Health problems + Ghibli CD important update (Patreon)

Dear Patrons!

Health problems and important Ghibli CD update for today. 

Short resume:

I'm currently going through considerable health problem. Nothing related to covid. I have to deal with major pain crisis which forces me to rest. I want to apologize for the Patreon and our social networks being rather silent right now.
I have some lull periods and I use it to focus on the Ghibli album / Indiegogo and also to write you this update.

About the album, as I mentioned in other updates, there is massive shortage of raw material which is causing quite some unexpected delays. According to the factory, I won't receive the CD in time to ship it for Christmas. I know some people planned to offer it for Christmas. It's out of my hands and the situation is changing daily. As for now, everything should be shipped in January.

I would like to apologize about that, I'll make sure it was worth the wait!
Please read the long version if you want more details and explanation.

Long version:

I'm currently going through substantial health problems. Nothing related to covid.
It has started approximately 2 weeks ago. As you maybe know I had an emergency surgery as well few weeks ago and it's pretty much new for me to take medication and to go regularly to the hospital. I'm usually quite rarely sick.
The doctors are still investigating what's wrong in my body but the diseases they mention aren't really reassuring. I'm hoping for the best but as for now I have to deal daily with massive pain crisis that are knocking me out completely and that lasts for quite a few hours. I never felt anything like that and it makes me quite weak and tired.
In such state I can't dedicate myself as much as I wish to the Grissini.
It's also the reason why the Patreon is quite silent right now. I had planned a video resume of our crazy year together on Patreon but I'm not sure I'll be able to take care of it in time. I was also planning to start posting the Ghibli videos on december but I might delay to January.
It depends how my state will evolve in the coming weeks but from what I understand I'm far from the end still.
I have lull periods away from the pain and I'm trying to take as much of this time as possible to work on the Ghibli album / Indiegogo campaign first. Also, to write you this message.

About the Ghibli album, there is another thing interfering with the production of the album.
As you might now, there is raw material shortage going on around the world. It affects quite a lot of industries, like furniture and material industries.
The CD and Vinyl industry hasn't been spared and is actually hardly hit.
I was in touch very early before the campaign with the factories to check the pricing and how to shape the campaign with the shipment timings and such. Prices have raised drastically (~30%) and delays have been almost doubled.
I had plan this whole crowdfunding campaign in order to have all the CDs shipped in time for you to get it under the Christmas tree. I tried my very best to make it a reality but some elements are out of my hand and now it's clear it won't be possible.
I had some possibilities to make the production faster by removing some options that'll lower the quality of the CD as an object. Since you already have the audio files, I believe it is important that the CD is as great as possible as an object. Therefore in such conditions I think it's better to wait a bit rather than having a sloppy CD.
I know some people will be disappointed to not have it under the Christmas tree. It's a bit frustrating since I planned everything around that regarding the schedule of the Indiegogo and so on.
My apologies! Running a musical ensemble / entertainment business in the middle of a pandemia with all the consequences it has, comes with quite some challenges!
So far, according to the factory I'll receive and ship the CDs in January. For Vinyls, June is the earliest date they gave me, which is three months more than the initial delivery schedule they gave me when I first started planning with them.
They are quite professional and I trust them completely since we've been working together for years. I'm sure it'll be worth the wait!

Anyway! Some silence, some delays, some troubles, but still! I can't wait for 2022 and all the things that are coming up! Exciting chalenges and a lot to explore artistically 🙂

PS: As a token of gratitude, here is an exclusive photo that'll figure in the album booklet! I'll make this one public accompanying this post. Group photo on spot of the Mononoke hime and the Castle in the Sky shootings! 🙂

Cheers,
Grissini