I'm verging on overload. The pace in the office is jumping back up to its usual fever pitch as we get more and more work. We have many huge events coming up, and I'm in the middle of contacting all of the many artists involved in them, making sure they receive and confirm their contracts, writing contracts, scheduling meetings for technicians, networking with local cultural and community children's centers for CUE, TRYING to keep the calendar up to date with everything, writing programs and artists' bios, and getting ready to apply for more grants and polish my dance performance for our arabesque show in February! Oh, and how could I forget? The Oakland Tribune is doing a story about us AND a childhood friend of Gregangelo's who is now a TV producer has been filming us for a reality TV show that he wants to produce about our company! Fortunately, I work well under pressure (we all do; it's the norm for us), but it's one of those days when I wonder, "How will I be able to do all of this?"

Just a sidenote: we are in the planning stages to offer entertainment at what is going to be the most amazing Bat Mitzvah EVER! I'm so excited for this girl! She's going to have clowns waiting on her and her friends,a garden of illuminated labyrinths filled with otherworldly creatures, live music and dancing, one of the funniest clown performances I've ever seen, a trapeze artist and rigging for her and her guests to try trapeze themselves.... I'm sure there never has been a Bat Mitzvah (or an anything) quite like this.

Yesterday was MADNESS. Everyone was here! The normal office staff--Gregangelo, Jeffrey, Hiromi, Daria, and I, plus Dharkijav. Then a new painting artist arrives to paint upstairs in the "earth room", Gigi shows up to wash wigs, Donald (TV producer) and a cameraman are all over the house filming us and asking us about our work. Then in the middle of lunch, Bettina (sales, business development, actress) arrives to bare all before the camera about the latest upsetting news in her love life! There are no secrets here! Everything just happens at once!

I thought I might be recovering today, but the "slow days" of winter (which were not at all slow for me since I was putting together grant proposals the whole time) have clearly come to an end.

This company is growing exponentially, and fast, and we're all stepping up to new challenges at break-neck speed.

I need a nap!
-karen