Clay Fascination/C'mon Feel the Tire

The majority of the family has been taking wheel clay classes for a couple of months now at a very cute studio called Terra Incognito. Our class is run by the owner who has a passion for all things clay and is a very good instructor. We are a mixed and happy group running the spectrum of very advanced potters to complete newbies. (We fall closer to the newer part of the spectrum.) Throughout our time together he has exhorted us to "feel the tire" and to restrain from the touching the clay without an express purpose.

He really is a wonder to watch -- making the clay rise as if nothing from the wheel, then carelessly destroying the pot, vase bowl etc...  to show us the walls and the construction. I swear every time he does that I feel a pain in my heart.
Although we have all progressed, there are some bad habits that are keeping me from conquering the clay completely. It seems that my main problems are my "playful touch" and my inability to feel and move the tire with a lobster-claw hand. I have other problems as well, not as serious as the aforementioned ones; I lean backwards, and I let the clay boss me around. In fact the clay bosses me around so much it has managed to maim me by making hole in my nail.

Nevertheless, I've progressed from making two inch cylinders to making items like slightly larger cylinders, smallish bowls, tiny pitchers, and even a cup! There are many other items I'd like to make and I'm a little ashamed to admit that I have envy in my heart and in my hands. Maybe this is what is keeping me back.

I have a (well formed) clay-dream that I conquer the damn tire, feel it with my lobster claw hand and make a large bowl. For now,  the pictures above show a sample of  my recent work and some impressive trimming I did on my first bowl.