Buttercupchappati Chronicles

in the sweat shop

My own sweat shop, so I can't really complain about being exploited by myself, but I can try ...

Getting all kinds of stuff ready for my stand at the MindBodySpirit festival in about ten days time. I have done heaps of these events over the years from books, to wine (with believe it or not, some bread and cheese in between - yes I have a very comprehensive cv). But this will be the first time at an exhibition like this for my own business.

The sore feet, the worn out smiles, the ten million questions will all be exciting because this time it's for my stuff. It's exciting. I get to talk to people for three whole days about Tibetan Medicine! (I'm excited, hence over use of the word. And maybe a little too much coffee today.)

So I am sweat-shopping brochures, bookmarks to give away, signs and information sheets, slide shows of photos from Tibet trips, a crystal essence is in progress and Mindfulness Beads are in full production. As well as making sure I have all the odds and ends I will need on hand, that I have ordered all the things for the stall from the Expo people, organised some help for the two busiest days, and see a few patients in the odd spare  moment. I really need a clone of myself!

Mindfulness Beads, you really have to hold them in your hand to get it; but trust me on this, when I used to make these for my shop, lots of people went away seriously happy. And it has been FUN to get all this stuff out again and play play play.

oh my god, I'm getting old!

When did the morning latte become an extreme sport?

And one that involves small children running around on a sugar high thanks to the marshmallows in the baby chino

Tiffany
Brittany
cacophany - oh no, wait that's noise levels

Ladies, please, keep it down, all that competitive screeching, (and that's the mothers not the children).

Didn't you burn off all that excess energy at pilates?

Now I do remember the desperate cabin fever of having small children, and the feeling that your adult life has just been completely swallowed up with the demands of little humans (at least that's what the midwife told you it was). I recall the longing for being able to walk out the door with just the car keys and the wallet; to have time to sit with friends and chat without having to gulp those last mouthfuls of coffee because the kid-o-metre is on empty and the scream-o-metre is just about to kick in. So I am not unsympathetic to the cause.

But oh my, its a jungle out there. Thank the gods for double shot take-aways, because I'm not made of stern enough stuff!