Adios Amigos

I made the announcement today that I'll soon be closing my BeadShop, and going out of the bead business. I know that seems unthinkable to some people, but it's been coming for some time now, and I think I can explain why.

I've been at the torch for almost 16 years. My usual stint at most things is about 7 years. Although it's been a good long ride, it's time to move on. In the time I've been making beads, I've seen countless new beadmakers hit the scene, some of them good, creative, original artists, and some just copying what's already working for someone else. I've had my share of copy-cats, and although they never really hurt me, I have to admit to finding them annoying. Anyway, over the years we all began to notice something of an overabundance of beads out there. Combine that with a slow economy, and many of us who were used to making a good living from our beads gradually found it harder and harder to make ends meet. Cheap Chinese lampwork, although well known to be of inferior quality, also hurt us because people who didn't know any better started buying it instead of all the wonderful artist made beads available. The price is right, and they're pretty. But what can we do? I for one can't work for sweat shop wages.

I'm actually really grateful for all the seeming "downturns" in my business. It's hard to walk away from a business that's thriving, but as it is, I'm more able to admit that I'm done, and to allow myself to imagine what comes next. Something always comes next! My plan is to build a new business as a vegan food coach and cooking instructor. This is what makes my heart sing now, and I'm always the first to tell someone to do what makes their heart sing. Life is short. Get on with it.

To close out the BeadShop in style, I'm sorting through a mountain of beads and jewelry that go back to my very beginnings at the torch. Starting Monday I'll be offering most of it for sale, about 30 - 50 pieces at a time, until it's all gone. I'm finding things I didn't even remember saving. 16 years is a long time, and a lot of beads.

With all this happening, it also occurred to me that it's time to end this blog. I started it when we were traveling, but now we're more settled than ever back in Taos - at least until we're not. Anything could happen, but it feels like we'll be here for a while, and we like that. We took the long way home, and here we are. Home. Not exactly back home, because everything is different now. Moving forward from here means even more things will change, and because I'm putting my focus and attention into what matters to me now, that means leaving behind what's no longer of service.

Blogs end. New lives begin. I'm so grateful to all of you who have been reading along with me all this time, and I invite you to come over to my other blog, Positively Vegan, to continue the journey with me. You don't have to be vegan to hang out with me (just ask my friends). My focus now is on cooking and wellness, for humans, animals, and the planet, and I imagine you can find a place for yourself in there somewhere. Besides, I think my new adventures are every bit as interesting as my old ones. It's not just about food, it's about life. Or as a Zen monk who's name I can't remember once said, "When I give you food, it's not about food. It's about everything."

As a beadmaker, I always wanted to decorate everyone I knew. I still do, only now I want to decorate them from the inside out. Follow me over to Positively Vegan, and we'll keep the fun going! And starting Monday, check the BeadShop for vintage Kim Miles treasures. This is the first batch I'll be listing, and I have tons more...

Happy trails, my friends! Thanks for being here!

xoxoxo Kim

Back In Bloom

Well, well... I didn't see them coming, but flowers are making their way back to my studio. I really thought I was done with them, but that was back in January, when the landscape wasn't exactly flowery and inspiring. Now Taos is back in bloom though, and it seems to be contagious. Nothing wrong with that, although I'm really glad I gave myself the nice long break from the "forced blooms" I'd been doing for years. How long will these current glass gardens last? Who knows. I'll make them until I don't make them anymore. How vague and uppity and artisty of me, eh? For now, well, let's just enjoy them while they're here. They can be found in the BeadShop, until they're all picked.

Kim & Lauren are Moving

I've decided to move the "Kim & Lauren" posts, about our upcoming half marathon adventure at Disneyland, over to my other blog, PositivelyVegan. I think it's a better fit, and I hope you'll head over there right this minute and sign up to Follow By Email, "Like" me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, or "Join This Site." PV is growing and taking on a life of its own, and I'd love a nice big audience to go along with it. You don't have to be vegan to enjoy a good meal, or to learn something new. Come on over and see what's cooking. We're having fun!

Kim and Lauren - Post #13

Kim:

We have no Lauren again this week. She's having too much fun, and I'm not going to be the one to pin her down to homework when there are so many other things she can be doing. She's still in the race, and she's still training. My girl is doing great, so you're stuck with me for now...

There's no such thing as time. I know this. That doesn't stop me from sort of obsessively timing my morning runs. In my own defense, I want to know how I'm doing, so I'm at least pretty sure I can finish the race in the alloted time frame. I want to finish that race. So I think it's a good idea to keep track of my progress, so I can push harder gradually, as I go, rather than freaking out in the last three weeks because I'm too slow to finish.

It make sense to me, but maybe I'm wrong... It seems every time I go out to set a personal best, I'm delayed by everything from malfunctioning gadgets, to road work, to cute little puppies that just make me stop and pet them. This morning I had the puppies, fresh, loose gravel, fierce wind, and an interval timer that went berserk after about ten minutes, and wouldn't stop buzzing. I carried it for about a mile, like a big, cranky purple bumble bee, and then tossed it in my driveway, where I'll probably leave it until its battery runs down. 

I finished the rest of my 6 mile jaunt more or less on my own. I still had PodRunner on my phone, to help keep up a brisk pace, but soon the frantic techno drone began to annoy me. I shut it off and turned on some of my own music, and kept going. At first I thought it would be good to run as long as I could, and then walk until I felt rested. Well that didn't work because I tend to relax into the walk, look at the scenery (this is Taos), and forget to start running again. To be honest, I really prefer walking. 

Eventually I compromised with myself. I estimated 30 seconds of running to 30 seconds of walking, and to my surprise, I was able to trot along comfortably for over a mile. I still stopped to pet the puppies, and when I got home I stepped over the buzzing timer and ignored the clock in the house. I think I'll be fine, as long as I just keep going. If letting puppies and beautiful scenery slow me down a few seconds is a bad thing, well, it's a bad thing I can handle.

Kim and Lauren - Post #12

Kim:

It took me a week to catch my breath after the big Seattle trip. This week I came up with a new, more serious, training schedule, and then just to make sure I stay motivated, I signed up for a 5K next month. What? Well, sure, why not? I mean it sounds like a big deal, bit it's just a smidge over 3 miles - 3.1 to be exact - and I do that twice a week already, with a longer run on Fridays. I think it will be good to do a "real" race before the half marathon, and besides, it's for a good cause. It's being put on by the local hospital, which I avoid like... well, like a hospital. But in this case, all the money raised goes to people in the community who are dealing with cancer, not just for medical stuff, but for things like groceries, bills, daycare, and other everyday things. While I refuse to "run for cancer" (what we fight, we feed, and what we focus our attention on gets stronger), I'm more than happy to run for people! That's where my attention is in this. You can lend your support if you like, by making any size donation on my page at the For The Health Of It website.

So to get all this done without embarrassing myself, I've kicked the training into a slightly higher gear. I imagine I'll keep making adjustments, but this week it goes like this: Monday and Wednesday - run 3 miles plus swim aerobics. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, walk 1.5 miles with Rick (he needs to get out there too, but doesn't want to run). Friday is my "long run" day. I think I'll go 4.5 miles this week, like I did last week, and if I feel good at that point, I'll go around the block again, making it 6 miles. The goal is to add a little bit every week.

The other thing I'm working on is the run-to-walk ratio. I'm just not a great runner, but I'm better than I was in February, when I started this! I always say I'm "going out for a run," but right now it's more accurately a "walk/run," which means I'm walking more than I'm running. I have an interval timer I can set to beep at whatever times I want. This week I'm at 1 minute, 10 seconds running, and 3 minutes walking. I keep inching the running time up and the walking time down, and eventually, when I'm able to run at least as much as I walk, it will become a "run/walk" instead of a walk/run. Whether or not I can hit that point by the 5K on June 16 remains to be seen.

OK - that's all I have for now. It's time to go to water aerobics, where I just do the best I can. Doing' my best here, just doin' my best.

~~~

Nothing from Lauren this week. I think she's too busy running to do any writing. I'll try to get her back next week.