No rest in my sleep

Tonight should be interesting.  I loaded a bisque kiln with another student who is a hopeful sophomore ceramics major.  He never fired his own kiln before and had signed out our largest top loading kiln, "Satan", who can only be shut off manually (mind you this is the only electric kiln out of our nine that doesn't have a trip to stop it).  I woke up at 5 this morning to finish a paper due today and was at the studio at 8 to load this kiln.  I wasn't aware of how very last minute his projects were that he wanted to bisque and I was expecting to candle the kiln for four of five hours (which means holding the kiln's temperature at around 200°F to get rid of all moisture.  If there is water in pieces after it passes 212°F...BOOM!).  However, the student, Jacob, didn't finish his pieces until the PREVIOUS NIGHT!  His excuse was that he kept it in the hot box overnight but they are large pieces and it takes usually a good week and a half to two weeks to fully dry out work.  So instead of candling for four hours, it turned into ten hours, which means that the kiln didn't actually start to get going until 6 o'clock TONIGHT.  Satan doesn't turn off on his own; someone needs to watch the kiln through the peep holes to check the cones that tell you if the kiln is reaching temperature.  ("Cones" are ceramic material literally shaped into cones that have a specific firing temperature.  They range from cone 020 to cone 12.  When you fire something in a kiln, you make a "cone pack" consisting of usually three cones: the actual cone you wish to get to and one above and below to help judge temperature.)  What I'm trying to get to that you cannot go to sleep when you are firing a kiln like Satan.  Jacob said that he would watch for the night shift since he had some work but I was just at the studio an hour ago and he wasn't there.  I texted, called, and left instructions in my studio about finishing the firing process but I haven't heard a word.  I NEED to sleep.  I told him to call or text me when he gets to the studio but I have alarm set for 1 o'clock this morning and if I don't hear from him until then, that means that I have to go to the studio...there's no way around it.  Someone has to shut it off otherwise we risk pieces melting.  NOT excited but there is nothing I can do.  I just hope he's taking a nap and waking up to get back to the studio.

I would have otherwise posted a very nice blog about what I'm doing but I was so swamped yesterday working on my paper until midnight and then waking up at five to finish that I'm too exhausted to stay awake any longer to upload some photos!  Tomorrow is another day and I finish classes at noon.  I foresee a nap, reading, and hanging out with some friends before spring break gets here.  I'll let you know if I have to be at school at 1 o'clock in the morning.  If I do, I'll have time to post a new blog while checking the kiln!  Silver lining...