where I've been...

Nowhere. I'm a blur--working harder, faster, longer, deeper, better than I have ever before in my life. Happy holidays! This year, I've spent over a month hard at it--and boy did the monkey wrenches come a-flying. Throwing at top speed, glued to the computer when I'm not elbow deep in clay or glaze, running my business like a machine. Me being the machine, that is. I was thoroughly flummoxed by this years' holiday rush--caught completely off guard, without any hired help, (bad move!) but jumped in with both guns a-blazing... I feel like I was tossed into a tornado of early holiday orders and suddenly sprouted a new set of hands and arms to deal with it. I also began a new workout regimen--short, fast and intense bodyweight-only workouts a few times a week-- a little yoga, pushups, pullups, crunches, and hundreds of mountain climbers. (gawd, those are tough!) But a new set of muscles has served me well. I had, for years, suffered with shoulder/neck issues after only an hour or two of throwing, requiring me to pace my workdays to accomodate the dreaded head, neck and body aches that I had accepted as a hazard of the job. Now that I've grown all my new muscles, I can throw 40 bowls in an afternoon with little or no pains afterwards--and go dancing later!! Lightbulb moment!!! All you potters out there, take heed! I remember, years ago at a Tom Coleman workshop, he described his own back problems and how weightlifting had kept him intact for potting. Why, oh why did I not listen?? Well, better late than never, I say. Thank you Mr. Coleman.
I'm also standing on the brink of something. Not at all sure what it will bring--maybe some changes in my life. Maybe nothing much. Tomorrow morning (I'm writing this Thursday night) something of mine will be mentioned (possibly) on a national tv show. I began this crazy week nose to the grindstone at full speed. Tuesday I got an email to ship some bowls to NYC for a possible spot on Friday's Today show. (!) You read correctly! Maybe the spot will get killed, maybe it will air, maybe people will head over to my shop and place some orders. We'll see what tommorow brings. Regardless, I feel surprisingly calm. But thoroughly grateful. On my knees grateful. To be able to create and share my handiwork with the world--to have amazing, sweet customers who appreciate my work has been one of the greatest gifts of my lifetime. And this last month of better, faster, more, more, more has been a kind of daily zen meditation. Being present to what each moment requires. Switching gears at a moments' notice, observing myself fluidly (mostly) moving from mom, to potter, to product designer, to photographer, to customer service rep, to salesperson, to packing and shipping clerk, to girlfriend, to dancer nearly every single day from 7am to midnight. I can identify with the juggler who keeps getting new items tossed at him and just works them all into the air. Wow--taking a moment to write this post and think about what I've been doing the last month is giving me some perspective. I definitely wouldn't want to continue at this pace for much longer, but in a short burst it's been rather refreshing. Not that I haven't been a little freaked out--oh I have had one good meltdown per week. (not so bad, honestly) letting off a little steam...but I am bummed I haven't had the time to go see Harry Potter yet.