Sunday, September 8, 2013

Sunday is going to be

another work day for us.
The last of the pots were glazed yesterday between waiting on customers and a visit with a good friend.
It seems that glazing for some kilns can go faster than others.
Or, it is just my mental expectation of wanting to be finished so that we can move on or back to the wheels.

I try to look at what we are doing in stages.
Stage one, we are making pots, drying and firing for glaze.
Stage two, we are waxing and glazing pots.
Stage three, we load up the kiln and brick the door.

Stage four, fire.
Then I like stage six, we wait to unload.
While waiting for the kiln to cool it feels like we can clean up a bit, work on other things, get ready for the next load, do some planning for the pots that need to be made.
Stage seven, unload, sand, price, email customer for orders, ship orders, stock store, stock co-op.

I use to find that when we first started doing this as a business I always felt as if my choices were wrong.
I should be doing x instead of y.
Now I just take the stage we are in and try to relax into it.
It helps if I distract that part of my brain that wants to tell me, " you should be doing...."

You know the brain, it will make you nutty if you allow it to take over.
At least mine will.
If I am in the groove and need to fill that brain space with something else I might play a movie in my head, rehash a book that I am reading, think about words and phrases that I like, make carrots for myself; If you get this done you can go do.......

So, right now I am at the, if you get this done stage, you can go do......

I need those carrots.
How about you?
M


8 comments:

smartcat said...

It took me a long time to find my studio rhythm, but now, I just fall into it. Waiting for the kiln to cool is the hardest part. Patience does not come naturally to me.

I enjoyed your last post about the caterpillars. Now I know why se have so many black butterflies. We have a sassafras plantation! I got rid of all the wild cherry as it was only providing space for tent caterpillars, which are almost as disgusting as Gypsy Moths!

Those ewers are real beauties!

cookingwithgas said...

Look for those folded over leaves and see if there are some there.
I am smitten with them, they are so cute.

smalltownme said...

"Now I just take the stage we are in and try to relax into it."

That's such good advice for life.

Lori Buff said...

I often listen to podcasts or audiobooks while I'm working to give my brain something to focus on when I start thinking I should be doing x versus y.

Laurie said...

Yep, carrots work for me too... some days. I need to work more on relaxing in the moment, as my brain tells me a lot of "should be doings". Good advice.

cookingwithgas said...

With 2 of us in the studio we many times have to agree on what is on the music station and or NPR.... I tried books on tape but me mind wanders too much.

Gary's third pottery blog said...

oh its true, sometimes you are breaking your back running around the studio and town and everywhere....carrots? it is usually pretty damn quiet in the studio in January :)

Unknown said...

You were just checking to see if I would mention Stage 5, right? (c: