December 31, 2018 began rather early in the morning and with great joy. My blog had been posted which occasioned an email to my computer guru with the subject line; Yeah! You!
Me: Woke up to my blog! I was so great! So much to do today, so later.
He: Happy new year old bean. Xx
Me; Thanks Luv but do not old bean me! I am a young pea (or is it pee)? Hahahaha. My love to Clare. How could you TWO not have a Happy New Year? I am coming back. Hahahaha. The blog will hear of my day. OMG I am dumb. But it is better to be a day early than to be a day late.
So after the beginning of this interchange I called a cab and went off to the YWCA to meet with Ayda stopping first at the printer. I had mentioned in a prior blog that something went wrong with the third printing of in Conversation and in Contemplation. One prose piece, Standing Female Nude was printed twice omitting my powerful Parting at Morning. But the wonderful people there and Alexis McBride devised a solution. A pocket would be made with Parting At Morning inserted. It was my job to write an explanation of and for the pocket insert. I had done so previously and emailed it to Kim. I stopped off to proof it on the way to the YWCA, it was perfect. This is what it read: “This book seems doomed. The first publication was riddled with typographical errors, so rather than attempt to sell the precious book it was given to friends as a memento when I left London for Vancouver in March of 2017. A second publication, also completed in London reached near perfection but there appeared to be no market for the book due to the rejection by Simon Armstrong of the Tate and copies languished in London. This Canadian edition had a market but the book was flawed. Standing Female Nude appeared twice, once on this page. My eloquent Parting at Morning was nowhere to be found. But now it is nestled in this pocket to be read. This imperfect book will be given to my Vancouver pals as a memento. I am returning to London as a student at Sotheby’s institute of Art. A happy ending. I hope the fourth publication will be the charm.’
The pocket is completed, it looks great. All of this has been stressful but Kim, Lisa and I have weathered the storms admirably. I did not loose my temper nor unleash Attorney McBride. This is what happened instead and it is the truth.
Lisa: We love you to the moon.
Me; Oh my goodness. Now I am going to cry!
By the way, in some ways the fourth publication is the charm because it is perfect. But there is another wrinkle. Hear more about that in the upcoming blogs. Nothing, and I do mean nothing, ever comes easy for me.
So after training and the printer I went home as there was a symphonic concert to attend. VSO’s Salute to Vienna which promised a celebration with Strauss Waltzes and Operetta Hits, featuring European Singer, Dancers and Full Orchestra. I got totally dressed up, glamourized and all. Did I look hot! and when you are hot, you are hot and when you are not, you are not.
I walked a block to the Orpheum but it was strangely quiet and closed, I had spoken to a cello player Zolton and told him he was going to be late. 9in retrospect, he must have thought me mad) But at the traffic light I spoke to a saxophone player and he rather quietly told me that the concert was the next day. I looked at my ticket and he was right. So I went home, put on my pyjamas and went to bed. But from my perch I had to tell everyone of my error and I even recorded a video on Instagram. Condolences and Happy New Year’s Greetings poured in.
CPI: At least it was not to far and something to look forward to.
Me: And the clothes are already picked out.
From Rosemary in the UK a slightly more complicated message as she looks forward to my return to her country.
She; You need to find a British man to fall in love & get married…I believe the royals are all spoken for unfortunately!
Me; No 4th marriage, not even to a Royal but if Charles left Camilla and married me I could be Queen of England. Not a bad way to go. Hahahaha. I must blog that. It is funny!
Rosemary has begun making hats and included a photograph which hopefully will be pictured on this blog. It is truly beautiful, I do have such talented friends.
So New Year’s Eve was a time of reaching out to people through emails, Instagram and texts.
DDD sent a Happy New Year greeting complete with fireworks.
Me; Creep, where have you been? But Happy New Year back.
One guy was a no show but texted today.
He: Sorry! I Slept.
Me: I need a man with more energy.
So I can be cold and I can be quite grouchy. In both text and email I laid down the law and told off another man making a demand for a the return of a flash drive. It was not polite. People must remember the adage: dnefwmmcb.
Plans for the trip continue. Kathleen emailed that she is on her way and will arrive in NYC on 1/1. F. Guy and I have plans to meet for drinks and appetizers on January 15, 2019 at our favourite restaurant in Marin County. Friend Jennifer told me of an interesting restaurant in NYC, Chez Josephine, owned by Josephine Baker’s son. I have much to look forward to.
I still have a couple of hours before getting dressed for the symphony. I do laugh at myself.
I will begin work on my Personal Statement for Sotheby’s. It is to be 1000 words and tell them of my reasons for choosing the programme. I rather look forward to the task.
