What's new, pussycat?
What's new? Usually the answer is "not much" in my life but this time, the answer is surprisingly different.
First of all, I went to a conference in Keystone, Colorado last month. Met some really great people (hi Varsha!!) and learned a lot of new things, scientific and otherwise. Also got to experience winter in a high altitude environment. Basically that means thin air and thick snow.
I also got my second rejection (on my paper), and this time it came with "reviewer's comments." I think I liked the outright rejection better. Was kinda depressed for a while. I spent the afternoon highlighting the important points of the reviewer and I just felt like crying... but I didn't (yay for me). I'm over it now. I have this huge stack of papers next to me that'll hopefully help me improve my shortcomings.
The last "new" thing in my life right now is one of the best things I've ever done. I started taking pottery classes. The classes are held by a lady named Jan Hutchison, in her studio behind her house. All the other people in the class are women, some of whom have been doing pottery with Jan for many years. They're all really nice, and funny too. I've only had 3 classes but they've been absolutely great. I've learned to both handbuild and throw pottery (on the potter's wheel), though I'm nowhere near good at either technique... yet. There are so many things about the class I enjoy. The feel of the clay in my hands, the "productiveness" of the process (you're actually making something you can use everyday), and the forgiving nature of the medium (if you make a mistake, you can just ball up the clay again and start from scratch. Even painting the pots is forgiving... if you don't like the color, you can just wash it off with water!). I think it's also really important to me right now because it reminds me that there's a whole other world out there that's bigger and more alive than our little world in the lab.
First of all, I went to a conference in Keystone, Colorado last month. Met some really great people (hi Varsha!!) and learned a lot of new things, scientific and otherwise. Also got to experience winter in a high altitude environment. Basically that means thin air and thick snow.
I also got my second rejection (on my paper), and this time it came with "reviewer's comments." I think I liked the outright rejection better. Was kinda depressed for a while. I spent the afternoon highlighting the important points of the reviewer and I just felt like crying... but I didn't (yay for me). I'm over it now. I have this huge stack of papers next to me that'll hopefully help me improve my shortcomings.
The last "new" thing in my life right now is one of the best things I've ever done. I started taking pottery classes. The classes are held by a lady named Jan Hutchison, in her studio behind her house. All the other people in the class are women, some of whom have been doing pottery with Jan for many years. They're all really nice, and funny too. I've only had 3 classes but they've been absolutely great. I've learned to both handbuild and throw pottery (on the potter's wheel), though I'm nowhere near good at either technique... yet. There are so many things about the class I enjoy. The feel of the clay in my hands, the "productiveness" of the process (you're actually making something you can use everyday), and the forgiving nature of the medium (if you make a mistake, you can just ball up the clay again and start from scratch. Even painting the pots is forgiving... if you don't like the color, you can just wash it off with water!). I think it's also really important to me right now because it reminds me that there's a whole other world out there that's bigger and more alive than our little world in the lab.
posted by Denise | 3:03 PM
2 Comments:
your post has a theme song...
"... hooooooohhhhhhh....my looooovvveeee....my darlin'.... i hunnnngggggerrr for your touch... are yooooouuuuu stiiilllll miiiiinnneee?"
with matching neil playing with clay while you try to make pottery.
but don't mind me... am just incredibly ma-L these days. :P
I know how you feel. After having been on the receiving end, I know criticism is hard to take. Some of the comments aren't really pertinent. But some of them have to be addressed. Well just try again. If your adviser thinks its good enough to send off, someone will eventually agree with you. Glad you are cheering up. Congrats on your newfound creativity.
Mom
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