Home Again!

I'm happy to report that my trip went without a hitch. At least, the important part did: my Process Room demo was fine.

I got in to KC later than expected on Wednesday, due to some little issue with the plane losing an engine and having to make an emergency landing in St. Louis. Super fun. I am not a white-knuckle flyer usually but I made an exception during that landing. Anyway I got to KC too late to do much more than find some friends and drink. Oh, and sing karaoke. And take this photo with my NCECA-wife, Soozie:

I was so nervous on Thursday that I couldn't enjoy the conference. I couldn't concentrate on anything, and eventually just gave up around 2 pm and went back the the hotel room, read a book (A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms), made myself breathe slowly, and snoozed a little bit. Then I got up, found some lunch, and made my way to the Process Room to await my execution. I mean, demo. But at the time it felt more like the former.
And then a funny thing happened: we set up the wheel and tables, I arranged my tools, Paul Dresang made my introduction, I started talking...and all my nerves fell away. I was completely comfortable, just did and said my thing as rehearsed, answered questions, and it all went perfectly. Just another class, like I do several times a week.
In a way, it was like karaoke. You can't enjoy karaoke until you lose your fear of looking foolish. And once you do, karaoke becomes a no-consequence proposition: do well, or do poorly, it doesn't matter. I highly recommend it, actually. Once you understand that you don't die of looking silly, the world opens up.

I don't have a video of the demo yet.That will, eventually, be on NCECA's website. I did however, take about thirty-squirty million photos of work I saw in the various shows around town, bought some new tools, and a Victoria Christian mug; all of which I will share with you soon, maybe even later today. However, having been away for four days, I have 43 emails which need replies, pottery tour work to catch up on, and a kiln to unload; so it may take a bit of time.

Anyway, glad to be home, and excited and energized to start working again.