Pottery stress

I have a pottery stress-induced injury in my neck. It's not from hunching over the wheel; it's from lying awake at night, worrying about pottery as my neck and shoulder muscles gradually tense up.

This is high stress pottery season for me. In theory, such a season should not exist, but it is actually well worth the price -- both the physical price and the hefty chunk of change missing from my bank account. I'm participating in a special firing, and the preparations for it are extensive. I am at the studio almost every night, and when I'm not there, I'm thinking about it (as evidenced by my inability to turn my neck). At some point in March, I will reap the rewards of all my hard work when all the pieces arrive at the studio, and it will be like Christmas day. For a five year old. But better.

In the meantime, to help me deal with my pottery injury, I am lucky to have a pottery teacher who is also a professional massage therapist. I don't usually take advantage of his non-clay skills, but tonight I was in dire need. And he knows me so well, I didn't even have to ask.