Fun and Games

I know there comes a time in life where we ask ourselves, "why do I do what I do? Am I finding joy? Am I changing the world to be a better place? Am I doing enough? How do I feel about what I've done thus far? Am I a success?"

I was born asking these questions to myself. I hate expectations, especially my own.  

A dear friend recently asked me:  "Barbara, what did you expect to get from writing your book"?  My reply?  "Nothing.  I did it because I had to".  

I have no remaining family.  I left my influences and contacts in NYC when I moved upstate in 2000.  Now I live in the middle of the woods with my two cats Teddy and Bear.

 I have a peaceful life and am so grateful I can make a living doing what I love.  But I've paid my dues and have stories that no one has known until now.  Stories that speak of "lessons learned".  I wish I'd had a book like this to read when I graduated art school and wanted to move to NYC from Cleveland in 1979. 

This book started 10 years ago in my mind.  The last 3 years were spent actually writing it.  It was a labor of love and since the publishing industry is such a rat race, I decided I didn't have much time to wait at the age of 70, so I better just publish it myself. And I did.

Even though the world of jewelry has changed significantly since 1979,  I was hoping that young creatives would find it interesting and cautionary.  I also wanted to have my clients and rumored "cult following" know more about my life. Perhaps it would be a good book for art school libraries!

It's interesting, though, that since writing this book and sending it out (often for free) to friends and 

"influencers" I've learned that you can write a book, but getting it to be seen or read is not a given.  Since writing and publishing my book, I've seen other jewelers writing their biographies and memoirs.  Is this a trend?  Art Smith never wrote a book and neither did Sam Kramer. I wish they had.  I miss the days when I could call up a magazine editor and give a pitch and they would respond.  I have friends who are writers, gemologists, jewelry devotes, and jewelry influencers.  I've always been one to reach behind me on the ladder to grab the hand of those behind me. I like to share and connect people.  But that is NOT a universal consideration. I mean, how many times can you DM or email a person to ask if they've read the book you sent them?  Please LMK. I was so surprised to find that a particular jewelry IG influencer had their account restricted to a "one-time" DM and they would get back to me "once I was approved".   

Here's a really funny youtube video with Penny Arcade from 

"Why D'Ya Do It" Marianne Faithfull at Penny Arcade's Bitch! Dyke! Faghag! Whore!

 Truth!

 But some friends have also been incredibly generous: Note this article by Bob Krasner for AM/NY.

Here, also, is a book mention from 

Elyse Karlin, "Adornment Magazine". 

Basically what I've learned is that the only reason to do something is because you have to. And, oh yeah, success today is not what I imagined it would be in 1979. It's better.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!