Why be Skilled

[Alison]

Here's a picture of me
with a mermaid that I was encouraged to make at a local Balloon jam.  
Came out icky.  And I wasn't really interested in making it either.  

Sometimes, i feel compelled to follow the !!LEADERSOFBALLOONS!! when I go to a jam.  Compelled to try whatever they're showing us little people how to do.  But it comes out of nowhere for me.  Like, my practice wasn't that complicated.  And I have no application for a mermaid anyway.  

I'm a grown up.  I have more important things on my mind than Wow-Who can make the most complicated balloon.  I wonder why people do this (unless they're all looking for the BIGJOB like the magnificent million-balloon Halloween House which has to be popped out soon after the rushdaynight work of creating it to dazzle people.  I have to admit that those things can be great break-away-from-reality environments - real wow experiences to live in balloon-land.  So short of getting the big jobs of creating the fantasies to help people take a break from reality, what purpose in learning these complicated things?  For the jobs that come my way, why would I want to be Sooooo skilled?  Why would You want to do it?

Oh oh - As I write this - in my sour-grapes mood (I'm just trying to fill the time til tomorrow comes - and I'm not feeling inspired to actually do my work - I'm sad tonight), I'm reminded of a window that I saw at this Forum a while back.  I think Sherry did it?  A store window with monkeys and palm trees?  That seems like the sort of job I might get.  If I could make a better mermaid.  

Got to get to work.  Got to study and practice.  What are you guys ballooning these days?



Abs - who didn't work out today either.  I'm down

[littleprecious]

Great Job Alison! i tried but I dont think it is for me. I can make a sword, a flower, a rabbit, a dog and that's about it! I find it difficult perhaps i didnt have the right equipments and right sizes balloons. I would love to have a go again at some point x

[Alison]

Really?  You like it?  I thought it was crap.  Even if a mermaid was fat, would she be disabled?   Hmmmmm - maybe it's time we did start to accept Equal Opportunity.  Yes - I'm ashamed of my previous mermaid-vision.

Abs

[Sherry]

I don't know if you were trying to be funny Alison, but that's how it came out to me and brought a smile to my face and a giggle.  Especially the title, "why be skilled".

 I think the mermaid is great too and I think kids would like it.  I think we're so much harder on ourselves.  She looks like a sitting down mermaid.  With her legs to the side in a lady like fashion.  

[Party Picassos Facepainting]

is there a fin at the end of her tail? I can't see so great.
Getting old.

[Alison]

Oh - I feel so good to come to this Forum. 
Thank you for you support!

Like, yes - we are hardest on ourselves.
Most people in the general public don't have a clue -
so whatever I do looks okay.
And the trying gives it a
j'ne ces quoia -
I don't know what it is, but I think I got tips more often when
I did not know what I'm doing.
Now that I'm slicker with the Face-Painting and I really enjoy it,
I'm less likely to get a tip (but I'm more likely to get follow up parties which is even better). 

I guess I'm at that 'we appreciate your intense practice' stage with the Balloons.

As far as a fin?  Oh - that's what it's supposed to be?
I was just copying someone else's mermaid at a Balloon jam when I had done this.
A fin - that's a good idea.....