Goodnight Fiona!

In the past week I've been called Stacey, Louise, Cathy and Fiona and something much worse.  The people who have called me this know my actual name, or at least should.  (Except the one that called me worse.That was a bus driver who cut me off.  The one that called me Cathy also is forgiven since I couldn't remember her name;-)  I know these were innocent mistakes, BUT.....

My name is Sandra Fletcher.  I am worth something.  If you want something from me from now , you're going to have to pay me for it.  Maybe then you'll take me more seriously and remember my name. 

(That by the way includes as a partent volunteer.  If you're making $90 grand a year, don't tell me it's not your shift to cover lunch and leave a classroom full of 6 year olds alone to potentially choke on their pizza!  Get your ass in the room until you do find out who's covering.  Don't expect the volunteer delivering the food to drop everything and care for the class.  If you want me to do your job, then you can pay me to do your job.  This isn't the first time teachers have taken advantage!)

I tend to gravitate towards careers with little respect.  I don't know why, but I do.

As a nurse about 15 years ago, the pay wasn't great.  I was physically and verbally abused by patients numerous times.  Nurses took it.  Things have changed for the better in some ways.  Nurses no longer have to submit to the abuse they once took in stride.  They are getting paid better from what I hear, but their working conditions aren't good and they are hard pressed to get a full-time job.  Most are forced to work part-time or casual so as the system doesn't have to pay them the same benefits.

As a library technician I was looked down on by the librarians.  Different class you see.

Being a stay at home Mom is also a lower class of worker.  You really ought to be ashamed of yourself you see, because you don't have you child in formal daycare, which is "better for them" so the liberal minded individuals of our society say.

Artist.  Haaaaaa!  I've talked about this before.  "I'll pay you $100.00 and you should be greatful to get it!"   Never mind that the frame cost a hundred and supplies another $20 at least.  Why would I want to get paid for the 40 to 100 hours I've worked on the piece.  Silly me!  I'm an artist!  It's not like a real job, it's a "hobby."  "A nice little past time" I was once told.


The classes I'm interested in at the art school may get canceled this semester due to lack of interest and low enrollment.  Again, of what importance is art. 


You can go to the local mall and buy a cheap framed print made in China for $20 to match your sofa.  Why buy real art.  It's disposable so that when you remodel your room you can just discard and change it to something new.  Many of the same people who think this way are also on the global climate change band wagon.  Re-use, recycle?  Huh?  Ring a bell.  Instead of buying garbage, why not consider an investment that will last and won't just end up polluting the planet.  Doesn't have to be my art.  Just buy some real art from an artist you like.  Make their day and help support them in the process.  When you remodel change the frame.  Voila!  New art.

Think about what your world would look like without visual art.  No photography, paintings, sculptures, architecture.  Perhaps a communist country?  Everybody could live in little grey boxes.  Is that the way you want to live?  Art makes our lives richer.  Let the artists around you know you appreciate them for that.

Now that I've established that I'm worth something, and I'm charging for my time, the price of the piece I'm working on has just gone up.  I'm now asking $1K.  If you don't like the price I'll gladly dismember the piece into little itty bitty tiny little pieces.  Heck, I'll even post it on You-tube!  What fun!  You say you like it, but are you willing to pay for me to finish it?

Oh, and .... GOODNIGHT FIONA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  (Guess who said that one!  Maybe the person who's getting charged the $1K?)