Busy days at the studio, as it turns out the holiday season left a larger dent than I expected in my inventory. So many perfumes need to be blended and matured in their vats - both in alcohol and oil forms. It requires concentration (so I can count and measure in Hebrew - so long distance calls from Israel should remain unanswered so I don't loose count), and getting started on any writing project will only distract me and put me in a disadvantage. Especially since time IS a factor: if those batches don't get blended now, it will only delay when they are ready.

The pace of the season is certainly different than market season, where there is no lab time at all (except for some "emergencies"). But it's busy nontheless - almost in a similar way to how summer was: preparing for the next big season (spring), and trying to keep up with orders, as well as beginning new projects for this year.

I have already met with my publicist after deciding what perfumes and/or new products will be released this year. My tea parties and many other special events for the year are already planned out. It's amazing how different this year is from the ones previous to that - after being in the business for 10 years I'm kind of able to predict the future a little better (in terms of anticipating what might happen each season; I'm no psychic!).

And it's also time for inventory count of raw materials, which will lead to ordering new supplies, AGAIN. This is always a big-deal to me both financially and, well - a little emotional too: it's always a toss between buying just what's necessary for the ongoing production (aka tried and true formulas that have been in demand for years) and exploring new raw materials, which will inevitably lead to creating new perfumes. Inventory count is a little scary, and I'm thinking the only way I will get it done this week (as per original plan) is by teaching my interns tomorrow about inventory and supply management. Talking about a teaching moment...

With the lab and client meetings taking the majority of my time this month (interns included! they are here to study and learn more than help), I've found very little time for writing so far. And also, since the nature of my lab work has been mostly production, and not necessarily creative, there is not much to write home about... At least not until a few things get cleared off my big full "to blend" box (I actually have a box like that, the equivalent of an inbox of a clerk in an office environment, only that it smells so much better than paper and ink...).

That is - with the exception of a couple of private-label/custom scents, which I'm DYING to tell you about; but will have to wait till they are ready and my clients are ready to bring to the limelight. I'm also gradually going to need to get back to a few perfumes that have been in the making (or are planned for release in 2012/2013!) that need fine tuning and perfecting, or are missing a name, or are waiting for the right material to complete them.

And another two mammoth projects that I'm going to begin this year - translating my business into the French language (website and labeling), and the cookbook that I've been planning to do. I think just came up with the best excuse for procrastination: I know that if I start either of these, I won't be able to get up and do anything else till the job is done. I'm very task oriented, and with things that take such a long time to produce and require a lot of sitting down and writing, it can be rather painful (physically). I'm going to keep in mind my fanbook, which was done in installments, and kept me constantly feeling inadequate because I still haven't finished writing this bloody thing (not to mention that most of the illustrations - about 98% of them - were original photography of raw materials by yours truly). Part of me knows that the only way to attack these two mammoths is to get started with something. ANYTHING, for that matter. Sort of like sewing a giant patchwork garment for each mammoth. It probably won't matter where I start (with the feet, perhaps?) as long as I start. And the mammoths probably will care very little if they are naked for the next couple of years, because these were some hairy elephants...

That is enough of talking to myself now. Back to the lab I go! But not before I go outside to get a breath of fresh, zero celsius air.