Some quick observations about reading tarot professionally.

I was joking to Luiz about how at least 30% of reading for the public is showmanship.  There's a whole art, I've come to realize about delivery.  How you package the message.  I can look at the cards, and in an instant, I'm like "mmhmm. got it."  That's all I need.  For *you*, I've got to bring that "mmhm" into language.  I have to soften the blow of hard news, and deliver it as a warning instead of some kind of dire fate.  If the reading is boring, I have to play it up and make it more-ish.  Today, I had a lady come in for a 3 card spread and she asked me about finances, the cards literally told her to stop being a miser. Full stop. That one required a little showmanship to get through.  I can't build a business on one sentence outcomes.  The cards, though, they don't give a flying fuck about my business.  I'm at their mercy.  I do love online readings for that.  I don't need to act or play anything up, it becomes very natural to communicate in print.

Showmanship on all levels.  Lately, my tarot space has been under huge change.  I'm getting all of Meri's crap out of my loft, and trying to claim it, paint, and set up some inventory.  So, while I'm closed, I go into VV wearing my torn up working clothes, because there's a lot of vintage dirt in VV.  Then my regular customers come in for a reading, and instead of wearing a dress and jewelry, I'm wearing a tee shirt with holes in it and dirty jeans.  I'm comfy, but I feel like I'm not giving them my best.  I need a hair cut and a manicure, too.  I want my space to be beautiful and artistic, and I need to be that too.

It's happening.  I'm doing this for real. With four walls, a roof, and a following.  With a paycheck, and a place to go every day, and I'm doing exactly what I love.  If you had told me it would happen six months ago, I would have died laughing.