Terrypotter

A few months in!

2010-04-25T07:22:00.000-07:00

Well, so much for that thought that I would be posting more often. I really did think about it a lot but it was the puppy's fault. Since I last posted we have acquired our new pup, Shea, and our lives have unpredictably changed. I personally really did forget how much work it was to do the whole puppy thing and this was exacerbated by the 3000 inches of snow we had during those formative house training weeks. Shea is more than we could have expected. She is soooo sweet though trying in the ways a curious puppy can be. She is unable to distinguish between say a rope toy chew thing and a pair of expensive shoes. She learned early on to ring some bells on the back door to let us know when she needs to go out, the word 'need' being misunderstood. Our idea of 'need' is to go to the bathroom, her idea is everything else. She has learned how to fake pee to get a treat, how to clean up discarded mice left by the cat, and is currently working on a tunnel which will be a short cut to China. On my way to the next life I will have, I will be certain to ask some all knowing entity why dogs have to spend so much time looking for the right place to poop and what really is the smell on THAT spot that says to the dog,"Oh yeah, here's a good spot to leave this!" As much work as it is to train this dog, we know that we will be rewarded tenfold by this animal. We already get some return for our investment as she is beginning to show signs of a Golden Retriever's natural instinct to please us. I am not sure if will be the last puppy I will be involved with in this life but if it is, I have won.

Starting Again

2010-01-10T05:18:00.000-08:00

In about two weeks Susan and I will be going out to Reading Pa. with our friends Jill and Erika to pick out our new Golden puppy. It has been a long time since Flynn has died and I am so looking forward to a new member of our household. Being the slow time of the year at the studio makes it a good time to get some fundmentals out of the way like housebreaking and basic language responses like 'sit and 'come'. As I get older I feel less and less like I want to be outside in the cold. I guess that's why so many people live in Miami, but since I never really like coldness to begin with it seems to be exacerbated with age. What would it have been like if we actually had mountains in South Jersey so perhaps some winter activities might have tempered these feelings? I just don't like all the preparations that are required to live in cold climates. Layers of clothing, winterizing the house, driving with nuts on ice, keeping food in stock(just in case a glacier forms over us for the month of February) and because of my career choice, loading kilns in the winter w/o gloves and arthritic hands. So you may have thought this rant was deviating from the first line but let me tie it together. Our new Golden will ease all the whines that I have by offering a total distraction to these undesirables. And I must point out that I feel so strongly about the fact that our dog will be a Golden retriever and this will make it better. I know many dogs that are wonderful, my brother in law has a Chocolate Lab that is a true sweetheart, I had a Chocolate Lab once that was as well. I have known mixed breeds that were sweet and I know many owners with other breeds that were great but after our 6 years with Flynn, I don't want to even try to switch. My fascination with Goldens goes back to teen years when a good friend, Chip had one that went everywhere with him. His name was Sarge and he just seemed like Chip's best friend. Other friends have since raised Goldens with equally similar stories. Flynn went to work with me everyday, He rode in with Susan and came home with me. He was always there when either Susan and I were not with each other so there was always a connection and I always felt a sense of protection. So now as the great chill settles in some gentle warmth will sustain us when we add to our family. Our kids have moved away, our last pet, our cat, died a few months back so we are starting again. I am a firm believer in 'you get out of a pet what you put into it.' I look forward to investing in our new dog not as a replacement for Flynn but as a replacement for cold winters in South Jersey

New Year Resolution

2010-01-03T16:33:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I just published some stuff on my website for the first time by myself. My son Cale built the site for me and with some tutorial and prodding I managed to ad to it today and will, as my New Year's Resolution, try to maintain the site. My goal is to add more work for sale and to generate more interest in the work and for the WheatonArts studio. We are now closed for the season so I will take a week to adjust and muse and then focus on some new work. I will try to post this as I go and to try to be more consistent with my postings. Please come back and visit my site throughout the Winter months.

2009-10-19T15:00:00.000-07:00

It has been eternity since my last post and now that this is linked to my web page I probably need to write about pottery more. For those of you who have found this via the web page, thanks for looking. My son cale has done all the work for me and when I go to visit in a few weeks I hope to get some lessons so I don't have to burden him each time I want to add something to the pages. He is so much smarter than me but I am still bigger! The next two months will be consumed getting ready for the annual sale held at WheatonArts. I will post the necessary information on the site in the near future. Each year the show grows and gets bigger and bigger and each year I question if I can continue doing it. My body has really taken a beating these last thirty or so years of potting. I will still have several thosand pots this year but I think I need to take a different approach in the coming years. This method is unsustainable. Please come back to visit my site in the next few months and feel free to comment or e-mail me. I will really try to post more often. Terry

Random

2009-01-18T08:42:00.000-08:00

Can't believe it was October since my last entry. Kinda lost interest with Flynn's decline and ultimate death. His loss has been heavy on us and even after such time has passed there isn't a day goes by that we don't encounter his absence. I think I want to write on this later in a more general way but I will file it for now. Christmas passed with all the kids here, it is amazing as the family grows you don't have to share the love you have for each one but the universe supplies you with more love to give. How precious and fleeting our lives are. Winter temperatures have their grip on our lives, I have such disdain for the multitude of fabric I need to cover myself with just going from place to place. Summer is soooo much easier. I will stop writing now and since I have a backlog of topics to write about I will try to spread them out without running into each other and making less sense than I normally intend. Keep Warm

The Election

2008-10-12T04:30:00.000-07:00

I've wanted to write about this for awhile but kept putting it off because information changes hands so fast these days and perhaps I just wanted to make sure I was expressing an opinion and not preaching or regurgitating the news with my own bias. Am I biased? We are all biased. I definitely am biased towards the democratic party as if it were some sort of club or clan I have always been a member of. In reality(where I sometimes visit) I do allign myself with the more liberal thinking and less religiously influenced democratic party but when you announce this there is always someone who brings up Ted Kennedy's car accident or Bill Clinton's affair as if these things have changed the world. I don't really care if Sarah Palin tried to have her relative fired from the state troopers, what I care about is the big picture. If there is any doubt about what the big picture is then you better pick up a freakin newspaper. Did the Republicans do this? Yes they did but they weren't alone. Greed has done this to our country and it wasn't done solely by the non right Christian community. I would suggest it was done primarily by them but what do I know. But trying to keep it simple, we have two presidential candidates running and we have to pick one. Are they both horrible? No, and when I hear that from people I record their ignorance to avoid later conversations. I do believe we have a great candidate and that is Sen. Obama. I really used to like John McCain before he sold out to the right and stopped expressing his views and started spewing the embarrassing garbage his speech writers have him saying. It's like when Bob Dole lost, after the election when he could be himself, I discover he was an intelligent, very funny human being. All this high school name calling McCain is doing is so beneath him but perhaps he is reaching out to the Wal Mart shoppers whose sole goal this year is to get a new set of snow tires for their pickup. After watching the debates could anyone with an ounce of intelligence believe this man could lead our country back towards some semblance of greatness? Doesn't he just smell of the cronyism of the past 8 years where we have been raped of our standing in the world and our standing in line at the supermarket? Is this man of Religion going to stop killing people in a country whose people looked like Bin Laden. "Thou shalt not Kill" had no caveats in the Bible I read as a child that made exceptions for people who lived in places with oil under the ground. Don't buy this? How many troops are in Darfur where the people are Black and the ground has no Oil? Want to argue about this? Read up on the past few years history there first. Do I think Obama is perfect? I have yet to see anything bad about him except for the stupid minister and weathermen thing which makes up a mille fraction of his career. This man speaks clearly, seems as honest as I can tell, has charisma, and doesn't talk down to me or treat me like I'm stupid. I have always felt Joe Biden should be running all the foreign affairs of this country, he has more knowledge in is little finger than Sarah Palin has in her entire brain. Ok, Ok, I am preaching, but I have never felt so strongly about an election in my life. It started out that I would vote for anyone who wasn't George Bush's friend and ended up with someone who will do a great job. So don't tell me this year that it doesn't matter, all politicians are corrupt, blah blah blah. Go Vote. If you like the way things are, vote for McCain. I don't say this meanly, only factually. If you need things to change like I do then Vote for Obama. Just remember, John McCain is not Jesus Christ and if you are voting for him for religious reasons, please do some research. Obama is not Satan, do the research. If you are voting republican because you are against abortion, McCain cannot change that nor can Obama stay it. Go vote against abortion somewhere, but this year please vote for the change we need, it is time to be desperate yet we have such an excellent choice. I believe this with all my heart

Losing Friends

2008-09-23T16:08:00.000-07:00

We are losing our dog. Flynn was diagnosed a few months back with cancer in his hip and left leg. Doc said at the best 6 months. Flynn is only 6 years old, young in dog years and younger in human years. Since the diagnosis, I got over the initial thoughts of finding him dead each morning and now watch with as much denial as I can how slowly he wears away. His body fades in contrast to the spirit he struggles to maintain for our appearances. What a noble and brave animal, what a gentle and loving friend. My ex teacher and friend Mitch Lyons is losing his wife of all his life to cancer. What started as breast cancer has spread throughout her body as she has decided to stop the chemotherapy treatments. Mitch must watch as his friend wears away. I cannot imagine the pain he is wracked with each day as he watches and waits. This death thing is so hard. I am not a Christian though I have a strong personal belief in a power greater than I so I don't buy into the consolation game of 'they are going to a better place'. Here is the better place! Pain should not be the final part of love and yet it is always so. It is so important to embrace love with reckless consideration of it ever ending for not doing so would somehow prevent us from fully experiencing the best it has to offer. Sometimes this seems like taking it for granted and when we realize this we need to act. What will life be without Flynn here, I won't say I can't imagine because I can and the sadness associated with it is overwhelming. Flynn is our dog, our protector, our routine, our comfort, our joy, our family, our friend. I believe he knows he is dying and I can see how upset he gets not for himself but because he somehow thinks he is failing us. He spent his entire life trying to please us every day and now he thinks, he knows that soon he will not be able to do this. If only we could convince him that it's OK. We can have unconditional love too. We need to have unconditional love for others more often. I have failed in my life at doing this and Flynn has taught me how to see it. It was a very generous thing he has done for/to me. When I think about my own death I always think about how it will affect others, Susan and Cale especially. I do not fear what is next for me when it happens as I have beliefs which I won't bore you with. I would really like to do as much love as I can for as long as I can and I will approach it with the reckless abandon with no regrets. I have no regrets about our dog and the life we have given him in exchange for his. We still have some time left and we will laugh and love until we part. To anyone who reads this, do some unconditional love thing to someone today. My apologies for the topics of late, it's what the universe has given me to work with.

Life Markers

2008-09-09T16:18:00.000-07:00

I just came back from the animal hospital having left my cat of 15+ years to be put to sleep. It's such a nice way of saying it. Doesn't matter who you are, the overwhelming sadness of having to do this is inescapable. Ashley was very old, had a heart condition and weighed only 5 lbs at her death. It was a humane and kind act we did to prevent her suffering and I wish at this time I could be happy and celebrate her life but I cannot. Death is so final, memories are not and as I sit here writing tonight I think so much of times passage. I know this is only our cat but I remember so strongly of when I got her and how short and fast 15 years seems now. Paul Simon said "After changes upon changes we are more or less the same" . Things have changed so much in 15 years for me. I mean holy crap, look at those grandkids! Our pets are part of us, we raised them, fed them, cleaned up after them, and shared parts of ourselves not meant for others to know. A quiet afternoon in the garden surrounded by lima bean plants and shared with Ashley who hadn't a clue how nice the moment was.

This time is passed. Another marker behind me. I think any young readers here may not relate to this as well as we older folks can. Time passes and I am Terry Plasket. It is at moments like this we seem to be able to prioritize our lives a little easier. I liked my cat, not everyone did especially Joober who was often on the receiving end of a playful swat, but I liked my cat. In the past few years I didn't spend as much time with her as I once did, she was kinda independent but she was there in my life regardless. Cats are like that. Hell, pets are like that. I swear my next pet will be a Galapagos Turtle, something that will outlive me.

So I feel a little more empty tonight, reflective and fortunate. Fortunate to have had this 5lb ball of gray hair give me so much unconditional love, fortunate to have had this animal listen to my rants with righteous indifference, fortunate to have had this 'marker' a part of my life. I hope I can be as good a marker for anyone who wants it.

A special thanks to Susan here for all her strength, support, and compassion. It is a marker for her as well.

God Gave Us Two Ears

2008-09-06T05:50:00.000-07:00

God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason. Why do people have an incessant need to tell me about themselves. There is a big difference between having a conversation and being a validation board for people. I like most everyone, I like to talk to most everyone but I don't want to nor do I need to hear about the most insignificant parts of peoples lives. I really just don't care. This mostly happens at work where since I make my living as a potter, no one thinks what I do is really work. Since I am not really working, it is OK to sit next to me and tell me what you think is important. It's not even what you think is important, you think I really care about your running verbiage and I don't. I care about you as a person, but you don't respect the fact that I am working and I would like to focus on that, I do not want to hear about your past or present lives. There is a time and place for this, it's called "after work" or it's called "writing a blog"! What makes it so hard for me is that when one person spills their stories to me for thirty minutes and screws up that part of the day, after they leave another slips right into their place. I don't care what you saw on television last night or who you slept with or what planet you would like to visit or how to cook bratwurst on the grill or especially any kind of gossip. I AM TRYNG TO WORK. No, just because I demo for the public all the time does not mean I don't want to focus on my work without talking to you. I don't wish to be mean to anyone nor do I not like you anymore, I really cannot sustain this barrage of chit chat anymore in my life. I have x amount of years left in my life and those are reserved for my work and my family. I would love to talk to you after work or at a social gathering or hell, just e-mail me, but please speak to me with your head and not your mouth. I don't need to have the silence in the room broken for the sake of my supposed amusement.

Now, if anyone I know reads this and is offended and wishes not to have me for a friend anymore, then you just didn't hear what I said and I'm sorry you feel this way. I don't come to your workplace and sit next to you while you are trying to work and talk. I will accord you the respect you accord me. I have a great many wonderful people in my life and for the most part, I like them/you but I can't sustain this interruption of my space anymore. If you don't accept this, then I really don't want you for my friend. I'm sure you can find a substitute for me quite easily. Please excuse this mornings rant for anyone living afar. It will become more clear as you get to know me. Oh, and by the way, the picture of my son Cale has nothing to do with this blog today, I just like the picture. He is so much my son! Peace

Impending Doom

2008-09-04T03:45:00.000-07:00

I love the feeling of impending doom. I liked it a whole lot more before I lived in a house in the woods but there is still an edge to it all that rattles routine and complacency. For the most part, besides the highest property taxes and car insurance in the nation, South jersey is not a bad place to live. We will never be that area shown on the weather channel for severe weather or on CNN for any story using the word 'epicenter'. But this weekend, we will have the remnants of Hurricane Hanna bringing rain and tropical storm winds. Local news channels are having a field day with this and I would bet the ranch that the food stores will be sold out of milk and bread by Saturday morning. Milk and Bread? Yes, that is what we were taught in elementary school to buy in case of emergency except when the nuclear sirens went off and then we were supposed to get under our desks and I guess use our cloaking devices. If I am ever in a storm so bad I lose electric for a week, what the hell will I do with all that milk? I think there is a conspiracy from the 'Bread Pudding Society of America' going on.

Never mind that I was supposed to be going to my second craft show of the year this weekend and with all this doom coming, they have not as of yet postponed the show until next weekend. I really needed that show and wanted to make some money but I refuse to sit out in a tropical storm remnant trying to hawk my wares. If Southern NJ is still here next week, I will post about survival techniques, but wait!!!! Have you watched the weather channel??? Beware of Hurricane Ike!

Things that Scare Me

2008-08-30T05:05:00.000-07:00

This is one of those blogs that can be a work in progress. I was in my thinking room this morning after two cups of coffee and thought it would be cool to collect a list of things that scare you. It could be a bear at your door or a tornado coming down your street or as my case this morning something as simple as after having done my business having the water in the toilet rise after I flush instead of going down. Not to worry here, it did reverse direction and go down but for a moment there I was scared and really didn't want to have to deal with the aftermath. Scariness comes in many forms, it could be a flat tire on the freeway, locking your keys in the car at the food store mid summer while holding a bag of ice cream, having your granddaughter hide amongst a clothing rack in a store while shopping or yes, even coming up on a traffic jam on the freeway after two cups of coffee and a bran muffin. Often I don't worry so much about the event but rather what I will have to deal with as a result. I'm sure you got some visuals as I made my small list so you know what I mean. A month or so ago I had to go to the hospital with double vision. At first, I knew I had to be at the emergency room to deal with this but as the evening wore on it became apparent I was going to be admitted and there it was! Hospital gowns!!! Hows that for an image? I'd rather pretend I was French Canadian wearing only a Speedo on the Jersey beach than wear those reverse access gowns. Why do they make them that way? Most of the time doctors have always worked on the front of my body so wouldn't it make sense to have the front open up. If you were at the Proctological Institute of Boise Idaho, You would want these reverse gowns. Why the hell do we have to wear gowns anyway? How about some nice paper pajamas. Any way, If you have your own list of scares, please feel free to comment. Please try to keep it clean and be aware of others who may be reading or posting. I'm going to go make a recreational flush just to ease my mind.

On Eating Healthy

2008-08-24T06:18:00.000-07:00

Since my recent health issues I have ,with the help and persuasion of Susan, Cale and Caroline started eating better. Low salt, vegetables, little meat and organic when possible. I have discovered how unhealthy I have been eating when on my own, not when Sue cooks dinner, but especially my lunches. I have also become 'more' aware of how much "food products" are being sold to consumers. Isn't that akin to 'Soylent Green'? Do I miss meat? Yes I do but less and less, kinda like smoking which I quit 6 or so months ago. I still occasionally have meat but I am so aware when I am eating it. I have only had chicken, no red meat for awhile. Do I feel better? NO It's like when I quit smoking and food didn't really taste better and I still huffed after climbing a flight of stairs. I have to make these changes for health and moral reasons but I am not full of pep and vigor. Don't tell me I will, I need to add some exercise to my routine to assist this. But this is not the reason I started to write today, I wanted to comment on how much it costs to be healthy. The food prices for healthy food are absurd. The growers don't have to buy pesticides, fertilizers or equipment to apply them so they spend less and we pay more. Oh yeah, they spend hours hand picking bugs off the plants, right! It's American consumerism at its worst. That's why they have called 'Whole Foods' store 'Whole Paycheck' store. Who wants to go Solar and wind powered on their house? Who wouldn't? Free electric and a check back from the electric company. Right! Who the Hell can afford to buy these additions to our life? We could be so less dependant on the Republican oil party but supply and demand dictates in bed with American Greed that solar panels and windmills only go to those who can, not to those who need. Does it make sense to anyone that the cost of eating right, living right or being right should be so far out of reach? Obesity and ill health exists because people can't afford to eat well. The hypocrisy of those who are in the position to promote change and don't so they can retain their position is morally if not civilly criminal. What do we do? Wait? Pray? Write? The answer is 'D' none of the above.

The first blog

2008-08-23T09:33:00.000-07:00

Ok, so this is my attempt to join the human race and the cyberworld as if anyone really gives a rats ass what I have to say. Feel free to comment, criticize, correct, agree, inform, ignore,abstain, just no freakin whining. If you have to whine, blog to someone who would really care, I won't!! I will try to figure out how to post photos for any one who cares. Until next time, "Onward through the Fog"