Happy New Year!!!

I kinda can't believe today is New Year's Eve.... This month's just blown right by me!

The past two weeks have been beyond amazing for me. I didn't make it home for the holiday -- but spent it with my "Omaha families" (The McCarthys & Yambors) and had a great time. The shop has been doing so, *so* well. Everyone who walks in loves the space and the stock... everyone's been super supportive and kind. It's better than I ever thought it could be....

.... and it's just the beginning.

*grin*

This year's been a doozy for me. My horoscope said that it was going to be the best year ever.... and even though parts of it were straight up hellish -- in the end, I think it may have been right.

For everything I lost this year... I gained things back that are a million times greater. I've learned SO MUCH this year -- about life and love and most importantly about ME -- about what I want and who I am and what I'm capable of. All in all -- I think that's been the best bit of all.

I keep thinking about where I was 365 days ago... still working for Teen People... the shop was nothing but scribbles in my notebook... everything in my life has flipped since then...

I truly believe that 2008 is going to be stellar -- not just for me and the shop -- but for everyone... I feel like this year's been about doing the prep work -- you know... it's been about getting ready --- and now, it's go time.

So.... I just wanna wish everyone out there a very happy new year. I hope that all of your wishes come true -- that all of your days are filled with happiness and love. I want to thank you for all the kindness and support you've shown me -- for coming here to read my little rants. I'm looking forward to sharing all of the adventures 2008 may hold for me with you. I think a few of them are gonna be down right brilliant

Happy New Year everyone ---- and so much love to you & yours!

The Best Birthday Ever!

I turned 37 yesterday.

Thirty-seven.... It doesn't roll off the tongue nicely, but I have a feeling this year is going to be one of the greatest of my life.

I had the best day ever yesterday... it was a perfect birthday in *every* sense. The night before, I was feeling kinda blue and decided that I wasn't going to do anything to celebrate the day. Most people forget my birthday -- it's a crazy time of year... and I just didn't want to bother reminding people about it this year. I woke up yesterday and realized I have a shit ton to celebrate right now and claimed the day for myself.

In the morning: I had breakfast with my lovely friend, Jessica... I had great customers -- all day long, I'm meeting such wonderful people here.

The afternoon: Another lovely friend, Elle, brought me lunch. I got a visit from Dan and his mother, Nancy -- whom I just adore completely. I got a visit from Chad... we sat on the floor and talked for a bit -- it brightens my day the minute he walks through the door. I got flowers from my sister and friend Stefanie... and then Dan came back and gave me a refrigerator for the break room (!!!) -- which will *always* be well-stocked with beer for afternoon visitors.

That night: I had supper with Katy and Tim at Ms Pub, downtown... and a barbershop quartet that was singing Christmas carols came over and sang "Happy Birthday" to me -- which was truly mind blowing! I ended the night at The Brothers -- downing shots of whiskey, surrounded by people I love.


I am so HAPPY right now... this week has been brilliant, filled with great and beautiful things. I feel like everything in the world is just lining up for me... I can't explain the joy I've been feeling.

I'm just so completely blessed right now... in every sense of the word.

Pride.

Hi.... remember me?

I don't even know how to begin to explain what the past three weeks of my life have been like... too much has happened. I can say -- in all honesty -- that I am a different person today than I was 18 days ago... wiser and stronger and better than I ever thought I could be.

Where to begin? The contractors left the space on December 1st -- so I had about 14 days to turn it around... they didn't finish a lot of the drywall, I didn't have heat until the 13th, I had to lay the floor and build a couple of walls and paint and -- well, everything.

This is what it looked like on December 1st:



I basically lived at the space for two weeks -- going home for four hours of sleep and a shower. I found the most amazing man in the world, Chad Bellows, who came in after working 8 hours on other construction jobs to help me. He taught me how to finish drywall, he built walls for me, taught me how to lay a floor, helped me finish all the trim, made me laugh every day and honestly made my dream come true. I NEVER would have been able to make this happen without him.

They were the hardest two weeks of my life --- I cried every day, mostly out of stress and exhaustion. I fell apart physically... I hurt my right arm while painting, some sort of repetitive stress thing, and I could make a fist for weeks -- every time I tried to use it -- I'd have these awful sharp pains. My knuckles and lips cracked and bled because of the joint compound dust from sanding the walls. I burst a blood vessel in my eye (cuteness!) I am still covered in bruises and cuts that I can't remember getting.

It was a nightmare. But I made things happen... I made things happen that I'm still in fucking awe of. I learned so much -- that I am capable of some SERIOUS shit... that I'm stronger than I ever thought possible. I learned a few things about friendship and love... I didn't get support from places I expected to get it from... but people who were almost strangers to me three weeks ago stood by my side and propped me up when I couldn't stand on my own anymore.

And I got it done.

The opening on Saturday was -- hands down -- the best night of my life. The space was packed, wall-to-wall people all night long... and everyone loved it. They loved the space and the stock and the art... they were excited about every little thing and it made it all -- every stress, every tear and hurt SO COMPLETELY worth it!!! I have never been so proud of anything in my life as I am of this space. Great things are going to happen here... great, great things.

This is the beginning of something amazing. I don't expect things to ever be easy -- you know? But I've gotten this far and I'm still standing.... if I could do this -- I can do anything:

Go Time

It feels like years have passed since I've been able to write here... I've missed it.

I just wanted to drop a quick note to let people know I'm all right, today was a crazy day here in Omaha, but I'm safe and sound-ish...

I've been super silent lately because I've basically been living in my shop space. Pulp will be open on December 15th --- 10 days from now, this thing that I've been working on for the past 2 years will finally be up and running... I can't really believe this is all happening.

I have never been so tired, scared and worn out in my life. In the past five days, I've worked an average of 16 hours a day at the space, I've built walls, learned to mud drywall like nobody's business, I've painted the entire space -- basically all by myself. I've been fighting with the property manager -- PJ Morgan is sOoOooO on my shit list... but that's a story for another day -- in a nutshell, I don't have heat, in December, in Om-a-fuckin'-ha. But they gave me a space heater -- so it's all good. Right? Riiiight.

In the past five days, I've managed to do some sort of damage (the painting, I think) to my right arm -- so I can't really close my hand or lift my arm above my head anymore. Sanding the dry wall ate thru my hands before I was brilliant enough to put on gloves ---- so my knuckles are cracked and bleeding. On top of that, I somehow managed to have a blood vessel in my eye explode, so it was filled with blood for three days (cute!). I'm a mess. I'm so dirty that even after I get out of the shower, I still have stuff in my hair... it's horrible.

But I'm getting it done. The space looks *amazing* -- Joey's work is beyond great and the opening is going to be the event of the month -- hands down. We're planning an after party in the 'hood --- I CANNOT WAIT to just drink and dance and celebrate. This is the biggest moment of my life... It all happening ---- right now.

I'm not going to be able to write again before I open --- I truly hope that if you live in Omaha -- or anywhere near Omaha -- that you'll come down on the 15th, see the space and celebrate with me. I have learned so much in the past couple of weeks, about friendship and business and life -- but mainly about me and what I'm capable of -- and to be honest, it's blowing me away.

I hope to see you in the space, if not next Saturday -- then soon after. I'll post more later -- with photos... I promise.

xoxoxox............

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New Work by Joey Lynch
Artist's Reception on Saturday, December 15th
from 7pm to 10pm w/ guest DJ Brent Crampton

Pulp Paper & Art
6114 Military Avenue
Omaha, Nebraska 68104

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