I am retiring from teaching.
There.
I said it.
I have felt reluctant to say that before now. Part of me still believes that I am going to wake up and this will have been a dream. That I still have 2 more years to teach and try to run the pottery studio at the same time. Two more years to feel this level of exhaustion all the time. My last class is tomorrow afternoon. Maybe it is safe to talk about it now?
Shortly after 1:30 pm on Friday, May 31, 2019, I will no longer be a math teacher. Actually, I'm not officially retired until July 1, but tomorrow will be my last day with students. I am excited, but I'm scared too. I know how to be a math teacher. I'm not sure that I know how to be whatever it is that is next for me. But it is time to try. I wonder how long it will take me to adjust how I answer the "What do you do for a living?" question.
Lots of things are going to change in my world. Some things I know I will miss, and some things I know that I will not miss. (NO MORE 8 AM CLASSES!!) I think what has me most unsettled right now is that I don't really know...well I just don't know how this non-teaching adult world works. What will my daily schedule be? How the heck do I decide what I do on which days if I don't have a class schedule to work around?
I think really that I need to just BE for a while. I need to take naps because I am tired. I need to start riding my bike again because I'll have time. (Someone want to hook me up with an easy group ride?) I need to work in my yard. I need to make pottery when I'm energetic and excited about it and not when I'm tired after work but have to get started on these mugs.
June for me this year will look exactly like June for the past several years. A week grading AP Calculus exams in Kansas City followed by a week at the NC Outer Banks with my family. When I get back, it will be almost July. I'll get back into a routine of what my life looks like then.
Meanwhile, here are a few things that have happened in the world of pottery since I last posted in March. Really folks, April and May have been consumed with end of school, end of career stress. I just couldn't focus on much more.
At the first Uptown Shelby Art Walk of the year, we had music on our corner. They were GREAT and we had significantly more traffic through the studio than is normal for an Art Walk. The next Art Walk is in October. Fingers crossed that we have a good turn out again.
This pitcher was started on the Art Walk night. My friend Claire stopped in with her 6 year old. Lilly helped me make the mug. I've promised to glaze it blue for her. This is currently waiting to be unloaded from the bisque fire that I ran earlier this week. One of my "chores" tonight is to unload that so we can start glazing.
I tried a few new things. Here is a hand built bowl that I made for my parents. There are two and they are choosing the one that they like the best. I'll have the other one for sale soon. It will probably go to Buffalo Creek Gallery.
I participated in Greenbrook Design's first Friday on May 3. It was a fun Tres de Mayo party. Jeff and I had a really good time and had a chance to talk to several people that we don't normally see. One of those people was a high school classmate of mine that I had not seen in more than 30 years. We were not friends in high school, but I really enjoyed that conversation. That person died unexpectedly earlier this week. Friends, we are not promised tomorrow. Do not put off planning that girls weekend or trip with your husband. Do it. Do it now.
In July, I hope to be able to get back on a more regular pottery making schedule and a more regular blog posting schedule. Thank you for being patient with me in the interim.
