Was this a bad day?

[Alison]

Let me tell you about yesterday. A day like this
makes me sooo glad that I'm fortunately booked
for 2 - 5 Parties practically every week. Yesterday
was cold in NY. A weekday. I was the Only Face-Painter
who went to the park. Selling Caricatures,
Face-Painting And Balloons. Very few people
stopped and bought. So I spent my time practicing.
Put an Amazing Face Painting onto my own face.
Got real good at the 260 balloon-hearts. Taught
myself balloon weaving.... I had a great set-up
with excellent samples - Attracted lots of people -
just about everybody smiled and commented to me as they
walked by. But they weren't buying. I was feeling sad.

I was cold. And carrying the heavy set-up through the
subways was soooo hard.

Yet Three Times - Three Times! - Strangers offered to help
me with my heavy cart on those long subway stairs. That
meant that they noticed my struggle, stopped their own
busy lives, bent down and lifted the bottom of the heavy
cart, and walked long flights of stairs with me.
Another thing that happened was that one young lady
approached me on the stairs - "Where did you buy those"
she asked about my leftover balloon sculptures. I told
her that I didn't buy them - that I sell them. And she
was so happy when I let her take one for her daughter
(just give me anything for it already....).

So many people in the world. And it's so good to have them
all here. Aren't we lucky? Just doing our thing, and we
connect with all these Wonderful people. Hundreds of thousands!
More!

So I absolutely did not make enough money yesterday.
Forget about bills  - I couldn't even pay for my supplies,
parking, gas, and subway from what I earned.  Baaad.
But everyone else needs that too.  Yet they were able
to stop their striving and running around to be kind to
me - a stranger.

[Sherry]

Good and bad.  I wish I could put it into words the way you do... I'm stumped!  But I understand what you're saying and have been there. 

[MandiIlene]

I can relate on days like that, I have sent out coupons in the beginning or tried some small fests and have ended up going home with next to nothing. But I figure its all marketing if I talk to a bunch of people when I am there.

~*~Mandi~*~

[GaFacepainter]

And what can compare to the little kid who keeps coming back to your mirror over and over again to look at their facepaint when you painted them hours ago?

[Alison]

It's life. 

Life is good.

[Party Picassos Facepainting]

Even when kids or the parents can be annoying, I enjoy soooooo much more than the 17 years working with ADULTS when I was a graphic artist. Kids are sooo much more appreciative and gracious. When I am a face painter, I have supreme power and everyone LOVES me! It's a great feeling!