it's a hard-knock life

Getting the museum open was exhausting and exhilarating. I thought that once we were open, I could get "caught up" on bills, laundry, seeing friends, you know, the other part of my life. No dice. I was still coming home to dogs that looked at me querying "Who are you, again?" but whenever I mentioned this to friends and they would ask why I was so busy, I had to fess up. "Um, I have this cocktail party to go to at Liz's for Jacques Puisais. I'm bringing cheese straws." followed by "Oh, yeah, and then there's this dinner at the Ritz," and then the next day "OMG the Louis XV was AWESOME and then I danced with Mr. Puisais," to explain why I was zonked out. There I was, eating a delicious meal for work. Ah, hard, hard work.

And it is good that these kinds of moments and days and weeks happen. Maybe not so good for the liver, but the perks, they rock. But I gotta tell you what the biggest perk is: other people getting excited about the museum who don't have to. Mr Puisais was really impressed. His visit was followed by the volunteer meeting where people I do not know (not friends strong-armed into showing up) arrived early on a Saturday morning to tell me they planned on helping make sure this museum succeeded FOR FREE. Their presence merely echoed the support and encouragement we have received over the last 4 years, nudging us along in this quest to build this institution. And if I had to, I'd trade all the booze, cheese and chocolate for that kind of aid. But luckily, I don't have to. Yep, it's a hard hard life....