Grandma Moses at the potter's wheel?

Guess which piece is my "reference" piece. If you guessed the REALLY wonky green one, you're right. When my thumbnail caught on the clay and this piece was born, my instructor took it off the wheel and with great to-do said this was a very important piece-my first, from which all other pieces would be "referenced" from/to(?). One day I'll try it all again. He makes it look like magic-things "grow" on his wheel. I know that it isn't magic-it's years and years of throwing a lump of clay onto the wheel (which in itself is a feat when mastered) and connecting a special part of the brain to the fingers and every muscle in the hands with lots of reference pieces. There is a slightly used path between my brain and my fingers right now and sadly, it will soon be grown over by the underbrush of under-use. I have an idea for retirement though: if someone will give me a potters wheel for my birthday when I'm 65, I'll be happy for a long time.