if every word i said.

so far this semester has been pretty satisfying. That seems like a pretty good way to describe it. For my first piece, I had some ideas that I began thinking about when I started working, but the piece changed and became something entirely different. I've noticed that I really am fascinated with texture. I look at my things and I think of cool textures or ideas or how I can do something with the clay that I've never done before, and try to do it. I am constantly thinking "what if..." and i think that is what drives a lot of my work. "what if I put this here.." or something like that. maybe thats totally unoriginal but its how my mind works. "why cant i put this shape over here and move it like this?" I always am thinking and feeling about concepts or feelings in my head and begin projects perhaps thinking of those things...but what drives the rest of the work becomes a why not and what if process.

I am expanding on a piece I did sophomore year, where I took 5 spheres of different sizes and stacked them on top of each other. On each sphere I did a different texture and surface treatment. Its one of my favorite pieces and so I decided to continue with that idea. So I've been doing those spheres the past couple weeks. I have one completed and another almost done. I enjoy thinking of different ways to treat and work with the surface of the clay, doing things ive never done before or combining textures I've never combined before, and then enhance it all with a in interesting glaze.

I am reading Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis right now. I just started it, but its a very interesting book. Basically it is a series of letters written by a high ranking demon writing to his young nephew who is a young demon beginning his job of hurting human lives and keeping them away from God. He's instructing his nephew on the best way to distract humans and he describes the way human minds work and how they think, what makes them nervous, insecure, etc. Its really interesting and makes me think about the things that get to me and where they stem from, and the force behind all the negative comments that my spin in my head. Recently, a friend of my sisters committed suicide. He didn't have a job and wasn't going to school, and his girlfriend had just broken up with him. While these are all unfortunate situations, I wish he had known that the pain from them would have subsided. It makes me wonder what words the devil was whispering in his ear to make him think this was the only way out. The book explains the subtle ways we can be distracted and how the devil works in your mind.

My favorite recipe...:)

Macaroni and Cheese

2 Tablespoons butter (or margarine)

¼ cup unsifted flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon dry mustard (or a little squirt of “regular” (prepared) mustard)

¼ teaspoon pepper

2 ½ cups milk

2 cups grated Cheddar cheese

8 ounces of elbow macaroni, cooked 6 minutes and drained

¼ cup bread crumbs

In a 2 quart saucepan melt butter over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, mustard and pepper until smooth. Remove from heat. Gradually stir in milk until smooth. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat about 10 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 cups of the cheese until melted.

I COOK THE MACARONI ALL THE WAY (9 MINUTES OR SO). I PUT ALL THE CHEESE IN THE CREAM SAUCE. AFTER I DRAIN THE MACARONI, I PUT IT BACK IN THE PAN, OR IN A BIG BOWL, AND POUR THE CHEESE SAUCE OVER IT AND MIX WELL.

SO good :)