Happenings.

So in the past month or so quite a bit has taken place. For one thing it's pretty much no longer fall. We have definitely experienced some winter weather recently and even had snow flurries during kiln building class.

So yeah, all those beautiful yellow leaves are history.

We had the symposium. It was one of the most exhausting whirlwind weekends I've had. It made me feel like I was back in China.

Master Feng demonstrating overglaze technique.

Keith from NCECA sketched Master Feng while he was working. I loved his sketch. That's one of the things I love about being around artists. One of my goals is to have awesome sketchbooks full of fun drawings and sketches.

And if being around the Chinese artists wasn't enough to make me feel like I was back in China seeing the 8 foot vases hanging out behind the ceramics studio certainly made me feel like I was back there.

In addition to the Chinese artists who came in to demonstrate at the symposium Professor He also came back this year to work on an sculpture for our school. He was a wonderful addition to the studio. He left this past Sunday to go back to China and those of us students still at school before break joined our professors and other faculty and their families and had a goodbye dinner with him. It was wonderful. It combined two of my very favorite things: ceramics and China/Chinese. I will miss Professor He. And Bangmin is leaving in December. I will miss him too. Anyway, the dinner was so similar to the dinners we had in China. Great food, everyone was hanging out and having a good time. I felt so incredibly blessed and content to be right where I was. This semester has had its share of ups and downs but overall I am so grateful to be at my school with the people I know and to be doing work that I love.

I am taking Chinese 1 this semester and through my class I got a language partner. She is really fun and I'm glad we're becoming friends! She's from Hong Kong and speaks Cantonese, Mandarin and English. I found out recently that Bangmin speaks 5 or 6 different languages- most of them different Chinese languages. I'm so impressed with these folks who learn to speak so many different dialects and languages. I have actually decided to stay at my school for one more year to get a second major in Chinese studies. I enjoy it so much that I want to learn to speak the language and understand the culture. I'm really excited about it. I love my Chinese class a lot. The teacher is great and my classmates are too.

The roomies and I had a little Thanksgiving dinner party and invited all our local siblings and friends to come over. It was a good time. My roomies and I love to have people over and we like to cook so it was a good combination for us. I volunteered to make the potatoes and appreciated my roommate's comment on the board. I love those girls.

And now it's late and I'm tired. So I suppose I'll stop here and get some sleep. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Goodnight!

more greenware...

at least I finally like these pots. After quite a few panicky weeks where I hated pretty much everything I made I finally made a couple of things that I am happy with. They're a start at least. Hopefully the ideas will develop into something better that the originals.

There are more pieces, but this is all I've taken photos of recently. I made some small and large bowls that I like as well.

My pottery has become quite feminine lately. I think it's a compensation effect since I've felt so dirty and messy all semester. I make up for it by wearing skirts and dresses whenever possible, going swing dancing and making girly pots.

You do what you have to do I guess.

Give Thanks

So once again it's been over a month since I've posted. In my absence though I've been busy busy busy and simultaneously hating and loving it. I'm now visiting with my family and trying to remember how to take it easy and relax. Funny how I get so used to being in a really busy routine and then all of a sudden it stops and I become very anxious. I don't think that's particularly healthy.

Since we're about to celebrate Thanksgiving I think I should say a few things that I am grateful for. In no particular order:

• my health. Despite being really busy and not maintaining a normal eating/sleeping cycle each day I've made it through the semester with a cold and that's it.
• Safety. And for the guys who got me a knife, flashlight and a can of mace for my birthday. And heck, for that matter I'm thankful for all the nice guys I know who I could call on if there was a problem.
• My classmates. The people I spend more time with throughout the year than anyone else. As cheesy as it sounds they are a family to me and I love them dearly. I'm pretty broken-hearted over the fact that so many of them will be graduating or returning to China within the next month and semester. I'm so grateful for the community that we make up and for what they each contribute to the studio.
• My church. I don't think I've ever been a part of a church that God has used to teach me so much. Their desire to serve God and see Him change lives and save people is hugely encouraging and inspiring. Their love toward me and so many other students has meant a lot too.
• My family. For the fact that they're safe and healthy and that they love me. For the fact that even though we're spread out we're all doing well and busy and close.
• For technology, so we can all keep in touch more easily.
• For my roommates. I live with 3 lovely, godly young women who are wonderful friends.
• For my unborn nephew. Due in March! Yay for little boys!
• For my Bible study group. Getting to know other people and studying the Bible with them has been a highlight of the semester.

And for many other things. I hope everyone else has a great Thanksgiving!