mel jacobson on fri 25 sep 09
i think those who have passion and a desire to make
things are the `lucky` ones.
i have said to students over the years...`find something to do, anything,
if you like cars, boats, camping, anything, if you make things, collect
things...have passion...you are ahead of the rest.`
those that just collect money, stuff are the losers.
i was at a garage sale yesterday...picked up a great book
case for my grandson for ten bucks...but, the crap...my
god what they were selling for almost nothing...and they
paid for that crap. and they had an alarm system...who
the hell would want anything they had...(well the book case was
ok..) but, they did nothing except drink, party and buy crap.
passionless life.
art/craft/make stuff. it does not matter. be busy.
so many clayarters are the lucky ones.
work.
that is the key, work, research and self direction.
again, i have said many times...`art and craft is all self
direction and then self fulfillment. reward comes from self
and then others.` we don't need a ph.d. psychologist to
help us decide. we know.
in a time when all seems broken, we can take our heads
into our work, help make a difference with our passion. it rubs
off on others.
off today to bury a dear friend. she has supported my work
and bought pots from me for 50 years. her son and daughter
will continue to be a part of my life. they love art, and we wonder
why? the mother taught them. passion for valued things.
mel
from: minnetonka, mn
website: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/
clayart link: http://www.visi.com/~melpots/clayart.html
new book: http://www.21stcenturykilns.com
Fred Parker on sat 26 sep 09
A couple of years ago I was attending a birthday party with my wife at a
local restaurant. I was seated next to a woman I didn't know, a lady I h=
=3D
ave
come to believe is the most pathetically boring woman in America -- maybe=
=3D
the world. She was a real estate broker, which does not make her boring =
=3D
but
is a good opportunity. She is very wealthy, has all the trappings to pro=
=3D
ve
it and pretty much surrounds herself with others of like means.
We didn't have much to talk about but during dinner in an effort to conve=
=3D
rse
I asked her what she did in her free time. I learned long ago the best w=
=3D
ay
to get people to talk is ask them about themselves -- especially about
things they really like to do...
She replied that she liked to "look at properties." I said that's
interesting. "What do you do when you're not looking at properties. Wha=
=3D
t
do you do for fun? Do you have a hobby?"=3D20=3D20
She replied that she liked to find "good investments."=3D20=3D20
This went on for awhile. I continued for as long as I could, desperately=
=3D
searching. I believed there had to be something there but the poor woman=
=3D
never got beyond the big house on the lake, the new Mercedes and the late=
=3D
st
cruise (I'd rather go to the dentist than have to listen to somebody tell=
=3D
me
about their cruise...) It was all about expensive restaurants, boutiques=
=3D
and references to various rich and famous people she knew. I drank enoug=
=3D
h
red wine to have the worst headache of my life the next morning.
Maybe all of that is "passion" for her. Maybe in this she experiences "a=
=3D
shiver up her leg" like what's-his-name on MSNBC did back during the
election. If so, then good for her, I suppose.
But the truth is, I can't help feeling a little sorry for her along with =
=3D
a
lingering question about how in the hell anyone with so much money (and
potential access to so much) could keep herself confined to such a bogus,=
=3D
superficial world where one's value is measured more-or-less by the lengt=
=3D
h
of his or her boat.
Mel has a point here. The drive to "make things" is a gift.=3D20=3D20
Fred Parker=3D20
On Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:22:06 -0500, mel jacobson wrot=
=3D
e:
>i think those who have passion and a desire to make
>things are the `lucky` ones.
>
>i have said to students over the years...`find something to do, anything=
=3D
,
>if you like cars, boats, camping, anything, if you make things, collect
>things...have passion...you are ahead of the rest.`
>
>those that just collect money, stuff are the losers.
>
John Hesselberth on sat 26 sep 09
On Sep 26, 2009, at 9:18 AM, Fred Parker wrote:
> But the truth is, I can't help feeling a little sorry for her along
> with a
> lingering question about how in the hell anyone with so much money
> (and
> potential access to so much) could keep herself confined to such a
> bogus,
> superficial world where one's value is measured more-or-less by the
> length
> of his or her boat.
Hi Fred,
Corporate America is full of this same kind of person. As are law
firms, state and federal legislatures, and more. No, not all of them,
but there are a whole lot. When I told people at my corporate job that
I was retiring to become a potter they thought I had absolutely lost
my mind. It just did not compute that I didn't want to chase big bucks
anymore and fly around the world acting like a big deal.
John
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