CockyConure

Today is a new day

Bryan — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 01:35:50 +0000

I’m feeling inspired to make a change,and I know altering one’s habits is a difficult thing. From now on, I am going to make a concerted effort to watch less tv. I’ll just start with that for now, but that’s … Continue reading →

New Etsy Listing

Bryan — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:11:05 +0000

I posted a new Mandala pot for sale on Etsy. It’s a brown piece, about 3.5″ tall. I used black clay and clear glaze. Unglazed, black clay is almost a dark chocolate brown; with the glaze, it became more of a milk chocolate color.

Brown Mandala Pot on Etsy

Qualifier #2

Bryan — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 02:04:28 +0000

Qualifying race #2 completed. Gridiron Classic in Central Park, four miles on a cold winter day. Set a goal to run sub-7:30 miles, and I just made it coming in at 7:26. While I think it’s been a depressing winter because there hasn’t really been much cold or snow, I’m looking forward to it warming up a bit to see how that changes my race times.

Black Clay Bowls

Bryan — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:35:28 +0000

Black Clay Bowls, a photo by cronkadelic on Flickr.

Trying out a new style. Unfortunately, I didn’t think the glazing through of these pieces, and they are not really food safe. Too bad. I think a salad would look great in one of these.

Letting Go and Moonlight

Bryan — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 03:07:03 +0000

I recently took down a website that I’ve been managing for the past 13 years. It wasn’t a high traffic site, more of a hobby website. My partner and I started it together, and while popular in the beginning, over the years, the traffic dropped, the number of dead links became difficult to manage, and the usefulness of the content decreased. The desire to maintain the site was gone. It was hard to let it go, but when it came down to it, the heaviness of the site, of not keeping it up-to-date, was not worth it. We all have to learn to let go of our extra baggage and clutter, whatever the “clutter” may be. What was once a hobby became a burden.

Tea: Moonlight White Tea. Almost no aroma, but very sweet subtle flavor. Tastes almost as if honey was added. The description on Upton Tea’s website mentions melon after notes. I didn’t get that. Steeped well a second time.

Goodbye comments

Bryan — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:10:43 +0000

After giving it come thought, I decided to turn off the comments. When it came down to it, I spend a lot of time deleting emails and reporting spam than approving comments. So, goodbye comments.

Qualifier #1

Bryan — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 21:09:01 +0000

This morning I ran the first of 9 qualifying races I’ll need to run this year to gain guaranteed entry into the 2013 NYC Marathon. Years ago, when I first started running, I got into the marathon by lottery and proceeded to train by the book. A few weeks before the marathon, during a short maintenance run, I fractured my tibia. That obviously put me out of the race. I tried again the following year, and just couldn’t get my muscles to do what they needed to do. After the second attempt, I decided to forget about the marathon as a goal.

Well, years have gone by and I’ve continued to run. I’m still learning about my body and my running form. I’ve suffered various running related injuries from IT band syndrome, plantar fasciitis, and a sprained ankle from tripping. I can be somewhat of a klutz. With each run and each runner, I feel like I’m getting more confident with what my body needs, and can adjust to avoid injury. While some friends may tell me my body is actually telling me not to run, I think it’s just the opposite.

So today was the first step (or first thousand steps) in running a marathon. Race #1 of 2012, check! 8 more to go.

Cronkpots

Bryan — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 19:10:03 +0000

My ceramics are now available through etsy.com! You can check out my store at bryancronk.etsy.com. I’m just getting started, and more will be added as I get used to selling my work. It’s a start!

Tea nonsense

Bryan — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 19:42:35 +0000

It’s the day after Christmas, and I have to admit the holiday is not the same for me anymore. Not that I’m a grinch, but the holiday seems to have less significance to me the older I get. Over the past few years, presents have played a smaller role, and when you take away the presents, you have to look at what you are left with, unfortunately for me, there isn’t much left. Our traditions are centered around food and gifts. Being forced to look at what the holiday means to me is shocking. It’s empty and lonely, but not hopeless. Im at a turning point, and have decided that one of my resolutions for 2012 is to give the holidays some personal meaning and start forming new traditions.

Tea: Paklum Tips, special white. Smooth, slight grassy taste, but gentle. No hints of sweetness and no aftertaste. Pleasant but nothing special.

Latest Mandala Pot

Bryan — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 13:34:15 +0000

I’m still enjoying the direction I’ve been going in with my ceramics. While most of the pots I’ve been making have been symmetrical, one of my latest pieces took on different shape while remaining true to the concept. To date, this is my favorite piece.

Most ceramic instructors tell students to have a vision of the completed pot, right down to the color of glaze, before they start to work with the clay. This doesn’t work for me. For the mandala pots, I’ve been starting off with a general egg-like shape, I throw on the wheel. I make as many as I can (time and amount of clay permitting). When once they are dry enough to start trimming, I get to work cutting them up and seeing what happens. Some of the parts naturally fit together better.

For this piece, I did start with a loose sketch of a type of spiral, and I think the movement of the spiral comes through in the finished pot. I may have to give the ceramic instructor’s advice some more thought!