Just Breath

Just Breath...Relax...It is going to be ok.  That what I tell people when I see that there stressed out about anything.  So why can I not for the life of me do the same thing when I get frustrated.

Inevitably when working some things go wrong or become difficult to do.  Working as a one man operation installing trim work (especially big crown moulding) can be rather frustrating.  I try and I to do things, that would be so much easier with another person or at least at clearer head,on my own.

On a recent millwork job in which I installed some store bought cabinets, new door casing, baseboard and crown moulding I shamefully admit that I lost my temper while working, packed up for the day and left work early.  Not very professional but with being so frustrated I felt like I was about ready to break something and I figured walking away was much better then damaging the work or my clients home.

So why couldn't I just breath and take a moment to collect my thoughts.

I think that there is so much emphasize in our world about making a quick buck that people rush always to get the job done.  Or (this is at least my case) feeling guilty about displacing people in there own home.  This recent job was a bedroom, and with demolition and painting and trim work it was necessary to ask the home owners to move into another room for a time, so I felt guilty about keeping them out of their own room because of how long the job was taking.

Should I rush to get them back into there room.  Should I take my sweet time to insure that I don't raise my heart rate at all.  Or should I just breath and take the time I needed and work as efficiently as possible. 

Now a few weeks later with a cooler head I can think back on the job and see what I could have done differently.  If I had taken the time to breath and think straight I wouldn't have lost a half day of work.  It seems that the rushing actually cost more time then it saved.

The situation isn't all bad.  The job was completed and looks good and the home owners are happy with the work.  And I learned somethings that I know I can use on future jobs.  Most important is to just breathe.

Cheers
Hans Christopher

A Wonderful Idea Hidden Beneath Misconceptions

We have too much stuff.  I see this now, and it bothers me how much stuff we have.  A few months ago when I read Chris Swharz's The Anarchist Tool Chest ( a book I highly recommend) the big idea I took away from the book was minimalism is a great way of life.  I do not know if Mr. Shwarz's idea was to sell people on minimalism, maybe the book would have been called the Minimalist Tool Chest then, however the idea of having a small collection of quality useful tools really stuck with me, and has thrown me down a strange rabbit hole.

I started thinking about the tools I own and use, and thought to myself that I am doing pretty good with only buying necessary items, so I felt pretty good.  Then I looked at other things in my life and tried to see if I was as minimal...nope.

I think that a lot of people have a misconception about minimalism that makes them  believe it is cold and borrowing.  Houses with no decoration, no detail and people that keep no stuff.  I think if you go back to the people who first thought of the ideas of minimalism their ideas may have been a little different.  I like to see minimalism as a way of living with the necessary things, and still being able to live efficiently and comfortably.  If you want to live in a house with detail and mouldings go for it.  The idea is to not live in excess to not let all the stuff get in the way of living.

People should be happy with the things they have and not consistently want more.  A hard thing to do considering advertising, marketing and media is always pushing people to buy stuff.

In closing on this topic I will say this.  Don't go through everything you own and through away everything that is not necessary to living.  Instead go through your stuff and get rid of the things that are not necessary to make you happy.  With less stuff in the house, room or office (shop for us woodworker people) there is more room to live, spread out and breath.

Cheers

Hans Christopher

What about October

So after a short hiatus in the month of October I am back to blogging.  Lots of fun activities out of the shop, a mill work job and a death in the family made October a hard month to blog in.  Not to say I didn't get any work done I just didn't have the time to tell the Internet about it.  But I am back now, and am determined to get out producing content for every ones viewing pleasure.

As an aside Happy Movember everybody that magical time of the year where men (and some women maybe *shudder*) grow beautiful full mustaches to raise awareness for prostate and testicular cancer.  Due to a very rare facial hair condition (lets just call it boy face) I cannot grow any form of worthy mustache.  Instead I will simply be supporting the cause and helping to raise awareness via the blog and other social media streams.  So to you fellas out there growing the mustaches best of luck.

Talk to everybody again real soon.

Cheers
Hans Christopher