Until a pot has been tested by fire it is only a work in progress.
When we have spent 3 months preparing for this final firing, and we know that there is only so much we can control, it is understandable that potters get nervous, may send prayers to higher powers, or cultivate certain rituals.
We try to take a scientific approach which involves recording where every pot was placed and keeping a careful log of our firing procedure.
All the same, however much we record, we know there remain many mysteries. And these are welcome because without them, results become predictable, and some of the fun goes out of what we do.
So, raise a glass to ignorance and to the incalculability of variables beyond our control.