Pottery class

At the end of last year, I decided that as soon as registration opened, I was going to sign up for a pottery class at City Arts in Wichita. And I was going to do it on the first day that way I could not talk myself out of it. So I did. 

Fast forward to February. I found myself heading to Wichita for my very first class with absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into. (Honestly, I was annoyed at my past-self for being so determined to that this class. What was I thinking? I had no creative energy). 

But turns out, my past-self new what she was doing. I've been struggling with depression and burnout for awhile now. Part of how I wanted to address was going from being full time to only 80% at work. But after being told no (that's a whole other story), I knew I needed to do something completely different, even if was only going to be a temporary fix. So I signed up for pottery and specifically chose the one that would force me to leave work in the middle of the day and be unreachable. Amazingly enough, I got my supervisor to agree to it.

For 8 weeks, I headed to Wichita every Tuesday afternoon for my pottery class. Since it was during the afternoon, it was a very small class (which is what I was hoping for) and completely overwhelming. It was a wheel class, which is so cool but incredible hard to get the technique down. I had moments of wanting to scream, cry and give up (see depression). But I hung in there. I started asking about 1000 questions to our instructor and by our last day with clay, things were finally starting to click. I was definitely the worst in our class, (which was really hard for my perfectionist student mind-set), but I really proud of myself. And proud that I actually walked out of that class with something to show for it. I tried something new. I challenged myself (something I wanted to do especially since my job is too boring). I was not on a screen. And I got Starbucks afterwards and dinner to take home. It was amazing. And the best way to shake up my mundane winter life.

I really want to take the class again, but am going to wait until later in the year (or the beginning of next year). (I don't want to miss any sessions since there are only 8 classes in total and I travel more in the spring/summer). In the meantime, I have a box full of wonky, but lovable pottery pieces. I am not sure what to do with them, but that's okay. I made them and I am proud of these babies.