounded a lot like Dear Girl's, but she made a choice not to 'sell out' as it were, even though her peers in the same industry make considerably more money than she does. Just a thought and maybe something to consider. Having said all that, artistically and creatively my sister is way ahead of her peers working for agencies and is making a real name for herself as the 'go-to-gal' for what is new and happening in Cape Town. I'll give you a link to her website and I'm sure if Dear Girl had any questions my sister would be more than happy to lend some advice :)

    http://www.laurenfowler.co.za

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  5. Russel, thank you. We love y'all and miss you both so much! :o)

    CC, I keep forgetting to ask you about Jay and Tumbleweed. Thanks for the ideas and support. <3

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