Post #2 - Candle #1

This week I collected some more supplies and made my first candle!  I was excited to start work on a candle, but I was frustrated when I realized I needed some more tools and had to wait until the next day when I could go to the store. I've been saving small cans to use for the candle containers, but I bought some larger cans for melting the wax. I also bought some wooden sticks for stirring and a wick holder. 

Sometimes I overwhelm myself with projects I want to do, but one thing that is nice about viewing this as starting a new occupation is that I consider it something I can do in small amounts over time. I don't need to make tons of candles of various scents all at once. So committing to just making one candle this week was very stress reducing, and it was fun to just take some time out of my homework time to do something simple. I used a peach mango scent from Hobby Lobby that smells pretty good, so I am excited to see (or smell) how it turns out. I am supposed to wait a few days before I try lighting it, so I'm feeling a little nervous and impatient. 

In The Meaning of Everyday Occupation (Hasselkus and Dickie, 2021) there are many definitions of "occupation" given, but I chose four to look at:

1. "Ordinary and familiar things that people do everyday"

2. "Engagement in self-initiated, self-directed, adaptive, purposeful, culturally relevant, organized  activity"

3. "Everything people do to occupy themselves"

4. "Daily living tasks that are part of an individual's lifestyle"

I think generally all of these definitions would include my new occupation of candle making. Reading deeper into these definitions potentially could affect whether candle making is an occupation for me. Looking at the first one, I would say that candles themselves are ordinary and familiar, but making candles is a bit more unique. Especially for me, this is still new and not so familiar, and not yet part of my lifestyle (like in the fourth definition) so maybe that means it is not yet an occupation, but it will be. 

The second definition fits very well, but also reminds me that I'm not just making candles I am engaging in a specific activity that I chose. The third also fits, because it includes literally everything. Though in the fourth, and in other definitions in the book, the word "daily" is included. If this is at all intended to mean something people do every day, then candle making would not be considered an occupation. I do not intend to ever make candles every day. 

Hasselkus and Dickie (2021) also explain how occupation is more than just doing, it is also "being, becoming, and belonging." I would say right now I am simply "doing" candle making. It will probably take until the end of the semester, a few months of learning and experiencing before I would "be" a candle maker. Then it will probably take another few months or longer and some serious commitment to feel like I "belong" to a community of candle makers. Right now, this occupation is not so meaningful, where if for some reason I could no longer make candles I would not be very broken up about it. If I had reached the stage of belonging on the other hand, it is possible that my emotions or even mental health would suffer at the loss of a core part of my identity and connection.