Written on December 31, 1992 [Permalink]

December 31

So there's another year wrapped up. Everything that had to be done got done, and with a week or so to spare. The newsletter went out last week, followed by the New Year card a day later. That was a mistake. I had thought about putting the card in the envelope together with the newsletter to try and save a bit of postage, but decided against it as I wanted the customers to get the card on New Year's morning. Instead, I put it in a separate envelope (the paper is too thin for mailing alone) and sent it off. The whole batch came back the next day - insufficient postage. The envelope I used is 4 millimeters wider than the Post Office standard, and I had to pay 120 yen each to get them accepted!

The two teachers from Himi's school came round for their 'winter bonus set', and that brings them up to date. They both asked to subscribe to next year's set, and I guess they'll probably be going all the way. The cash will come in very handy for the gallery payment...

A very welcome phone call came in from Yamaguchi-san. When they got my sample of thinner paper, they went back through the past four year's prints, and then called to apologize for letting the paper become so thick recently. I guess they really hadn't realized what was happening, and they promise me that the next shipment (in January) will match the sample. Yahoo!

Not much work done during the last week. The Tokimotos and Terry were here for a few days. Playing Monopoly until three in the morning and having five kids running around all day doesn't leave much energy for working on prints ... Terry stayed on over the New Year, and after the kids were asleep on New Year's Eve we went down to hear some temple bells, and drink a bit of sake at a shrine.

I did the year end bookkeeping the next day, and the news is basically OK. We don't have any cash, but the overall numbers are good. The expenses are almost exactly the same as last year and the year before, but the income has climbed steadily over the three years. We're obviously on the right track ... For the first time the income came in entirely from printmaking this year. We've got 44 people taking 49 prints per month, and I'm sure I can increase that again this coming year.

The quality of the prints has not improved this year as much as I would have liked, but as I wrote in the last newsletter, I don't think there'll be much change on that score until I can spend more time with Ito-san and Matsuzaki-san. And maybe get some of the other 'disractions' out of the way ...