Last of the Mohicans

Normally, when I come to class I'm exhausted.  I work really hard, and up to the last minute, and after working, and driving, and the anxiety, I just don't have it during class.  This is punctuated even more so when I have a field trip at work.  I LOVE field trips, but I get nerved up and then knocked out.  I guess I'm a worry wort.
But this week, the opposite occurred.  Instead of getting drained of energy until I was running on fumes, I got charged up and enjoyed class to the fullest extent! We began by talking about the seductive and intoxicating nature of knowing all for our students; being the one with all the answers and know how.  I feel that I do have some knowledge to pass along, but I'm missing some basic things like how to properly pronunciate some artists last names.  I feel at this point that I would want to be corrected by my students or their computer, but I'm not sure how repetitive that would be, and how it would make me look and feel overall when teaching.  I tend to be careful on my wording in general, so I think would show how to do something, only when completely necessary to do so, by prefacing that this is how I would... I also feel that I need to be able to spit out or at least reference artists.  I don't have a library in my head to recall from, and find it's important.  I do have a lot of masters work resources that I made up for my future classroom, but it's not current/present work. 

We also talked about the pro's of stations of work.  The surprise, movement, independence, and play of them create something different and inspiring in the classroom.  Then we continued at the stations we didn't complete.  Thankfully, we went in our same groups.  This graduating class are such sweethearts, and I'm happy to have met so many nice students, but I have a great bond with my little group.  As soon as Aileen said go to the idea of a group installation, my idea's were churning.  In my margins I wrote about hanging the prior made balls by tape so they were to seem invisible.  Or stacking them in the rungs of the ladder in class.  But when together, the excitement of brainstorming happened that's always great and different then when you work alone.  Out to the stairwell we went and invisible tape was stretched. 
This wasn't all that was good either--then we were allowed to be the first to sew up our covers.  Once we go the machine going, thanks to awesome Alexandra, I spent more time on it then I should have.  I used all the fun stitches, and made it esthetically pleasing, and I was blissful by myself while the class went over sketchbooks.  It was euphoric.  I guess I'm one with the sewing machine and plastic.
I appreciate the lesson, the planning, the goings on.  I appreciate the set up and the thought and care.  I appreciate even how there is black paper laid down on presentation tables to give importance to our art.  I took notice of these things.  I love the practice that has become routine on Sunday mornings of sketchbook entries.  I love looking for stimulating views of the world and capturing interesting angles of regular things.  I believe my final project will become part of the new chapter in my life as an artist, and the confidence I've gained fuels me to continue.