Justine Cruz

Waking up at 4am and making it on time for my 5am blow slot is a new challenge for me this semester. As I get ready to venture out into the black snowy morning, I indulge; not in a nice hot cup of coffee, but a freezing cold can of Starbucks double shot espresso that has way too much sugar (hoping it will keep me awake and knowing it will make my breath smell of bad coffee for hours)! Walking as fast as possible down to the studio trying not to be phased by the blizzard that is whipping me in the face, I make it into the hot shop over whelmed by the drastic temperature change. Stepping into the glowing studio, I feel the warmth immediately emanating from the furnace burning bright red/orange. I take my time getting set up, turning the pipe warmer on to start heating up the rods and turning on music that fills that studio with vibrations of rhythm. After letting the rods warm up its time to grab the ice cold end and spin it slowing into the 2,000+ degree molten glass, the heat so intense it feels like you are melting your skin yet it's so intriguing that it's hard to stop!