Written on February 11, 1992 [Permalink]

February 7

Ashida-san in again to ship the order from yesterday's mail. Of course, when I looked in the mailbox today I was half expecting more... (never satisfied, is he?) No new orders, but a confirmation and nice letter from Mrs. Takeda in Niigata, the lady who read the Sankei Shimbun and ordered last week. I'm getting great practice at reading this beautiful 'pen-style' calligraphy that these ladies all use, and I could understand pretty much the whole thing ... something I still shake my head at in amazement. I'll never ever write like that, but it sure is a kick to be able to read it (well ... sort of). I called her up to say thank you for the order. That's something else that I can now do without panicking. It's still tough receiving calls on 'strange' topics, though. For example, one of the customers in Wakayama phoned today and it was a rough few minutes before I understood that he was simply trying to apologize for being a few days late with his last payment. When I choose the topic, it's much easier...

Spent the rest of the time carving, and also updated the mailing list with the last week's action.

February 8

Noisy Saturday, so no chance to do any carving. Spent the day catching up on odds and ends, cleaning up my desk, ordering replacement photos for the holes in our album (given away to newspapers, etc.), organizing computer disks, and trucking the kids around to piano classes, etc.

A copy of yesterday's Kosei Shinbun came in the mail, and the article is very nice (and very long!). I think he must have had a tape recorder hidden in his jacket during the interview, because he only took the most cursory notes, and yet the story is full of detail. This is what they should all be like, interesting information, and complete contact information - telephone and address. It's too bad this is such a small-scale newspaper (at least I think it's small scale).

February 10

Back to carving after a Sunday with the kids ... One visitor today, a lady from Kodaira City who read one of the newspaper stories a few weeks ago. She looked the stuff over and then said, "I'll take one of these, and one of these ..." Oops. I explained everything, and she got a bit interested in looking for her favorite poets in my 10-year plan list. She found two of them in the Heisei 8 group, and ordered a set, in advance! I've taken her name and number, and am supposed to call her in January 1997! (What if I'm all 'sold out' by then?)

Also got a call from Ishikawa-san in Utsunomiya. I had sent him an extra three sets a while ago at his request, and he called today to tell me that the exhibition will start on the 26th of this month, and that the P/R was going out today. Pardon me?

It seems that he has set up an display of my prints in his gallery, and is trying to make a big noise with it. I sure hope he doesn't send information to downtown newspapers. They've just finished giving me so much publicity that I think they'd be disgusted with me if they received another blurb now. He says that he's just working the Tochigi Prefecture area... What is going to cause more problems is that I'm sure he's going to sell that set 'one by one', to anybody who walks in the door. I've been over this with him time and time again, that I'm not 'in the business' of selling prints, but simply want to find subscriber/patrons for my work. If he wants more prints, I'm going to have to refuse, and I sure hope there isn't any trouble ...

February 11

Yet another holiday, with the kids at home again, and no work. I thought that they were going to play together well at first, and that I'd be able to get some carving done, but Fumi's friend Naoko called up to ask her over. That left Himi alone, and of course ... 'There's nothing to do ...'.

Got a fax from a Spanish couple living in Kawasaki, who saw the Ichi no Ichi article and want to come over and see some printmaking. We set up for them to come over next Sunday (There's no way I want to lose another weekday ...)

Took the 'thank you' prints over to Gallery Mon. They asked again if I had decided on booking next year's space, but I'd like to put that off as long as possible, and see if anything comes up downtown. I don't suppose it will, without me getting down there and knocking on some doors.