giddy with happiness / 瘋狂的一天

今天一早在印刷室，特蕾莎拿著一本新書興奮地衝過來和我說那是最新出版的繪本介紹，雖然一買就是幾十磅，讓她整個人靈感上身，我們才要開始工作，火警警鈴響起，我們被迫要撤出，我忘了帶外套，泰緹安娜提議去學校旁的咖啡館坐坐讓我取暖，不過一想到救火車在現場，而我居然忘了帶照相機，沒法替我家男孩拍照，真是可惜。總之進咖啡館是我金錢失控的開始，做印刷是件很花錢的事，除了曝光一張網六磅，還要準備紙張，我正在做下週日要帶去波隆納的小書，一印就要十幾二十份，只好衝去美術行買一整本紙。然後看到特蕾莎印在背袋上，我又受不了誘惑，立刻又衝下去買，念藝術要有花錢如流水的心理準備。

This morning in the printmaking room, Teresa came in in excitement showing me a new book on illustration she had bought yesterday. Though she spent around 30 quids, she was totally inspired. Right when we were about to begin working, the fire alarm went off. We were forced to evacuate. It was a pity that I left my camera at home or I could have taken a photo of the fire engines for my dear boys. I also forgot to take my coat with me from the printmaking room. Tatiana offered to go to Cafe No. 67 nearby for me to stay warm. Well, going into the cafe was the beginning of my financially insane day. Printmaking is a money-consuming thing. Apart from the emulsion on each screen that costs 6 pounds, I have to prepare paper as well. I am now working on a picture book I'll take with me to Bologna Book Fair next Sunday. I have to produce at least 10 to 20 copies, so I bought a book of paper in the uni shop. Then seeing Teresa print her image on tote bags, I couldn't resist the temptation. So I rushed back to the shop again. Well, if you are going to major in art, you have to be mentally prepared that it's inevitable to spend loads of money...

故事書還沒印好，不過袋子先出場，過幾天完工之後再和大家分享吧！出入印刷室多多少少就是那些人，因為真的很花錢，大家都有種要破產，但是又無比快樂的矛盾。特蕾莎問我：你什麼時候會回本？我說：八月就回到原來的工作了。她答：我永遠都無法回本，為了鼓勵她我說：那我會買你的作品。我喜歡當藝術家，但有錢更重要啊，說我是世俗的歐巴桑吧，不過這就是我的經驗教我的領悟‧‧‧趁現在還能過得很脫俗時好好享受吧！

My storybook is not finished yet, but here is the tote bag. I'll post my story on the blog in a few days. Now it's the same set of people that go into the printmaking room. Since it costs a lot, we have the feeling that we are going bankrupt soon. Meanwhile, we are giddy with a kind of happiness that can't be described in words. Teresa asked, "When will you get your money's worth?" I said, "I'll go back to my job in August." She went on to say, "I'll never get it back." To encourage her, I replied, "I'll buy your works then." I love to be an artist, but to be honest, it's more important to have money. Call me mundane or worldly, but this is what my experience has taught me. I am going to make the most out of it while I can still lead an unworldly life for the time being...

註：並沒有火災，只是防火演習啦！


Note: There was no fire. It was just a fire test...