Crying In My Beer
I missed a deadline, an important one. For the stupidest reason-I had the wrong date!
It’s almost amusing how I could do this. I was trying to finish my Lily quilt for submittal to the Houston International Quilt Festival jury pool. Somehow I had the date as June 8th, but it was really May 31st. I KNOW I read June 8th somewhere along the line somewhere, I didn’t just make up that date! Was it last year’s date, was I dreaming? Who knows.
For this whole last year, it has been one of my foremost goals. You don’t go around telling everyone this because you very well may not be juried in, so usually I wait until I know the outcome.
I’ve had my work juried into Houston three consecutive years: 2008, 2009 and 2010. 2011 was the first year of DH’s retirement and…..well you can imagine there is much adjusting that needs to go on. We did lots of fun things and I quilted a lot less-but I missed quilting and creating. So I was determined to create something worthy of submittal this year-I wanted to get back on that saddle!
Throughout this year there have been significant obstacles (like any other year): guild commitments to multiple guilds, leadership commitments, life, and not having a clear vision of what I wanted to create.
Early this year my vision cleared and I went full tilt towards my goal. One by one other things that competed for my time dropped off. DH left for 2 weeks and I worked tirelessly on my quilt. I could see the finish line coming. I knew it would be close but I was pretty sure I was going to finish in time to be able to wash and block it, put on the hanging sleeve, photograph it, do all the submittal work and send it off in time…..assuming the submittal date was June 8th.
On May 31st, I thought, I’d better pull up the submittal guidelines to make sure there’s nothing really bizarre or new that I need to do this year. I was absolutely stunned to see that it was due that day!
In a way it has freed me up to live normal life again. My work on Lily has slowed down considerably but I plan to complete her in the next few weeks. I’m enjoying quilting more without the pressure of the deadline. So maybe this is a win.
By the way, I’m not really crying in my beer. I don’t even like beer. It’s more like I’m crying into my glass of reverse osmosis filtered water with exactly 3 ice cubes. But that just doesn’t sound quite as good.
:-( What a bummer! You could say you have a head start on next year.
Yup, great way to look at it Candy!
Ouch! What a disappointment! I agree with what Candy said – maybe you can consider it a jumpstart on next year. And in the mean-time, at least you have your reverse osmosis filtered water with exactly 3 ice cubes to comfort you. :-)
It’s a humbling experience! Yeah, I’m already thinking where else I could enter. But I’m actually going to BE in Houston this year for festival which is why I was so intent on getting in.
Aw! But less pressure is a good thing!
True, Marcia-it is a good thing-I am definitely feeling more joy in the process at the moment!
I’m sorry Jenny!
Thanks Laura! I’m over it now though-I’ll just enter in different contests.
I recently did the same thing, just a different show. As gorgeous as your work is, I’m sure it will get in somewhere else.
Thank you Linda-and ditto for you! Your exquisite work will find a place to show!
Not to put too fine a point on it, but if you drowned your sorrows in a quality beer, such as Warsteiner or Bitburger, you would definitely find the silver lining in your date switch. When is next year’s due date? :-)
Ah, we have a Beer Snot among us! Yeah, I need to look up next year’s date so that I never ever do this again!
You are right, I saw that date as well myself and had to check on more than one occasion the due date. In one part of the website it did say June 6 and in the rules/guidelines it say May 31. Consolation? Not sure. Confirmation, yes absolutely.
There were indeed two dates listed on the website: in one part it was June 6 in the rules and guidelines it said May 31. Comforting probably not, Confirming, absolutely.
HAH! So it wasn’t just my imagination! Thank you so much Teri for passing this on. Hope you got yours in on time;-))
Dear Jenny,
So sorry for the confusion on this. I thought I was the only one who did things like that. But, you seem to be even better for it. I really think those things happen for a reason. You will never know why but I bet you missed something much worse happening. Thanks for sharing and helping us keep the faith.
Thanks Mona! I agree that there’s a reason-hope I figure out what it is! I will do a better job of keeping up with “minor details” from now on.
Yikes, Jenny. I know this hurt. But having a real life and a little breather has to be good too. You’ll find another venue I’m sure.
Thanks Franki! You are absolutely right-it’s a bit of a breather and I’m finding myself pondering each little micro decision in finishing this quilt-in a good way!