Am I a potter, writer, artist, craftsman, or any other sort of hard to pin down "x"-man?

Making things is like looking into the abyss.  Making things, in turn, makes you. 

All artists go through this and the idea breaks into two camps.  You either own it, or you shy away from calling yourself that and wait for other people to call you that in an effort at "modesty" and humility.  

If I went to my doctor for treatment and he said, "Just call me Joe, I am going to give you these pills and treat you for your ailment, but I am really uncomfortable with the name "Doctor", and it makes me feel kind of embarrassed and I am not even really sure what that means..."  

I would run, not walk, away.  And that guy gets to make the whole world call him "Dr." Joe, whether he is their personal physician or not, after only 8 years of school and 2 interning.

If you cannot refer to yourself as a doctor, potter, or artist, then you certainly do not deserve the title.  This insistence that the title be perpetually conferred on you by everyone you meet, making them take the time to "figure it out", rather than you being like every other person who goes to work in the morning and has work to do?  Now THAT is prima donna arrogant bullshit.

If you can't put it on a business card and hand it out proudly, with confidence, like every other professional in the world would do once they achieve the skill level and time in to be a working adult with a legit occupation....what the hell is wrong with this picture?

And if you don't think it is a legitimate occupation, find a new field of endeavor, because you don't respect the craft or the art.

As Charlie Brown said, "Good Grief!"

Stop gazing at your navel and get to work.