More on My New 'Hood

With beautiful trees...that seem to be on fireall a blaze in full glory

And free range chickens too.

Somewhere in my "neighborhood"
(aka further on up Route 244)
chickens and turkeys roam free.
I have yet to figure out where
exactly they live because
I've seen them out and
about around several
different homes.
(Turkeys not pictured.)
The road to my apartment
that is flecked with gold:

Visitors welcome!

Two Reasons Why I Thought It Would Feel Good To Be Far From New York City:

1. No roaches

2. No ghettos


I guess it was wishful thinking on my part, because look what is only a few steps from my studio space, just over two yellow lines:

Lovin' the Fall and here's why:

The leaves are changing, and all around some

trees appear to be on fire. The ground is

damp and I need good soup recipes.

Well not everything can be true...

So the GREAT rummage sale of Roscoe, NY apparantly is not daily! I had another bris to attend and passed through Roscoe on Monday, alas it wasn't open and I was sorely let down. I'll have to do some research on the event, but I do hope whenever I go through again it will be open. It is the perfect stopping point for driving between Alfred and Rhinebeck.

One Reason To Love Small Towns:

You can get all this stuff
(sans the stove) for $5.00!!

Yup that's right! Believe it.

Doesn't every person need this kind of stuff?

Small towns, strange dolls.

And plans for more....

If you ever pass near Roscoe, NY don't hesitate to stop at the church's daily rummage sale. I collected a box of things, went to pay, told the woman I wasn't sure I was going to get everything because I didn't know the prices, and then she stopped me from unpacking the box and said, "Before you take it all out, how about $5 for all of it?" And the rest is history. From now on I'll be making it a tradition to stop for food and rummage sale shopping every time I drive between Alfred and my eastern destinations. I mean really, how could I not want to eat with this fine specimen watching over me:

Pictorial of the Basics

Enter quaint Alfred, with the original office of the Celadon Company (AKA: The Terra Cotta) built in 1892 at one end of town. The contemporary building in the background (photo above right) is Harder Hall, of Alfred University, inside of which is located the Ceramics facilities in the basement (where I have a small studio).

HOT STUFF!

(Test rings being taken out of a Soda Firing,
one of the first firings I witnessed briefly.)

Welcome to my town, I live 1.5 miles from campus. Traveling past my town, further east of Alfred Station, if you blink you'll literally miss the next town. Or maybe it's just a town within a town because shortly after you go through it you are back in Alfred Station. I'm not sure really how it works, all I know is that across from the above sign on route 244 you find this sign:

This town seems to be about the size of one property lot.

Welcome to my home, I call it the shack in back. I have no idea what it was originally, but now it's my humble abode. It is awaiting visitors from far and wide that want to venture on over to western New York , a far cry from upstate but that is often where people think I am when I mention Alfred University. I guess for many Big Applers anything outside of their borders but still in NY state is considered upstate regardless of actual location.

I live upstairs on the right side. Note the maroon Volvo on gracious loan to me from my parents. It helps me keep my sanity by giving me easy departure tactics when I'm feeling claustrophobic.

This is the property next to the lot where I live, it is commonly known as "Grad Ghetto" perhaps because between the two houses are multiple trailers (one of which I looked at to rent). Thankfully, I'm apparently on the "right" side of the bushes, allowing me to glow in my upscale status or at least rave about it online. And I thought leaving NYC would get me far from any ghetto...guess not. At least the ghetto tenants here seem to be of a high caliber without firearms nor drug dealers on the corner (that was reserved for my Northgate/Seattle house of 1997).

Uh-oh...

My hand-me-down computer, which already was limited in its scope of abilities (i.e. not one iota of office tools), has multiple (?) viruses now. It opens up everything multiple times, so far the record is 79 windows of Internet Explorer open at once. All though I get so many internet windows opened it seems I am not able to even get access to the internet now as I instantly get a warning message that it needs to close. So, in the end, I can't download any software to help me cure the problem(s)! All this written to express that this is putting a bit of a damper on my vast plans for putting up photos. I'll try to figure something out soonish. In the meantime, enjoy some other blog and check back here soon.

So, I introduced my studio mate to a Seattle phenomenon...

This was her response:
"Marisa why were you evicted?" Because I spent all my money at http://www.mcphee.com/

If you don't know about McPhee and you're wacko then you might consider visiting it as well, but consider yourself forewarned: lock your wallet away first!

Just a Run Through of My Happenings Today

It was a sunny day that turned cloudy. I was given a few Fall colored leaves today that reflect the colder nights we've been having. I worked on another chanukiyah, participated in a small group of Hebrew learning hopefuls, returned to the studio to finish said chanukiyah, then to a meditation group, afterward out for pizza with Incognito to the one-and-only pizza parlor between towns, and home again home again jiggedy jig.

Well, well, well...look who's learning something....

So, it looks like I finally figured out how to add photographs here. I'm told that photos make a blog all the more interesting. You'll have to let me know what you think...enjoy!

This is the back entrance to the ceramics studio, the loading dock to be precise. The ceramics studio is in Harder Hall on the basement level. Basically, the shape is like a big donut with all the kilns in the middle, Graduates on one side, Seniors and SpEcIaL StUdEnTs on the other, Juniors & Sophomore classes on yet another side, and then the raw materials, plaster room, grinding room, & hallways off to other various places on the last side. It's all rather confusing and HUGE. They have so many kilns; oh, there is also an outside kiln space for the atmospheric kilns (think soda, salt, and wood). I'm truly blown away by how much equipment there is here. It seems every student that wants a wheel gets one, even each individual beginner thrower! Phew. Even though there is a lot of stuff and space and Alfred is notorious for being a great school, a wise man said today that Alfred has three great things going for it: 1) a forklift for moving your big work, 2) a great library, & 3) if you don't like your teacher there are others to chose from! So, yes it's a fabulous school but it still has some crap tables like all the other schools and I guess school can only be what you ultimately make of it. Basically, I'm still getting used to it all and I'm sure it will take a few more weeks to fully acclimate and get a rhythm/routine going.

The above and below photos are my actual studio space, it's probably about 7' x 12' nestled in amongst the spaces of the four additional SpEcIaL StUdEnTs who are all wonderful thus far and diverse! I'm grateful having a cohort that is working at Alfred in the same realm as I.

The line of critters on the left was created last night and hopefully will be a working Chanukiah come December. Above right is qualifying signage painted on the backside of every work station in each person's studio space in the Senior and SpEcIaL StUdEnTs area. I managed to snag two of the stations, a huge locker, plenty of boards, a ware cart, drafting table & a variety of seating options to put in my space. It's rather cozy with all my tchotchkies hanging around.

This mysterious bandit is someone that I ought to be afraid of, but I've grown to really appreciate. If you're at all curious who might be influencing any delinquent behavior I aquire while at Alfred then you will want to also read on a regular basis the following blog: http://www.awwnaw.blogspot.com/ and save me if you're worried and/or concerned. In truth, I'm sure I'll be a better person after my nearly daily contact with the bandit that is my studio neighbor. Need I say more than the following: she has a dead fly collection, a bubble gum museum forming, is making rat feet, and is often found incognito! It makes everyday thrilling.

And tomorrow's a new day.

Just The Beginning....

Here I sit in my new home: Alfred Station, NY
Here I type for all to see if they are so inclined.
And here I go for now, as there's other things to be done.