Shortest Day?
1 hour ago
Getting Paid For Writing Pretty
originally posted December 9, 2007
Breathing free after a large dose of Dayquil, my lungs were able to be filled with the exhaust of several dozen vehicles fighting to get into the Venetian parking garage off the back entrance on Koval. Harried Monday morning employees of the Venetian and Harrah's and vendors and attendees to the featured convention at the Sands Expo filched a mile if an inch presented itself to get out from behind the stationary truck and trailer in the only right turn lane available for the garage. Finally, my behemoth and only three inches of clearance for this structure found a beautiful park spot right next to the elevator on the tenth floor. Sue had to go all the way up to the 14th floor. I waited for her on the third.
We had thought we arrived early enough but traffic had slowed us down and now we had to find out where to go. After an escalator ride and watching a gondolier push his way through a shopping mall we took another elevator and followed whomever we thought might be attending the convention as well. With as much patience I have you would think I would have been able to take the time to decipher the maps posted everywhere around the Venetian. I let Sue take charge and lead me by the nose. My mind wasn't in it.
After much struggling, we picked up badges and made our way onto the convention floor area. I was able to clear my mind long enough to read the map to find our booth and we finally arrived. The crappy little drafting tables did not lift my spirits. The flimsy, hard, barely adjustable chairs sank my spirits even further. What the hell was wrong with me? I live for this kind of work. Maybe I'm too spoiled. Sue and I settle in, the third calligrapher we were informed, was going to be late. They told us their game plan. Whatever. I readied my pens, made a liner, made a quick reference sheet for Sue and then we waited.
I played a little with some varying calligraphy styles and settled for a Gothicized Uncial uppercase and a super-fast Carolingian-like lowercase with an Uncial d for the tail, for aesthetics. I brought feathers for all of us so we could attach them to our pens...more aesthetics. Sue couldn't work with hers on. Mine kept poking me in the eye, but dozens loved it, even after discovering I really wasn't using it.
Finally, after about half an hour, we were put to work. They had divided the alphabet up. I was A-J, Sue was K-S, and Madelyn, our third, was T-Z. After a good start, we were able to stretch our legs for about five minutes and then were bombarded again for the rest of the time we had.
My ass hurt, but my spirits were definitely up. I smiled, joked, conversed and rarely lifted my head from the certificates. I was in a zone absently saying "thank you" with a smile and a nod as people picked up the ones completed. My ego growing by miles every time someone oohed or ahhed. On rare occasion I had to ask for clarification of a letter or title from attendants, I soon realized, didn't have one either. We finished up promptly at three clearing all the requests for the day. My knees cracked when I got up.
Sue and I had lunch after wards. It was pretty awesome and reasonable. We invited Madelyn but she declined. I went to work after. It was a good day, even if I started out crappy. Tuesday's traffic and parking experience went super smooth as did the trek across the casino. None of us spoke after our good mornings. We were completely slammed. I still smiled and joked and grinned when I was complimented but I don't think I actually heard or saw a soul. Sue left immediately after and Madelyn and I walked out together.
Wednesday's traffic was also smooth but I was late because of the immense crowd waiting to get in would not let me pass. So I waited. I think I was five minutes late. Breathing was easy. We walked around a bit and were able to visit. I made exemplars of my uppercase for Sue and Madelyn in case they wanted to try it. I met a teacher who had two students graduating. He adored my work and although his students had names beginning with letters in the latter part of the alphabet, he had me do them instead. He was a retired Air Force captain so we had a bit to talk about. He was really nice. He reminded me of one of my history teachers. A young girl took hers away from my table and gave it to Madelyn to do apologizing profusely for not wanting my style of calligraphy. I tried to console her, to let her know it was okay, but she still kept apologizing anyway. I guess us artisans can be a little sensitive but, yeesh.
COME PLAY WITH ME!
originally posted December 9, 2007
Breathing free after a large dose of Dayquil, my lungs were able to be filled with the exhaust of several dozen vehicles fighting to get into the Venetian parking garage off the back entrance on Koval. Harried Monday morning employees of the Venetian and Harrah's and vendors and attendees to the featured convention at the Sands Expo filched a mile if an inch presented itself to get out from behind the stationary truck and trailer in the only right turn lane available for the garage. Finally, my behemoth and only three inches of clearance for this structure found a beautiful park spot right next to the elevator on the tenth floor. Sue had to go all the way up to the 14th floor. I waited for her on the third.
We had thought we arrived early enough but traffic had slowed us down and now we had to find out where to go. After an escalator ride and watching a gondolier push his way through a shopping mall we took another elevator and followed whomever we thought might be attending the convention as well. With as much patience I have you would think I would have been able to take the time to decipher the maps posted everywhere around the Venetian. I let Sue take charge and lead me by the nose. My mind wasn't in it.
After much struggling, we picked up badges and made our way onto the convention floor area. I was able to clear my mind long enough to read the map to find our booth and we finally arrived. The crappy little drafting tables did not lift my spirits. The flimsy, hard, barely adjustable chairs sank my spirits even further. What the hell was wrong with me? I live for this kind of work. Maybe I'm too spoiled. Sue and I settle in, the third calligrapher we were informed, was going to be late. They told us their game plan. Whatever. I readied my pens, made a liner, made a quick reference sheet for Sue and then we waited.
I played a little with some varying calligraphy styles and settled for a Gothicized Uncial uppercase and a super-fast Carolingian-like lowercase with an Uncial d for the tail, for aesthetics. I brought feathers for all of us so we could attach them to our pens...more aesthetics. Sue couldn't work with hers on. Mine kept poking me in the eye, but dozens loved it, even after discovering I really wasn't using it.
Finally, after about half an hour, we were put to work. They had divided the alphabet up. I was A-J, Sue was K-S, and Madelyn, our third, was T-Z. After a good start, we were able to stretch our legs for about five minutes and then were bombarded again for the rest of the time we had.
My ass hurt, but my spirits were definitely up. I smiled, joked, conversed and rarely lifted my head from the certificates. I was in a zone absently saying "thank you" with a smile and a nod as people picked up the ones completed. My ego growing by miles every time someone oohed or ahhed. On rare occasion I had to ask for clarification of a letter or title from attendants, I soon realized, didn't have one either. We finished up promptly at three clearing all the requests for the day. My knees cracked when I got up.
Sue and I had lunch after wards. It was pretty awesome and reasonable. We invited Madelyn but she declined. I went to work after. It was a good day, even if I started out crappy. Tuesday's traffic and parking experience went super smooth as did the trek across the casino. None of us spoke after our good mornings. We were completely slammed. I still smiled and joked and grinned when I was complimented but I don't think I actually heard or saw a soul. Sue left immediately after and Madelyn and I walked out together.
Wednesday's traffic was also smooth but I was late because of the immense crowd waiting to get in would not let me pass. So I waited. I think I was five minutes late. Breathing was easy. We walked around a bit and were able to visit. I made exemplars of my uppercase for Sue and Madelyn in case they wanted to try it. I met a teacher who had two students graduating. He adored my work and although his students had names beginning with letters in the latter part of the alphabet, he had me do them instead. He was a retired Air Force captain so we had a bit to talk about. He was really nice. He reminded me of one of my history teachers. A young girl took hers away from my table and gave it to Madelyn to do apologizing profusely for not wanting my style of calligraphy. I tried to console her, to let her know it was okay, but she still kept apologizing anyway. I guess us artisans can be a little sensitive but, yeesh.
COME PLAY WITH ME!
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Sociable
Nice calligraphy! I had to learn as a child.. being left handed and using a standard fountain pen left qualities to be desired in mine ;)