Flora, Fauna & Fail...

Don't worry my friends it all turns out OK in the end like most fairy tales do! And, there isn't really any fauna... unless you count people... I haven't seen any wildlife here, it is super sad.  I really want to see a moose and hedgehog!  Look how awesome and adorable they are 

(the internet pics count for the fauna I have decided):

 

So, this morning it was back to the factory hot shop for me.  It was going HORRIBLY for some reason.  I guess we all have those days when nothing goes right, but this was one of those days cracked out on Meth or something.  I couldn't make a bubble, I couldn't turn the pipe in the right direction, I just sucked.  Well I guess the magnitude of what I have done came crashing down on me b/c all of a sudden I had those thoughts "why am I doing this?!?!? I suck at glass, I can't do anything! Have I made the wrong decision??? Why did I think it was a good idea to move to a foreign country to learn to do something I clearly suck at?!?!?"  So, it was very embarrassing but I had to go hide in the bathroom for a while to regain composure and not cry all over my blow pipe... BUT, I pulled myself together and was able to go back out there and start again with the little things, the simple things, and was finally able to make an effing bubble by lunch time! Ha! So there you stupid glass!!!  Also, over the course of the morning I cut myself 3 times on the same finger trying to knock crap glass off the crap blow pipe and huge chunks of HOT glass flew up and swiped my index finger.  And of course it bled like I had been mauled by a vampire... so that just added to the annoyance and failure.  After lunch it was back to the hot shop and I was determined to make a few tumblers that were keep-able and not utter crap.  My teacher, Orca (that can't be how to spell it but that is kinda how you say it, or maybe Årca), seemed to sense either that I was on the brink of going to the looney bin or really determined b/c he came and helped me a lot.  It is amazing how once he told me to change one thing I couldn't do anything else correctly.  He taught me how the Swedes use the marver and spin their hands in this really crazy way (will have to practice that technique A TON).  He taught me that there is a certain way to turn the glass in a mold and on the marver... which was really hard to remember.  I got really good at turning it the wrong way... so finally he drew me some directions:

Can you see the little arrow on the edge of the marver?

He said that you have turn it that way just like you have to pet your cat one way and if you go against the grain they will hiss at you and that isn't good... "same with glass" he says.  Who knew?! Not me!

So after a morning of feeling like a complete failure at life and glass it all came together in the afternoon and I was able to marver, blow bubbles on center and even make a few tumblers! Here is a pic of one that kind of sucks, but it is better then most so I kept it. 

Before you put it in the annealer (cooling oven) you mark your initials on it with some chalk so you know which one is yours!  Tomorrow I will be able to look at some that I made and feel good about myself from the very start of the day! Hooray! I happy to announce that the day got much better as it has progressed!  (this is the happy ending part to the fail)

Then I talked to Sam, which is always nice and uplifting.  It is hard though b/c I could have really used a hug today... he was so close, if only I could have gone through the computer for a hug!  He was also very supportive and told me that I don't suck at life or glass and he is proud of me and my decision.  Oh well, I guess distance it hard for every couple! "That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger." - Friedrich Nietzche

Then, since I have so much free time I went for a jog/walk and took some pictures of some flowers (I felt like I was in that movie Yes Man)... most are from people's gardens but some are wild... (this is the flora part).  I have no idea what they are called but they are pretty and make me happy:

 

 

 

 

 

These are wild blueberries and some rose hips:

I ate some of the blueberries about an hour ago while walking and Rosanne just walked in and was like "what is wrong with your mouth?!?!? Did you eat some blue candy?!?!?"  Apparently the blueberries stained my teeth and lips:

Man, that is hot! Maybe that is why all the Swedes that said "hej" to me on the street looked at me really oddly when I smiled and said "hey!" back... maybe... 

Well, all this activity and ups and downs have left this blue toothed Swedish Princess STARVING so I am going to go eat some dinner... probably sandwiches... not very royal...