How good is 'good enough'?

I've been wracking my brain about this beadmaking competition, fretting about what to enter. So, why do we enter competitions? I decided to ruminate a bit on this, and here's the result (in no particular order):

1) To see my beads in print. Shameless, I know, but in the same way I get a thrill out of picking up an academic publication with my name on it, I know I will feel an irrational sense of achievement to see my bead in glossy print. Silly, I know, but there you have it. And because the magazine seeks to show as many entries as possible, there's a good chance my beadies will make the glossy page, if not a prize.

2) To promote lampworking variety in the UK. There is so much going on in the US, and I myself hanker after beads from several US beadmakers. But! there are sooo many excellent beadmakers in the UK, such variety, we should be proud of what we have achieved in the relatively short time lampworking has been around over here (and hats off to the old hands who held the fort!). It's about a community, and I'm proud to be part of it.

3) To put myself under pressure. Yes, I thrive on pressure. Sue me! :o) I love deadlines, I enjoy tinkering. The competition has allowed me to push my limits, to try new things, rather than settling for 'same old, same old' - and that's a good thing.

Those are my main reasons. So, what to submit? Something to show off every ounce of skill I possess (whatever there is ;o)? Something (as a friend suggested) that shows off the 'essence' of who I am, what kind of beadmaker I am? Errrrr....pass! The bead I'm most certain stands a chance of winning? Eep!

So I simply decided to submit the one that says most to me. From then on in, it doesn't really matter what it says to others. As Tucholsky says (he's a German writer, by the way, and I am paraphrasing!) - 'there's no such thing as freshly fallen snow. Somebody has always left tracks, been further, higher, than you. Don't let that discourage you. It's new to you, and that is all that matters. For you, the snow is fresh. Go on and leave your tracks.'

So, I'm not going down the 'safe' route, I'm not submitting a rose. I'm making my own tracks. Which is why....you can meet Racquel! :o)))