New Direction

I found some relief today in a moment of stillness, in an intuitive thought. I showed my willingness. I attempted to apply for the job I wrote of last night. But they wouldn’t take my application. Applications are only given out or accepted three days a week. I have to wait three more days. No panic this time though at the idea of a three day wait. Accept the things I can not change. I can’t apply for three more days. I can’t leave for a gallery until I either fix my car, put new tires on my mother’s spare mini-van, or buy something else (going deeper into debt since I have no money). So I might as well relax and wait. It’s the first time I’ve said anything like that in a while.

Change the things I can. I suddenly remembered working a while about twenty years ago for a man washing windows. It takes a lot to run a window washing business. You need a bucket, water, some soap, a few rags and sponges, and a squeegee. Oh yeah, and you need customers. It means walking into businesses, smiling, shaking hands, offering a service at a fair price, getting a few yes responses for every dozen or so answers of no. Then doing a good job. Most owners only want their store-front windows washed once a month. I figured if I can slowly build a base until I have as few as fifty customers, I can actually make more than what I would make at the place I tried to apply at this morning and would also still have more than enough time to travel to galleries and shoot new images.

It’s not the instant gratification I craved. But it has the potential of being a solid base. A real chance to build something from the ground up and support myself. It may take a few months to have enough customers to make money, but that’s ok. Every little bit helps, and I will still have time for the day labor I have been doing. And if I fail? Well, trying this for a few months will likely put me less deeper in debt than the trip I had planned. I also have a bonus. I know a man who started and maintained just such a business three times and made good money doing so, even through some rough economic years. I know he would help me with advice and mentorship.

I talked the idea over with a counselor. Sounds solid. A quick foray into the potential customer base netted three in less than half an hour. Looks promising. And so ClearView Window Washing Service came to be. Some more paperwork needs to be done. The business plan I planned to do for the art would be better focused here. But it’s an idea. It’s worth a try. The worst that can happen is I fail, at which point I am no worse off than I am now. Best case, I work for myself, set my own hours, never work weekends and only work about three weeks of each month, have time for my art and travel and….well, finally get a taste of the American Dream as I define it. It’s funny. I’m still chasing the dream, and my car never made it out of the driveway.

Tomorrow, I think it’s time for a little retreat. Time to get alone with my Higher Power, give thanks for the blessings of the past year, meditate, seek direction before I completely launch this new idea….get still and know.