Thursday, January 22, 2009

Thoughts for Thursday: Triple Play & A Studio Sneak Peek

“If you're trying to achieve, there will be road blocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”

—Michael Jordan (b. 1963), retired professional basketball player, businessman

“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.”

—Marie Curie (1867-1934), chemist, physicist, Nobel Prize winner

“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”

—Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672); writer, poet, first woman to be published in Colonial America

It’s a Triple Play TFT and I am going to be slightly selfish with today’s TFT ‘cuz I need to. Usually I pick a TFT because I come across a quote or idea that means something and is somewhat thought provoking or challenges us to better ourselves personally or creatively. Today’s TFT hits home particularly close. On Monday Brent’s boss laid off half of the company (which was 3 people) and Brent was one of the lucky buggers. It wasn’t a complete shock. On Friday they had a company meeting and we sensed that layoffs were coming but we were thinking weeks, not a weekend later.

Life is not all doom and gloom in the Grotegut household. We’ve reached a bump in the road but I am grateful that we’ve been saving our money and building up our food storage for when crazy things like this happen. :) Brent’s been actively looking this week and we are hopeful that it won’t be long before he finds a decent job again. (PS -If you’re in Utah or Salt Lake Counties and know of a full time accountant position, drop me a note.) If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant… & prosperity would not be so welcome.

SneakWall1



STUDIO UPDATE { FINALLY!}

I have been crazily working on my studio this week. (And Brent has been working on the house in the evenings… I even took a bath in my “new” bathroom!!) It feels like my body is making a decent recovery from my issues with anemia and I have felt the URGE to dejunk and clean my space and get it all decorated and comfortable to create in. Brent finished my new GORGEOUS custom InkStak last weekend and I just need to pick out the right shade of milk paint for it. (I was so excited that I begged Brent to hang it on the wall and loaded it up with my inks already.) I am working on scraping paint and umpteen years of gunk off of a fun antique window to hang in my space and have spent the last several hours purging the closet in my studio. There’s a custom bookshelf that’s waiting to be drawn up and built, but I don’t think I want to wait that much longer to share my space.

SneakCollage

5 comments:

Amaryllis said...

The bumps are terrible, but only if we dwell on them. You are an inspiration with the way you you always see the positive, no matter how small that little lining is!
We are praying for you and Brent! Love you!!!!

Jeanne said...

You are truly amazing, Erin! I love your sense of perspective and outlook on life. Such an inspiration!

Hugs to you and B!!!

kc_froglady said...

your right Erin the bumps make us who we are along the way!
Love the sneak peaks too and can't wait to see the whole thing!

nancymt615 said...

Erin, aren't you so grateful for the counsel to build up our food storage and other supplies for when hard times may come? It is such a blessing to be able to know you will be okay. Prayers, love and blessing on you and your family that Brent finds a job very soon. Maybe this setback will turn out to be a blessing and he will get an even better one than he lost! Keep up your good spirits.

mE said...

Thanks to all of you :)

Nancy - yes!! Brent mentioned to me that he's "a little" excited about the prospects of something new and seeing what happens. I would love if he got a better job than the one we just left. That would be AWESOME!

Inky Smiles!
Erin