Stepping out...

image via etsy

I met with a local painter I admire the other day...it was something we had been wanting to do for a while and the time finally lined up.

***

I know the painter I met with, in a casual sort of way.

You know when you are familiar with someone because you frequent their stall at farmers market, say hello and how do you do. The person you always seem to get at the coffee shop.

You know them but haven't had a meal with them kind of know.

She is someone like that.

She is amazingly talented, and making it as an artist and designer.

In all fairness she also knows me about as well too.

We are far more familiar with each others work then each other.

We agreed to meet at a coffeeshop in the town between my home and work...she told me the name,

I knew the place and agreed.

I arrived a little early because I wanted to seem cool and relaxed by the time she arrived, and so I ordered a chai, opened my current list book (book I am making to-do lists in) and relaxed.

Taking in the scene:

Be cool, you are cool enough to be here

Boy, there are a lot of yoga people here, everyone looks like models

I don't feel so cool right now

That table is talking codes and meta links, I kind of know what they are saying

Hummm that one looks like Justin Timber...

ohh I know this song, I like this album.

OK I am cool enough again

I feel like I am looking for a blind date, looking up at everyone that enters this place...

focus on your list

Sipping chai...mmmm

Wow there are a lot of laptops in here

Ohhh check out that guys mood medallion, it is huge but not overly sooo

I should try their chocolate chai next time....

What time is it?

*

Then the text came : looking forward to meeting with you today

I texted back I was waiting for her.

She said I am here where are you?

I, it turns out, was at the wrong coffee shop.

I was at the original location, she was at the newest.

I blew it!

I told her I would be there in a moment.

I gulped the top third of my chai, leaving the rest to be thrown down the drain and

my calm eroded as I walk/ran to the car three blocks away and drove to the correct location.

By the time I arrived, I was a half hour late!

ugh

Comfort zone shattered- check

I am never that late person, but today I was.

She was gracious and we ended up talking for an hour and a half.

I got to learn about her process and her other businesses, she has two others besides her painting.

It is funny to hear highly productive people say how they wish they were more organized or better at scheduling. We talked about personal goals, exchanged website inspiration and simply shared some time. We giggled with guilt at how unusual it feels to meet someone in the morning at a coffee shop, on a studio day and wondered if it fed the stereotype of what people think artists do all day.

We both then commiserated on how much work we actually do to get our work seen.

She had multiple client meetings so we visited as long as we could.

It was a good morning, didn't start out as calm as I had hoped but it ended that way.

I also know a little more about her making our next chat that much easier.

Things learned:

Triple check addresses of agreed meeting places

Be kind to yourself when things go wackadoodle, it isn't always bad

Try a chocolate chai, if you are gonna spend $5 on a drink make it a splurge

You are doing just fine...keep on keeping on