MI Renfair 2009
What a year for the renfair, descending in tandem with the local economy. It's still fnu, attendance was mostly tolerable, but few patrons were buying the luxury items aka knick-knacks that the crafters offer. Some got by fine, but others saw sales drop deeply, the worst ones down 75% from last year, not that last year was anything to smile about. I'll keep the booth for now, if only because it's still a beautiful gothic chapel, one of the best at any fair in the country, and testament to the longevity of the plastic. And I can afford to, thanks to the multi-project workaholoic entrepreneur lifestyle all these years. But I'd expect to see some rennies absent next year, even some lifers. In the short term, the fair should not have difficulty replacing them, for there are plenty of aspiring artists looking for self employment opportunities, able to cash in a parent's retirement savings for such a start-up. But as some hopes are dashed, the fair may start to see chronic vacancies. They could slow this process with reduced fees, but I won't hold my breath. Where is the palantir that can say what is to come?
It was nice to finally see the 'All's faire in love' premier, the Christina Ricci movie wherein my booth gets a few quality seconds of screen time. Not that I watched all of it, even though at an arguable one-and half-star, it was better than i expected it to be. Renfair enthusiasts will enjoy it, when it goes straight to dvd. (If you're going to watch the unwatchable, go instead for Repo: the Genetic Opera. ouch!) Otherwise it was a productive year for hobnobbing, and setting up new commercial gigs. There were plenty of friends visiting, and Kristy and Josie did a fine job at sales, considering. I was more worried about their adaptation to the subculture, but there were no real conflicts, either with the communists, the free-luvin' substance-indulging lot, or the indecipherably freaky types. And these, at least, were in abundance.
It was nice to finally see the 'All's faire in love' premier, the Christina Ricci movie wherein my booth gets a few quality seconds of screen time. Not that I watched all of it, even though at an arguable one-and half-star, it was better than i expected it to be. Renfair enthusiasts will enjoy it, when it goes straight to dvd. (If you're going to watch the unwatchable, go instead for Repo: the Genetic Opera. ouch!) Otherwise it was a productive year for hobnobbing, and setting up new commercial gigs. There were plenty of friends visiting, and Kristy and Josie did a fine job at sales, considering. I was more worried about their adaptation to the subculture, but there were no real conflicts, either with the communists, the free-luvin' substance-indulging lot, or the indecipherably freaky types. And these, at least, were in abundance.