Perhaps a Bit Grumpy

Geeez! It seems like days since I’ve been able to use Genece’s laptop. After the big New Year’s Day gathering and the next day shopping with her mother and aunt, she said things would slow down for a few days. Ha! We’ve been anything “but” slowing down.

There’s been the shopping for furniture (Genece needs a new couch for the little house since her one in storage won’t fit through the door), going to meetings at her office (didn’t even know she had one since she does all of her art at home), house chores, the day we spent up the river road and to see some of Alton’s history, and Rainbow Beach. Whew! I’m feeling just a bit grouchy! This old girl needs a rest!

I decided to take a few things into my own hands — while at a client of Genece’s for a meeting, I hung out on her client’s couch (with permission of course) and rested while the two chatted something about logos. What’s a logo? I was too embarrassed to ask Genece. She was busy and all. All I could figure out was that it was something Genece was doing for her client. Frankly, just listening to all this business talk was exhausting to say the least.

And, then there was that cat! Serena! The other day we get home and she’s lying on MY chair again. Shamedly, I admit I pushed her off. She gave me that cat stare that all cats can give when they’re put out about something. She doesn’t scare me any!

This morning, Genece decided I needed a break so she finished some of her work and is letting me post on Soultour while she’s fixing me breakfast. Today, she said we’re going nowhere. You should have seen the smile on my face! Now, here I am posting and feeling a little better. But then, there’s breakfast! Genece is making me an old-fashioned Midwestern breakfast of turkey bacon and eggs. She said she rarely eats it but decided that it might be good comfort food for a grouchy sorceress.  Regardless of the reason, my mouth is watering.

This week I learned something about Genece that most of us at Soul Food probably don’t know. I couldn’t understand why an artist and poet would have an office. When we arrived at her office, I got to snap a photo of the partners who are Genece’s client and then she took one of them and me by their baby grand piano. She explained that art and poetry are very private for her — she does them alone and in the quiet of her own space. However, she told me that art is a new path for her and that she’s actually been a branding expert for 30 years. Somehow, I had this image of her sticking a hot iron on a cow’s behind.

Apparently, that’s not the kind of branding Genece does. She says she brands businesses and people. Huh? I was confused and very lost. That’s when she said I could sit in the client meeting (it was soooo exciting since her client’s are in the midst of scripting and filming a one minute commercial) with everyone’s okay. They let me sit in on the meeting that Genece and the main partner of the group led. It was fun to watch Genece’s creative mind being used in a different way. She was pretty tough with the group a couple of times when they were “waffling” (that’s what she called it, whatever that means!) on several aspects of the project. She rules! They follow! I must say, she must be a sorceress from way back!

I hear Genece calling me to breakfast. After I eat, I get to use the computer to post my Rainbow Beach entry through the portal of my choice. Well, maybe a short nap and then post.  Here’s a couple of photos from the office and her client’s home office:

Can you see me sitting on the couch resting? This is a client’s home office who owns a shop called “Knit One, Pearl Two”.

Genece’s clients where she has an office (she only goes there a few times a month though over the next few months she said she’d have to be there more). I’m sitting with Amy — she’s my fav! We hung out together. She’s very funny!  After meeting Genece’s clients and spending the day with them, I decided that maybe business isn’t so tiring when you get to work with people like them.

Genece uses TWO monitors simultaneously when at the office. She can make them hum… usually, one will have graphics on it that she’s working on and the other a document of some sort that the graphic will be integrated. She said this gives the client a better view if they are sitting with her during different steps of the creative process.