Soccer and Art fairs

Two cats

We went to Art Fair on the Square yesterday. It's one of the more prestigious art fairs in the country. It costs $150 to apply (no refund and hundreds get turned down) and about $600 to enter.  I've never tried.  It's a freaking headache to pack in and pack out but profits are pretty good. One friend made near  $45,000 a few years ago but that is rare.   

It was hot and I see metal is the new canvas for photography.  I LOVE metal images but they cost so much to produce..   I have a couple.  This is printed on aluminum and is in the basement.  

This would look good on metal. 

Peripheral

OH yea - this 30x40 metal print is above our sink 

The Time Machine

As you can see I believe you need a lot of color with metal which is sort of big now I think.  I did not see any muted brown art like you always see in Parade of Homes. 

Notice the last two images - MAN they do not go next to each other do they.  Peripheral is so colorful on it's own but get Time Machine next to it - yuck.   Something most people never notice but booths are a piece of art on their own.  Hours and hours are spent moving things around to get the right layout.   I have spreadsheets with every layout.  

You need to have everything you need to run a small business right there.  It's is a nightmare which is why don't art fairs anymore, and that is on GOOD weather days. rain? is a double nightmare.

Harmony

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Speaking of weather, for anybody counting, we have had 17 days above 90.  The swimming pool should be making a ton of money THIS year.  Everyone knows 90 degrees are the money makers in swimming pools. 

We have a change in weather patterns sliding to just below average (like uppers 70s) for the next few weeks.   No real rain until Thursday and Friday and should be quit pleasant for a stretch. 

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Seems your typical bag of Cheetos is 59% air. 

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Annual injuries to children playing soccer is up 111% in the last 20 years. This emphasis on playing one sport and no others has had what appears to be a substantial effect on the injury rate.  " U.S. youth soccer may be “hyper-exclusive” and “too expensive” and “causing injuries to children at an unprecedented rate” and “forcing specialization too soon at the athletes’ 

Who knew soccer would be the EXPENSIVE sport.  Meanwhile - the greatest player ever to play soccer is American and playing in Europe.  He was given a contract when he was 15 and he DOD NOT go to a hyper-exclusive camp.  But actually plays for fun and only practiced twice a week.  

Sadly I don't have a clue what his name is (it was on TV) but from all reports this kid is far far above anything anybody has seen before.  

All this while soccer is dying in America.  Child participation  6-12 is down 14% in the last 3 years.  

On that note why does Columbus even HAVE a soccer program. It makes zero sense to me. There is a MUCH better organizational in Columbus. Why are we trying to invent a wheel when we have one already - why not SAVE the city money and concentrate on something we're actually good at. 

If there is an organization already providing a service, why do we need to expend energy AND money with ANOTHER ONE!  It's just financially irresponsible and makes no sense to me.   If we had a company that plowed our roads for free should the city say - "NO, we will plow them and charge the citizens".      If there was a very good tennis group that was vibrant, should the city decide to ALSO have a tennis group and charge it's citizens with taxes?

If there is an outside business that fulfills a void why not let THEM do it and do something that we do not already have.  sigh! 

MEANWHILE - baseball and basketball (ignored by the city) is on an uptick when it comes to youth sports. American soccer is lost 600,000 kids in the past few years to other sports. And here is Columbus trying hurt private business with a duplicate organization. 

Columbus needs to get out of the soccer business.  Nuff said.  

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Taking Gus to the shop to get Kennel Cough shot - talk at ya later. 

Rod