Friday, April 24, 2009

Ramblings of a tired new father

Well, our just over one year old computer decided to no longer have a working wireless card, so I'm on my old computer from college. How is this thing still working and our fancy smancy new computer on the fritz? What sucks is that I can't post any pictures (sorry Cameron) because it doesn't have a card reader built in and I don't really feel like looking for the cord to my camera.

Anyways, Genevieve is doing wonderfully!! She is eating extremely well and gaining weight at a rapid pace. Lindsay is the best mother in the world and can't seem to be away from her for more than a few minutes. She also is kind enough to let me sleep through the majority of the night feedings (awesome!). It helps a lot that I lack milk producing boobies, hehe, he said boobies! I told you I was tired.

I seem to have reached a dilemma about my work in clay. We are now super busy at work which is great, but it means that I am very tired when I get home. I'm also tired from the aforementioned lack of sleep. It's also getting flippin hot outside and my studio lacks air conditioning. All of these things make me not want to go out and get to work.
Not to mention that I like to spend some time in the evenings with Genevieve and Lindsay. Excuses seem to abound. I'm sure I'll get the itch before too long, but I already haven't touched clay in almost a month.

I've also temporarily closed my Etsy shop because I packaged all of my work for a show back a couple of weeks ago and have yet to unpack anything. Actually, I was so tired when I got home, I just unloaded the car straight into the studio. (Another reason I haven't gotten out there lately) I'm thinking of taking a bunch of the work up to Southern Pottery and letting someone else sell it for me. I had planned on making a bunch of work and doing a few more shows this season, but I don't see that happening right now. It also doesn't help that the only show I've done this year was a bust. Right about half of last year when I was totally unprepared. I think that part of the problem was that it was the day before Easter. It looked like there was maybe half the attendance of last year. I did get lots of compliments on my new work which was encouraging, but compliments don't pay the bills.

I did meet a local potter there that has a wood kiln out on Edisto, and I told her that if she needed help with the firing and filling of it I would be glad to assist. Don't know if I'll hear anything back, but it would be cool.

Maybe I should start setting goals for what I want to accomplish--I'm going to clean up/out my studio some time this weekend. That's enough. I'll be doing good to do that. And who knows, maybe it will inspire me to get out there and make some work.

Alright, that's enough nonsense for tonight. I promise to get some new pictures of Genevieve up at some point this weekend, and one day my blog will have ceramic work on it again--wouldn't that be a novel idea.


4 comments:

  1. Hi Ben, give yourself a break, you don't want to miss out on Genevieve's first year, that's something you can never recapture, soon enough she'll be "helping" you in your studio. I've been thinking along the same lines about goals and getting organized, but stuff does come up that gets in the way, I'm trying to convince myself to go with the flow. So glad you are all doing so well.

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  2. Dude your slacking hardcore, get back to work! j/k
    Gratz on the baby, I understand your lack of focus. Sometimes its hard to make mud when your brain isn't interested or your body is tired. That’s one challenge that I'm having as well, I want to pot full-time, but I'm sure there will be days when my body/mind is distracted. But you just had a baby so don’t be hard on yourself.
    Inspiration will come, when it does take the extra time to get things worked on.
    Goal setting is the best way to achieve that. One chore at a time.

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  3. I'm so glad your family is doing well. We miss you guys so much and can't wait to meet Genevieve!

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  4. Cut yourself some new daddy slack, Ben! There is no need to add pressure to your life right now - spend time with the baby and wife. Your wife will appreciate it and your baby is going to grow quickly. Before you know it she'll be in middle school like my daughter and you'll wonder where the time went.

    Slow down and enjoy - pottery will be there when you have the time and energy.

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