Obligations in the name of Art, Food Samples and Kittens

Last night I had to attend the reception for an art show in which I have a piece. I'm never comfortable at receptions, whether or not I'm showing, because of the obligations there are to

1. Stand
2. Compliment an artist whether or not I like the work
3. Graciously accept a compliment from someone I suspect could care less about my artwork but feels obligated to compliment it
4. Compliment an artist whose work I really, really like but am not going to buy
5. Graciously accept a compliment from someone who I know really, really likes my work but I know is not going to buy any of it
6. Not eat anything for fear of having food stuck between my teeth and having it show when I smile during obligations 2-5 above
7. Wear lipstick and risk the likelihood it will transfer to my teeth and will show when I smile during obligations 2-6 above

Obligations 2 and 4 can be applied to all of my experiences with food-tasting demos at supermarkets, street fairs, and farmers markets but not at Costco. I could never be a food demo representative because of constantly having to give in to obligations 1, 3, 5, 6 and 7.

Every so often I have to bring my foster kittens to mobile adoptions and it's a dreadful experience. I don't really care if people don't like or want to buy my artwork but I do care if people don't want to adopt my foster kittens. When someone approaches the cage my kittens are in, I don't care if shreds of beef are hanging from between my teeth, I will tell them everything they could want to know and more about my babies, whereas if I see someone approach a piece of my artwork at a show, I'll pretend I don't see what's going on and will head for the bathroom. Obligations 1, 3 and 5 are the bugaboos of mobile adoptions for me when I'm showing my fosters.

At the top of the post is Dobro, who came to me when he was ten days old. His eyes had just opened and his ear flaps were only beginning to lift. He was a miserable wretch of a baby kitten, mainly because he had no siblings and only me for his mother. He suffered terribly from teething and had perpetual runs. The only time he didn't cry was when he was nursing from a bottle or sleeping. About two weeks later I brought home six orphan kittens just his age and overnight he turned into a happy little guy. There is more, so much more, to say about that and I will, you can bet that.