I am very lucky. I make sure to remind myself of that frequently as it is too easy to take things for granted. I have a paycheck that covers my bills with a little left over for things like food, gas, and crafting materials. I am not rolling in it, if I want to do a big weaving project I will need to save up and the same if I want to take a bigger trip.

I was thinking today that I should start creating materials to sell online for Pride in June. I tend to stick too close to the actual holidays to create for them, for example I tend to start making for Halloween in September, when I should be creating in April. December crafts should be started in June, etc. Right now I want to make things for spring, however they would likely not be finished until summer. That caused me to come to a realization. I do not need to.

My online store, which almost never has anything in it because etsy takes such a huge chunk out of any profits, was started when I was in a really tight financial bind. I have taken appropriate steps since then and no longer find myself in that immediate situation. Since I work in a non-profit field I am still living paycheck to paycheck, however I am not living off of rice, beans, and chicken 20 out of 31 days a month. This caused me to realize that I can, once more, create items that I would like to create instead of thinking about what might sell. Admittedly I did not have much success with that anyway, but the thought is there.

I do have some family members that commission me for different projects, and I have the opportunity to teach two classes later this spring, however I can use the profits for those to support my creative journey and/or pay down some things like my car and mortgage.

I am going to take the rest of this year to remind myself that I can enjoy my life, I do not have to spend money all the time, I do not have to worry about my roof, transportation, or food, so I am very lucky. This spring and summer I will concentrate on my creativity, garden, family, and going to the beach when I can. My life is so full, I am so lucky, and I get to help people every day I work in one way or another. Being a librarian sounds like a dull job, I understand that.

Every time we have a new security guard, yes a public library needs a security guard, they are surprised at how much work they have. Since we allow everyone in, no matter their history, and they can stay as long as they follow our expected behaviors. We have computers, so there are people searching for jobs and apartments, trying to create or update their resumes, searching for information, genealogical history, and so much more. People are learning how to use a 3-d printer or getting items printed. Sometimes they are trying to search out medical information, how to build things, wire things, repair cars, garden, take Civil Service Tests and so much more. We have fiction books on all different topics, a robust e-book and e-audio book collections, Young Adult, and periodicals (magazines). I need to have a working knowledge of our collection, the programs we offer, and all different aspects of the library. I am in charge of most of the collection development so I need to know what our patrons are looking for and what is currently hot, I do some programming, and I spend about half of my time on one of the service desks. I love my job, I love every aspect, even the problematic patrons, and staying busy. I cannot imagine working in a different field. Hopefully I can get back to reading, as I do not spend enough time reading and enjoying getting lost in a story.

I need to remember to Live Life in a way that is A Little More Abstract. Don’t take myself too seriously, and enjoy each day as it comes.