She's got it
 

Denise, my thanks also for the O'Keefe quote. I love it. She speaks for many of us, I'm sure.

I've made a lot of payment to finally be able to live the life that I've always wanted to live. I believe that's what we all must do. Our efforts are the money that we can use to support our careers. Looking back, I see how selfish I had to be over a period of 15 years. Upon graduation I moved to Taiwan to be an "ARTIST". My parents suffered watching me leave them in NYC. I also suffered.

Sooner or later the phone call at 3:00am must come informing you of the death of someone. I was a bit of a recluse in Taiwan for 6 years, then became a recluse in Kyoto, Japan for 5 years. In that time I managed to get married to a Japanese woman who gives me all she can. I have to thank her for being my best friend.

To be honest, I don't give her half of what she gives me, and she never complains about it. Part of me wishes that I can give her more, but I cannot turn the tides of "Studio Selfishness". Well, I'm happy. I guess I have to acknowledge my own hard work and extreme good fortune. At the beginning of this post I didn't know if I lived a balanced or an imbalanced life. I guess it's imbalanced but fun. Ciao. :)

With 5 kids (6-16), I am currently in the same predicament. I have never professed to be a housewife, only wife (I didn't marry the house) and mother. The title artist only came a few years ago. As I look around my bedroom now, I see a million things that "should" be done, but alas, won't be done until I'm able to afford a maid.

Finally, all of my children are in school, so I paint during school hours. That time disappears during the summer season, when my studio (which is a few miles from my home) is moved to my carport where the north light is gorgeous, the breeze charges my creativity and my children are given a list of chores longer than my "to do list"! My painting time is precious. If I had nothing else pressing to do, I wonder if I would be so driven to create a masterpiece?