A certain kind of homesickness

Yesterday I made a long drive to run errands to prepare for a residency (more on that later) and on the way home decided to detour. I visited Koko Bakery for treats, one of the first places I visited and frequented when I started my adventures in Cleveland 10 years ago. Then I realized I should visit the Chinese supermarket down the street rather than the one close to home. Though it was disheartening to see the state of the produce, I was still able to get goodies and today spent all morning cooking my version of Korean food, invariably a hybrid because I only have access to some ingredients. Others that I'd like I can't get fresh enough.

I do this when I really miss my parents' cooking and when I think about how much amazing food is in Korea that I can't get here, and to distract myself further from my overloaded tasks. I started a teapot so these are the latest cords (I went from making 24 cords a sheet to 32 for a narrower weaver and because these are the last six sheets of hanji I brought home from my teacher over 10 years ago. Can you believe I stretched those sheets out this long?? This was one batch I used years ago but kept scrimping until I finally last week tore all the rest up into strips).

I don't know if this pot will turn out well given the difficulty of shaping a good spout (also, I decided way after the juncture at which a spout would normally be placed that it would be a teapot, so it's going to be a weird high spout). But today I saw a video of basket weaver Annemarie O'Sullivan, which made me really miss harvesting plants for studio work. It's such a good feeling to work with the outdoors to get ready for the indoors.

My latest massive time suck has been a new computer, which always demands more than I'd like. It is already acting up but I think I've gotten it under control for now. I may have to try one more restart to make sure I won't have to visit the repair shop before the residency. It's always a trip to see what the new machine can't do that the old machine has no problem doing. I wish I could make my own computer or have an option like the Fairphone. I know it wasn't an easy time, but I wonder what people who could make everything they needed (or some of what they needed while knowing the people who could make the rest) would think of our helplessness now.

Still very behind on essay revisions and book writing has ground to a halt but on the upside, the studio roof is done and drywall hung! Fingers crossed than when I'm back from residency I can move in and start making again. The fundraiser by Korean American Artist Collective for BLM begins tomorrow. I'd tell you more but am the only dinosaur in the group not on instagram, visit and read guidelines before bidding!