Everything and Nothing

Yesterday I got molds poured (I need to open them this morning), more molds sorted to sell (did I mention I sorted through about half of them on Monday and Tuesday?), only three mugs thrown, soap made, other soap popped out of molds, another plate made, some tiles made, the little kiln unloaded, bisque glazed, and little kiln loaded again, and I did a lot of thinking about what I want for next year. Oh, and I logged onto my online accounting system for the second time since February (don’t you judge me, Earl), figured out this time why it’s not updating with my bank, got everything since January uploaded from my bank, realized that there are a shit ton of duplicated and even triplicated items, and more than a few payments incorrectly recorded as sales) and that it makes it look like I made almost $40,000 last year (WHICH I ASSURE YOU, I DID NOT!). So that’ll be fun to work on and get settled before tax time. HAHAHAHAAHAHAHA.

Here’s what I want for next year… to figure my shit out. I joined an online business group about two years ago, and while following the advice for planning out product launches does make me feel less stressed and not that I’m doing everything, all the time… I feel like I’ve made less money in those two years than I did before, when I was just kind of winging it. But, to be fair, those two years were also spent with about six months of being roughly closed due to moving and a broken hand, and yarn club closed for one season because of that (and yarn club being my big draw), and getting my feet back underneath me with this new studio and starting to switch from only slipcasting to primarily throwing and handbuilding with some slipcasting. So have the last two years been slow because of change? Or have the last two years been slow because I’m following a plan that I think works but doesn’t? OR, have the last two years not actually been slow, but it doesn’t feel crazy, because I have a plan and the plan is working and because the plan is in place and working I don’t have to wing it and not winging it makes everything feel less rushed and stressed? That’s one reason I can’t wait to get my accounting shit fixed up, so I can compare the last three or four years and see how much I’m making and spending (and hopefully profiting).

So I’m planning out next year the same way I’ve done the last year and a half, with plotting out what to release when, and when to start talking about the thing I’m releasing and how long to remind people I released something… and I’m planning all that with the trust that things haven’t been SLOW, things have been PLANNED, and planning = not my usual chaos. And hopefully within the next week I’ll get those numbers and see if I should keep going with what I have planned, or throw my bullet journal in the trash and punt for 2017.

But all that thinking and planning doesn’t give me something tangible to talk about/show, unless you want a picture of my giant wall calendar, so… yeah. Right now I feel like not much to show on the outside, but there’s a whirling dervish behind my eyes. Which is glad I’m going to a friend for a massage today! He specializes in neck and head issues, and believe me, with all my tension going into my neck and jaw and shoulders, I could use some help.

I could also use some help with this old cat on my lap. She only likes to sit on my lap if I sit crosslegged, and I’ve been doing that so long this morning I can no longer feel my feet. But if I move, she’ll just sit next to me and claw at me until I move back, making piteous mewling sounds and generally looking old and thin and cold. Perhaps it’s time to get up from the computer and just tell her she’s out of luck. She should have been nicer to the other cats her whole life, maybe then someone would want to snuggle with her for warmth.