Archive for January, 2008
January 15, 2008
Watching the potter throw the lump of clay on the wheel, it only took a few minutes to transform the shapeless clay into a perfect round shaped pound cake pan, approximately half the size of a standard pound cake pan. Mesmerized, I remarked, “It looks like magic. One minute you see the clay and before you can blink your eyes, there is another beautiful piece of pottery.”
Chad Brown, the production potter, worked easily and confidently as he controlled the spinning pottery wheel with his hands and right foot on the power wheel. Watching Chad work, I lost track of time while he quickly filled the workshop with greenware pottery to dry before firing in the kiln. Chad said, “I want all of my energy going into actually making the pottery.”
“Chad, how much time does it actually require to create one of those cake pans?” I asked. Without any hesitation, he said, “Forty-five seconds up to two minutes, at the most.” Terry Hunt, owner of Cross Creek Pottery, added, “That is what production potters do. Chad works for me one day a week helping me prepare for our pottery shows which begin in March and continue each month until December. During peak seasons for pottery, we participate in two or three shows per month. This requires us to have a lot of pottery in stock for our customers.”
Adjoining the workshop, shelves lined the store front with finished pieces of pottery such as soup mugs, brie bowls, Rebecca vases, pound cake pans, and cornbread dishes. And, of course, the large decorative pottery jars boldly announced their beauty as well. “From small pieces of pottery to large decorative pieces of pottery, the legacy I want to leave with folks is the fact that I worked with all of it,” Terry remarked.
Turning pottery since 1990, Terry’s favorite pottery to make includes large decorative pots, as well as cups and dishes used for eating. He said there is much competition in the world of pottery. Smiling, Terry remarked, “It is a friendly competition, though. I recommend customers to other potters if I do not make the products they want to buy.”
“You must set yourself apart,” he added as we continued our pottery discussion. Terry noted his brie bowls and drinking cups are among the highly requested pottery products in his shop.”I treat all of my customers the same, whether or not they purchase pottery.
We have ‘lid lifters’ and ‘lid lookers,’” he casually mentioned. The best thing is that even though they may not purchase pottery, the interested ones will tell others what they have seen.
He noted certain items sell better in certain seasons. Face jugs are high dollar items as well as the large decorative jars and Aladdin teapots. However, the price range for miniature pottery is around $7. “Miniature pottery is actually quite valuable because they easily fill in around the large jars and decorative pots,” Terry remarked.
He said, “Pottery is a luxury item for some and a needed item for others. A little bit of my wife and I are in each piece of our pottery.” Continuing to work, Chad smiled and quickly added, “Pottery is a hard way to make easy money.” Terry nodded his head in agreement.
He noted that signing the pottery is often referred to as dirty work because signing and dating 500 or more pieces of pottery at one time is monotonous. “Customers do not purchase unsigned pottery; it is valuable only when signed. They want and buy signed pottery,” Terry said.
Thinking about Terry’s last comment, I realized the importance of the potter’s signature on his work; it is the finishing touch. Unless the pottery is signed, it is neither valuable nor finished, similar to an unsigned check which cannot be cashed or an unsigned letter which is incomplete.
It reminds me of an eternal lesson the creator of the universe is teaching me. Until we accept and receive the master potter’s signature on our life, we are incomplete, just like unsigned pottery.
Terry and Vivian Hunt own Cross Creek Pottery which is located in Seagrove, North Carolina. Visit their website, http://www.crosscreekpottery.com, to learn more about their work of art in pottery.
Angela Scott
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All writings here are copyrighted by Angela Scott. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts.
January 10, 2008
Effortlessly, Al Moessinger led a break-out class at the Ventriloquist ConVENTion in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky. Amazed and inspired by the cohesiveness I felt in the group, I knew this gentleman definitely was a master of his craft.
A few months ago, Al granted me the privilege of an exclusive interview. I believe you, too, will be inspired to use your unlimited potential you may have forgotten.
Al said four essential points drive every event:
1. You must believe in yourself, and relax!
2. Always prepare before each presentation.
3. Adapt your characters to each routine.
4. And remember that the ability to get along easily with people is a must.
With over twenty-five years experience in the entertainment field, Al spoke easily and confidently. He emphasized the fact that the audience is the real hero.
Al has a Ph.D. Life Degree, also known as a Puppet Handling Degree. He noted each performer must ask, “In my own life, what can I do well?” With a clear and definite answer in mind, Al recommended, “Look at what others in your field of work are doing and develop your own unique performance.”
He refers to a syndrome he continually experiences. “I’ve got VMS, a syndrome oftentimes called Voice Modulation Syndrome. But this is a condition that is great to have as an entertainer.
Getting people to laugh is a gift. Laughter is healing. Entertaining is therapy and everyone benefits from laughter. Al remarked, “As you grow, you learn. And, depending on how well you are marketed, you can easily work in a crowded niche.”
Al referred to an equation he believes others would be wise to remember as they prepare for their life’s work. He said, “You get paid in life for what you do, times your ability for what you can do, divided by the number of other people who can do the same job.”
Continuing, he said, “You must set yourself apart.” Al noted that entertaining and ventriloquism had kept him same. “It’s the best work you can have when you are paid for being funny while you vent (excuse the pun) out your frustrations.”
Al emphasized the powerful and successful combination of these components in entertainment. “It’s like gravy on the potatoes.”
Please visit http://www.AlloShow.com for information on how to contact Al for your next event!
Angela Scott
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All writings here are copyrighted by Angela Scott. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts.
January 5, 2008
It did not begin as a baptism. I mopped the kitchen floor before work and scurried around the house tidying up a few things before going to work. As I walked past the doorway, I noticed I had not plugged my cell phone into the charger the previous night. I felt it was best to let the cell phone charge while I worked a few more minutes.
Walking into the kitchen and admiring the shiny, clean floor, I saw that I had not emptied the dirty water in the bucket. “Oh my, I must take care of this now,” I remember thinking to myself. As I reached for the device to squeeze the excess water out of the mop, I saw and heard something drop in the dirty mop water. “What was that?” I wondered.
I guess you know what happened next because the mysterious item which dropped in the dirty water was my cell phone. I gasped and yanked the phone out of the water in a split second, gingerly placing it on a towel to dry. Finishing a few more things, I saw the phone die in front of my eyes; it was not a pretty sight.
Since I have been accustomed to carrying a cell phone, I began my search for a sturdy and durable replacement. The sales associate at the cell phone company recognized me when I walked in the door. I smiled sheepishly and admitted I needed help. As I explained the incident, the sales associate smiled and reassured me he had heard worse disaster stories about the demise of cell phones.
Today, I returned to the store because I had purchased too many cell phone accessories. My mom sat beside me as I recounted an abbreviated version of the “death of a cell phone” to the sales associate. I said to my mom, “It’s kind of like a baptism because all the old stuff is gone. I just wish I had remembered to record a list of my contacts on that phone.”
This is when I saw the smile develop on the face of the sales associate. She remarked, “That is quite an interesting and accurate analogy. I have not heard anyone else describe it quite the way you did.”
Thinking about what I had just said, I realized I had accidentally baptized my cell phone… in dirty water. All of the old information was gone. A real baptism is conducted in clean water and is symbolic of our sins being washed away, similar to a clean slate like my new cell phone.
I learned a valuable lesson from this unfortunate incident. Water and cell phones do not mix, and night owls need to remember that their brilliant ideas usually develop late at night instead of morning.
Angela Scott
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All writings here are copyrighted by Angela Scott. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts.
January 4, 2008
Have you ever needed to ask a question in an uncomfortable situation, but stuffed your question deep inside? I remember the trepidation I felt when it seemed everyone else but me understood the teacher’s directions or lectures.
In a recent event, a young man stood in the doorway of my office. “May I help you?” I asked. Without hesitation, he responded, “Do you have a literacy training program here?” He stood alone in the doorway.
“Let me make a call for you,” I responded. While dialing the number, I noticed how he carefully observed the certificates, plants, and photographs which filled my office, tangible proof of my academic accomplishments and friendships.
“You are the only one here who stopped to help me; the others just told me ‘No,’ and returned to their work,” he remarked. I told him it was not a big deal because it would only take a few minutes to get an answer.
“No,” the young man continued. “I have walked all around this area and you are the only one who listened and stopped to help me.” I was saddened to hear that others had answered only a portion of his question.
I remembered my own challenge with reading comprehension, which had been extremely difficult for me. Too embarrassed to admit my deficiency, I worked tenaciously to hide my secret. Overcome by fear, my courage melted more often than I prefer to recall.
Standing alone, this fellow had the courage to ask one single question, a question to admit he needed help in what I believe must have been quite challenging for him.
I wonder if a friend or family member had encouraged him to ask for help. Perhaps the real answer is as simple as the quotation from Dr. Seuss’ book, “Oh, the Places You’ll Go.” “You have brains in your head; you have feet in your shoes; you can steer yourself; any direction you choose.”
Do you have the same courage this young man possessed to ask for help, especially when it is elusive?
Angela Scott
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All writings here are copyrighted by Angela Scott. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts.
January 2, 2008
Two by two, the twelve of us ran down the ramp of the catamaran onto the island’s sandy beach. Our guide on the catamaran announced nonchalantly, “If you see a bear, just blow the whistle and lock arms with the others to form a long line.” The words blurred in my thoughts. I remember thinking, “How would blowing a whistle help us if we saw a bear?”
Laughing loudly, my husband announced, “If my wife sees a bear, she won’t need to blow a whistle. The captain of the catamaran will easily hear her scream.”
Our guide also announced to wait patiently at the edge of the island for the catamaran to return for our departure. Once again my husband announced, “If my wife sees a bear on the island, she’ll be walking on water to return to the boat.” The other adventurers smiled as we all began our “afternoon wildlife excursion.”
Reflecting today on the information describing that island excursion, I am certain I skimmed over the word “wildlife” and the potential of our life being in danger that day.
The others went walking in the woods on the island. My husband and I went a different route. We walked on the tiny beach of the island basking in the sunny, warm afternoon in Alaska. “No point in placing ourselves in harm’s way, if at all avoidable,” I silently said to myself.
As we walked, my husband and I found one, two, and then three perfect sand dollars on the pristine island in Alaska. Never before had I found a perfect sand dollar at any shore I had visited and there we were on an island in Alaska holding three perfect sand dollars.
I wrapped the sand dollars in napkins and placed them gently in the pocket of my jeans. I told my husband, “I better take good care of these because no one will believe we found three sand dollars in Alaska.” I knew this was a “once in a lifetime experience.”
As the group returned to board the catamaran for our departure, one of the adventurers asked us, “What did you guys do?” I mentioned we had found driftwood and three sand dollars on our walk. Their eyes widened as they asked, “Where did you find sand dollars?” I heard their question but I was still in awe of what we had found. I gingerly held the sand dollars in my hands.
Those sand dollars represent more to me now than when we found them three years ago. Our adventure, a transformed treasure hunt, is just one of numerous extraordinary miracles my husband and I have experienced; miracles of love given to us by the creator of the universe.
Recently I found an article in a Reader’s Digest magazine about “How the new science of thank you” can change your life. In that article, Barbara Fredrickson, a psychologist at the University of North Carolina, says, “Gratitude has the potential to change everything from its ordinary state to being a gift.”
Have you expressed appreciation today for an unexpected gift of love, something that money cannot buy?
Angela Scott
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All writings here are copyrighted by Angela Scott. You may not use them without written permission but you may link to the posts or give out a link to the posts.