Retirement?

Is this what retirement feels like? I manage about 3 hours a day in the studio. What I used to accomplish in a day now takes me 3 days. I go for my ride in the woods, do some life maintenance and head for the studio at around 11:30. I used to be in the studio by 8 and have pots on the ware racks by 9. I work for a couple of hours and take a tea break, finish up work and I'm back out on my bike again. I'm not designed to be alone all day so the exercise is a distraction. Today in the woods I kept seeing snow graffiti or is it snow tagging? Someone was writing love notes in the snow along the path. All you need is love. Love bridge. I love this tree. Love is great. I caught up with the poet as she was scribbling a love note with a stick in the snow. I surprised her and she looked guilty. I stopped and said "Ah you are the forest poet. I love your notes. Are you in love or looking for love in the forest?" We both laughed and I rode off leaving her to write her narrative in the snow. She had made my day. To display love when you are all alone in a snow storm in the forest. That is gratitude. That is positivity. I miss people. I miss smiles. I miss laughter. I miss touch. I live in a town with no fine dining, no good bar, and no good coffee shop. You want a beer go to the bowling alley. I had the worst craving to go to the bowling alley drink some draft beer, eat a dozen chicken wings and eat a pizza. All this healthy living and lock down has me wanting to be bad just for one night.

Comments

Paul Jeselskis said…
Nice. I Completely understand. I used to work a minimum of eight hours a day in a studio for 30 years. Covid, forced me to stop and realize there’s more to life than Clay. Clay is one medium The rules a potters life. It’s all about timing. Every day I take a walk through the 30 acres I own. I don’t think about trimming pots and the timing of drying. I don’t think about platter warpage. I don’t think about checking the kiln.
However, after 11 months of not making any pots I may start again. If Covid was not here, I would be traveling the country. However I don’t want to spread anything so I’ll start working again eventually to fill up my time
Ellen G said…
Covid has taught a lot. Great incite Paul, there is so much more to life than focusing on just on thing. Learning to be open to doing new things and doing things differently, leaving your obsession for life and love changes your game.
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Anonymous said…
You could expand your bubble, a nice piece of man candy like you could triumph in the time of Covid, think about all those lonely ladies in lockdown, who are ripe for the plucking.
Anonymous said…
No not retirement, but that's what a balanced life looks like.

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