What does 'retirement' look like?

Okay, let me get ONE thing straight.

I'm not retired.

First, I'm 48. Unless I forgot that I started Google, I am too young to retire.

Second, just because I closed the Raleigh store doesn't mean I am leaving the beady world forever.
Or even for more than a long vacation.

I just can't. It's part of who I am, part of what I do. I ADORN things (remember the sign on the fence?) I just can't stop.

I did, however, close the store. It was a hard decision, and one I took in a mad rush. I just couldn't do it any longer. Ornamentea was not actually a business (on so many levels!) but more of an art project. A big, participatory art project. A 16+ year, multi-faceted, performance and visual art project. A hard and fabulous and challenging and exciting art project. A project with a zillion guest stars and a wonderful core cast and a LOT of different influences. Like any art project, any painting or dance or musical number, it had to end. It wore me out. I had to end that part of my creative self to make some space for new creative activities.

Which was good and will be fun and I will love it.

BUT OH IT'S SOOO MUCH WORK.

The closing down part. Really, I did not know how long it would take, or how much this part of the 'play' (I guess it's called striking the set?) would/could drag on. I feel like I've looked in a million boxes and sorted a zillion things. I've priced desks and shelves and chairs and lamps. I've been burning up the Craiglist postings for weeks. I'm making piles for the Scrap Exchange, and the Green Chair, and Habitat for Humanity.

It was actually easier to have a bead store.

(just kidding...)

But seriously, anyone want to buy a table?