Meet T-Raarrr, my dinosaur mug/pitcher/liquid container.
The drip effect was a beautiful accident according to my pottery professor.
Now I understand why a lot of older people take up pottery. It’s very calming. It feels good working with your hands and having a tangible output afterwards. However, the afterwards takes a verrry long time. First, you make your bowl/mug/whatever. Then you let it dry for about 3 days. Then you bake it in the kiln and let it cool in there for about two days. Then you take it out and let it cool completely for about 3 more days. Then you glaze it. Then you let it dry for a couple of days. Then it goes back into the kiln. Cool. Take out. Cool some more. So maybe after a month, you get to see what you’ve done.
I love going to Pottery Class. It’s cathartic and like one long ohm except that you get a nice little piece for your dining set “afterwards.”
I never imagined I’d be doing pottery. Every time I see a pottery wheel, the “Ghost” soundtrack plays on my head and there’s Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze right before my eyes.
But hey, I’m living up in the mountains. I have all the time in the world and I could use a new bowl for my cereal.
And so this is my first creation. This is made of colored clay (hence the marbled effect). I did this with the pinching method. No wheel, no stunts. I just took two colors of clay, pinched away and hoped the kiln makes miracles.
At the finish line
Race Day - 21km Run
Race Day - 90km Bike
The most awesome triathlete can spot her photographer from underwater AND smile and wave.
Race Day - 1.9km Swim
We met several Filipinas working in Taitung. A couple of them are married to Taiwanese men and have set up their own businesses there. They were very warm and generous to us. And they shared the interpreting duties with me. They were awesome. I will go back and visit them as soon as school is out for the summer and test my biking skills.
(Photos from pre-race day)
I first visited Taitung, a county South of Taipei on the Chinese New Year break of 2009. We had a week off from school so a couple of friends and I went around county-hopping, train-surfing around Taiwan in 6.5 days. We spent one night there and moved on to the next county.
3 years later I went back and this time it was like reading a book from cover to cover compared to last time’s blurb page.
I was in Manila a couple weeks ago and met with Direk Lino at Slice High Street (Citrus Burst, I love you). Apparently, Sen. Pia was joining a triathlon in Taitung and she asked me to join the trip. I knew I would get in trouble with my tons of school work but what the hey? Taitung is awesome. I haven’t gone outside Taipei for a long time. And one of my favorite senators is coming to my other home!
And so to Taitung we went. I was a little worried about how far my Chinese skills would take us in a place where there is less English and less pinyin. If all else fails, I say 怎麼辦 (zenmeban - What do I do?) in all my Puss-in-Boots glory.
I’ve been working on a presentation for school for the 6th straight day and night. I finally finished it tonight. I come out of my room all lightheaded and this is the scene in the “living room” which is more of an art studio than anything else.
It’s raining. We’re listening to Radiohead. I watch Along and Bunny create awesome worlds on their own canvasses. I sniff the different kinds of paint.
In this moment I am exactly where I want to be.
(Please click on the photos to view full shots.)
