Patti Gibbons Art

This reinvention of self is taking a lot of work. AND TIME. Have I already posted that? I have been spending the week doing mock ups for my web designer, and getting ready to set up files in Drop Box. In order to do that, I have to clean up my Drop-box files -    delete some files to make more room, and then in order to find the files I need, I have to organize my desktop and hard drive into folders that make sense.  And once a day I have to take a break from the Drop Box ordeal to clean out the Cat Box.  I just wish I could clean the cat box with an "empty" button! In between those hours of sorting/filing/organizing, I pay some online bills, research hotels, make online reservations, search for work/shows, and play the occasional Candy Crush game. (I am embarrassed to say I play it...but I blame it all on my daughter!) Before I know it --- it is time to check what is ready to pick in the garden, and make dinner.  And then Larry comes home, and asks me ...

I've had a rough school year. New schedule/new students/new rules that have made the amount of stress and work at my job as a teacher unbearable. Months of sciatic and back pain while having to be on my feet 6-8 hours a day teaching.Months of PT, acupuncture, doctors. Bottles of ibuprofen.  Tests. Results? Herniated disc OR a cyst on the lower spine. Arthritis of the spine due to age.Inflammation of the coccyx. Then I got the horrid eye/sinus infection that laid me flat for 10 days. So I had a lot of time to think. I was miserable. My health was suffering on many levels. My art was suffering. My soul was being smothered. Then... I had an epiphany. I was done with my career. After 21 years of teaching in a school for special needs children, and difficult circumstances, I was toast.  I knew at that moment I could not go back.  I was far from the wonder retirement that veteran teachers of 30 years make. If I left now, I took a 50% cut in retirement fr...