Planning and vision – one coin, two sides
Project planning – where to begin
My goals this week were all met. Sometime back, many years ago now, I learned not set unrealistic goals and so disappoint my expectations. But we live in a culture of non-commitment that undermines others who work hard to fulfil obligations. I have learned that without setting goals I underachieve and fritter my sacred time in the realms of the undone.
Critical project planning for a woodworker like myself begins often with an empty space. I am primarily a furniture maker, but I can and have built my house, several additions, a canoe,or two, a cello and other such challenging things. I can build a boat or a violin if I want to. That’s what woodworking is to me. I avoid specializing because the root of it originated with the industrialising of life, family, education and much more. I like making furniture the most, especially now that I am in my 60s and can choose my design, my work and my pace and method. When I was young it wasn’t that way at all.
Planning involves space that needs occupying in the same way space on a blank sheet of white paper demands lines, drawings, words and shapes or a fold or series of folds.
Often my customers know what she wants. The open area at the foot of the stairs and the wall above seem to invite something new. One time I stood with Senator Phil Gramm and his wife Wendy discussing furniture designs. The paper was empty and ten minutes later the designs were rough on the page. Six designs resulted from my sketches in unoccupied space and we made a coffee table, a dining table, a bed and matching bedside tables and a sofa table all from a paper and pencil design on a piece of white paper.
Birds are a good example of animals designing to space. I do not wish to be contradictory, but exemplify the fact that as humans we are not unique or alone.
I’m sorry John but what you say is incorrect and so also contradictory I think. Birds are incapable of actual design as a process of thought. They do not determine the shape as the thrush family of birds develop their nests no matter the continent in the same basic form. So too the humming bird, the eagle and other bird groups. You might prefer to think that they can/do but the thrush will never suddenly decide to change its design from a cup shape to a dome-topped nest. What you’re saying is not based on fact and as we know the modern bastardisation of the saying, “Everyone is entitled to an opinion.” is indeed incorrect. It should read, “Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.”A humming bird in south America develops it’s own nest to its DNA-programmed form and a North American Robin will never design an alternative nest.
Youre quite right Paul. If for instance, the North American Robin for whatever reason, suddenly decided and was able, to up and move to another area – lets say Europe, England or France, he or she would not last long in his or her own right, because unless there was already a colony of N A Robins there, he would not have any true breeding partners to keep his tradition alive. and if he were a particularly resourceful N A Robin, he would quickly integrate with a colony of the equivalent English, French or other European birds, and adapt to local nest designs. He or she would then lose his original identity and original materials types for nest building. Well – thats my opinion anyway. Its just as well to let nature happen the way nature intends, and if the N A Robin decides to build an equivalent to the Boeing 737, or the Siberian Geese decide to build ships, then Let it happen. I like your Blogs and youre workshops Paul. Very practical and well thought out