Sunday, August 16, 2009

Baby, if you've ever wondered...

...Wondered, whatever became of me? Well, I am still here, trying to regain my traction. Here's what's keeping me away from the blogosphere:



1)Recovery from my mysterious shoulder injury has been painfully (literally) slow, so I am limited to a few pots at a time before the ache starts in. Few pots means a long time between firings.

2)It seems like there is just less time in the day this summer than usual, in part because I am trying to get my big old house painted. I am painting cream over dark-brown-faded-to-brick, so many, many coats are needed. I actually started this project two summers ago, just pecking away at it when I had an hour here or there; but I am getting sick of it looking like ass, blotchy and half done. I won't be able to finish it this year -- doing so will require a longer ladder, which is not in the budget -- but I want everything I can reach, done. It is sucking up all of my time.

3) I am letting myself get way too down reading about the efforts in Washington toward health care reform. I think it is the most important issue our country has faced in a long time, and I am discouraged by how many people, politicians and otherwise, seem content to simply leave things the way they are. Hey, they've got theirs, right? But don't let me get started on that. It takes up too much of my mind as it is, and this blog is not the place for it.



On the plus side, it has been a boom year for pottery sales, as I have two new outlets this season that regularly send nice checks. One is a year round store, one open from May to December. If I could just make more pots, I could probably do even better. I am considering pulling work from the outlets which don't do well, but that seems...I don't know. Not nice, somehow. You can see I lack the killer business instincts. On the other hand they might rather have the space for other work.



It's time once again to forgive myself for not being superhuman, and just get done what I can, and let go of the rest. Carpet covered with cat hair? Hakuna Matata! Garden getting weedy? ♫ Shadda-dadda, that ain't no crime!
Seriously, some self-love is in order. That and a goal-setting reboot, coming soon to a blog near you.

2 comments:

Linda Starr said...

Hi Lori, I was wondering about you and your shoulder. Do you do hand building - would you be able to do that with your shoulder? Boy, it seems like you and I are thinking along the same lines. I've been getting kind of groutchy not working with clay these last couple of weeks. Glad the sales are doing good for you though it must be frustrating not being able to produce more. Have you tried the glucosomie with chondroitin and ice packs? Hang in there perhaps the cooler weather will help your shoulder.

Lori Watts said...

Hi Linda! Yes, I've been using glucosamine& ice. I think it does help. I hand build, also, mostly with slabs, which I can do for a while, but cetrain motions start to hurt after a while.
I've decided that, once I get the bill for the diagnosis paid, i will go in for the cortisone shot, if I haven't regained full use by then.
I had some slab built mugs in teh last firing, but have sent them off to a seasonal store already. I'll post the next ones.
Glad to "see" you here!
Lori