John Et Al etc then (so far) it picks up again

Dad, I like the photo you posted.

I will start with the least important and go down the line.

The ebay business is going steady, every so often there is a little dip and I think it is because of the economy but then (so far) it picks up again. But even if it dipped for a bit I couldnt complain as this last fall things were better then they have ever been and I feel a bit guilty about that especially considering what is happening to the economy and to those around me. Rick moved out of hte warehouse completely this weekend and I will spend the next little while organizing the space to be more efficient so that I can spend less time there. Which is always the goal, spending less and less time there while maintaining the same income - perhaps it will end up I hiring a monkey for bananas while I never enter the warehouse again - does anyone know a monkey for hire?

Art career - woo hoo I have one (again - is the third time a charm?). I am currently preparing for a solo show at the Finch Lane Gallery here in SLC and have just finished an event at my house/studio that went really well. I am booked with shows until the end of the year and things are moving along rather quickly and busily (is that a word?). So far I will be in 7 shows this year. Emily and I just put an ad in the international art magazine "Modern Painters" based in London for the March issue - I will let you know how that goes. I will be the featured artist in the summer edition of the LDS alternative Intellectual magazine "dialogue" and I am meeting with a writer this week to begin my first collaborative effort. I am also planning on starting a foster art program in SLC as soon as I have the work completed for the Finch Lane show I will also be starting my national efforts to gain a national career again (second time) at that time. I have also been asked to be the Art/Culture Committie on our local community council.

Family - we bought a piano, yes a real live one. I got a prefessional Yamaha upright for cheap at an auction last month and plan on getting Aidan started on lessons soon. Aidan is Aidan, brilliant, big, polite and ever changes - he is currently involved in a rigid training program with Wii Fit (I have added yoga to my workout training). William is back in PreSchool at Montessori and doing well. Theo is a veteran walker and skips development steps here and there - today he decided that sliding down the stairs or crawling up them is for amatuers and has started walking up and down much to the increase in parental anxiety. Now that William is in preschool Emily is painting again on a regular basis and is doing well with that and the community council as always. She has also started attending a book club comprised of a number of our friends from Open Classroom (alas, men are not allowed - and I thought sexism was dead). We are all doing well and have been fortunate to meet very interesting people since moving here and are now surrounded by a great group of friends. We also spent the month of January remodleing the public spac of our house and I must say I love it.

More later, I have ignored too many calls from others for attention.

Love,

John