karma and my muse

We didn't see the show last night. We got there at 6:30, about 30 minutes early and there were no seats. Well technically there were, but they were barstools along the railing upstairs. Maybe about 36 total. Oh, and it was a sold out concert in a very crowded room. Sigh. Due to a bad back and diabetes, Terry cannot stand for more than a half hour or so without feeling like she's going to faint. So we left before the show started. I was pretty bummed for a while, and Terry felt terrible, even though it wasn't her fault. No where on the ticket seller's nor the club's websites did it mention it was a standing room only concert. We went back home, and I wrote a online letter to the club and several "reviews" on other entertainment websites complaining about what had happened. I figured THAT would teach them... Today a co-worker of Terrys who was there told her Colbie didn't even start her set until 9pm.

So anyway, today I was sitting around for 3 hours at an auto shop while major repairs some preventive maintenance was being done to Terry's car when I received this email (sometimes I really love my Blackberry):

Hi John,
Sorry for the inconvenience last night and that you opted to leave. We
do have seating for up to 325 people typically, although on sold out
shows we are mandated by the Spokane Fire Marshall to pull all furniture
to meet fire capacity. This doesn't mean that people with certain
conditions and ADA requirements that we are not allowed to get a chair for
someone in need.

Any chance you asked our event staff for a chair and explained the need
for a chair? I only ask not to point fingers, more so to know if my
staff followed protocol.

You make a good point about our website not indicating that sold out
events are standing room only. I have forwarded the request to the
company VP to have that included on our website. Please look at our
website for any upcoming show that you may want to see and I'd like to
put you in our VIP lounge and buy you dinner and a round of drinks.

Best Regards,
Matt *****
General Manager/ Knitting Factory Spokane

Well THAT showed me...

Then right after that I received a phone call from a nice Chinese man who is opening a new restaurant in my old town and that I showed my house to a week ago. Yep, it's rented now. YES!
He owns two other Chinese restaurants in the area, and I wish I could share his name with you, it's interesting...

A little while later I find a twenty dollar bill on the ground. No owner around...Hmmm...

After the car was finished I headed over to the eyeglasses place that sold me a pair of inferior glasses a while back, and instead of having to argue my case for a return, the young manager working there gave me a full refund with no hassle. Made me blink twice...

Then after stopping to pick out custom frames for two more of my artwork pieces (a copy of an Aboriginal etching and a gelee'd photo of aspens in a forest), I was directed to a business that makes large prints of artwork (or in my case, photos) that also happens to be the largest art gallery in the area. The moment I stepped into this gallery I had a feeling I can't really describe, Terry later said it sounded like I was giddy. All I know is I want more of it, I spent the better part of an hour and a half with the owner, talking about different ways of printing, showing, and selling my work. He invited me to come back anytime with my laptop and talk with him and some of the other artists that help out in the gallery. I looked at all of the artwork there, and found myself wanting to be apart of the whole process more than ever. The owner and several other people there told me how much they like the photo I bought in to be enlarged. It's one of my favorite photos, and have not sold it online yet, because it's better than my standard microstock work. So far only Kimba has a copy of it, but soon there will be a large framed shot of "Flowing Rock" hanging above our couch.

And even though I'm happy to sell wireless phones these days(and excelling at it even), it doesn't do anything for me, except pay the bills.
I've felt like I've given up on my photography this year, even though I'm still selling my prints online.
But until I walked into that gallery this afternoon, I had forgotten how much it really feeds my soul and makes me feel alive. And how much I want to share it with others...