Life is Good!
My wood seems such a solid thing when all else seems to shake. Perhaps it’s not so, but I rely on it more than most and see it as that more than most, I think. These past two months of lockdown seem to have changed the world we once felt more solid about. People search for the normal amidst the abnormal and no aspect of life on the continent seems able to escape. It so amazes me that we rely on those we might vote for or see empowered by the democratic process despite the reality that trust levels remain firm and steady at the lowest level of any and all occupations. Those in the ministry of politics are trusted to tell the truth and practice honesty at a level of a mere 14%. That’s even lower than advertising executives and journalists, business leaders and such. The ordinary man and woman in the street are up in the 80+ percentile. Why the disparity? Anyway, here we are staking our claim to reality by honest work with our hands. Or do we. There are other statistics out there that some might not like too much too.
I have often said that there are maybe five days in my life when I did not want to go to work. It is a sad thing to have to be in an occupation that leaves you unfulfilled or worse still drags your whole life into a world you might just hate. I too have experienced some of that but only when I stepped away from woodworking for a period to ensure I provided sufficiently well for my growing family. Technically at least I no longer need to work. Practically, I can’t live without it. Work is the conduit through which I live a rich and fulfilled life. I can still work long days that are generally pain-free yet still high-demand enough to stir and stimulate. I am well able to intersperse my days with forays along woodland tracks and trails on the same paths as roe deer, badgers, and then too even the vole in vole runs that lay hidden beneath dry grasses to the wilds where I can watch nature emerge from its hiding. I can exercise by walking and cycling and now too I have friends around the world who I rely on as sounding boards for my ideas.
Yesterday was a different day and there was a build-up to it–different in what I usually do, that is, in that we had the Live Q&A on wood preparation. How did I feel? Being isolated in the studio and making is not much different than my day to day, really. But using more technical equipment is challenging to me, hence the two-minute later start that made me nervous because you still don’t really know if something else might go wrong. But I do like the reality of being as near to real-time as digital can get you. I have never liked the artificiality of TV and such, even high definition stuff because somehow it still feels as though my mind is indeed being manipulated to believe what can and is inevitably massaged by clever editing and technology. This is the reason I do not watch TV or even too many films. Five films a year is my rough average and even then it’s not just anything. So we did answer so many questions and the platform adds excitement for everyone including me. We will do this regularly from now, as long as you like it and it is helpful to get the information and support out there.
My efforts behind the other side of the camera are now more live so whether you join the thousands of other free subscribers on woodworkingmasterclasses.com or follow a week later on my YouTube channel, you will be learning as much as I can give you. I have found that quite difficult since I began but it has become easier as time progressed to the tenth project which I finished two weeks ago.
Thanks to all of you who encouraged me to include my wildlife recording here and on my vlog, facebook and YouTube. It will be hard for me to stop sharing the things I see because so many people would never see even a common grey squirrel or the mallard chicks.
My wood seems such a solid thing when all else seems to shake.
My new internet sign-off.
Delete this comment if you like.
The live Q&A was great! And thank you so much for answering my question!! It was very helpful.
Paul, it was great. I will hopefully send a question for the next time Q & A. In the meantime I am due to finish off some glueing of old tables that I have sort of repaired.
I like a few others read your blogs and go back into the archive to read older posts. The advice from George to stuff the frog mouth with shavings when you have that problem was a beauty. Regards always to you and your team.
I absolutely loved the live Q&A ! It not only answered some questions I had but helps me feel connected to you who have taught me so much through your videos, and with the other woodworkers on the live chat. And kudos to the guy who was answering lots of questions on the live chat, though I forget his name.
And i love the vlogs, seeing a normal day to day routine, so peaceful and calming. I enjoy mountain biking out into nature and stopping somewhere to enjoy the sights and sounds. Keep up the great work.
I am a fitter & machinist by trade, I was never very good at any kind of woodwork, but while helping my daughter do some technical studies at home I have rediscovered the purity of working with wood. Watching your channel, I have learned it’s not as hard as I used to think. I’ve even bought a no 4 plane and will be restoring my grandfather’s old plane. Thank you
Michael, you inspire me. I think more people think that they were not good oat woodworking because in school at 13 years of age boys were yet to develop certain synapses that allow the transition of impulses as neurotransmitters. Hence certain awkwardness in that age sphere. This has led many men to believe they were not good with their hands when they were young and would therefore not be good at such manual skills. I think this has led many an amateur to pursue a machine only way of working rather than develop skills.
My grand father was a machinist. I always found working with metal to be cold. Not that I do not like things made of metal, it just seems cold too me. Working wood seems warm and calming in a way. Kind of funny because, you use steel to work wood.
“It is a sad thing to have to be in an occupation that leaves you unfulfilled or worse still drags your whole life into a world you might just hate.”
It is a very terrible feeling. Very terrible.
“Technically at least I no longer need to work. Practically, I can’t live without it.”
That is because a man by his nature should work. I really feel that man is only fulfilled when he is creating something and most creating with their hands as God intended.
“somehow it still feels as though my mind is indeed being manipulated to believe what can and is inevitably massaged by clever editing and technology.”
TV and movies are used to manipulate people thoughts. They are tool used to conform people into what they want them to be. Mostly it is not the best person.
Thanks for sharing. I really do enjoy your out look on how life should be. I really wish I would have understood this 30 years ago. I wasted so much time working unfulfilling jobs and incurring debt. I am at the point now where I am debt free and looking to start something new, something freeing that will bring some peace and calm to life.
Once again, splendid as ever. Thank you for yet another inspiring interaction and learning program. This is the New Normal! All the best!
Paul,
The live Q+A was great! Have you contemplated doing a live (1hr long) build? It may not be possible with a single camera, but it could be a fun experiment!
What films do you like?
The medium is the massage.
I am sooooo fortunate to have a well equipped workshop. Oddly a guy I used to work for sent in a pinball head that had been damaged and the handplanes have been necessary for some of the jointwork. What a pleasant way to occupy lockup.
Between woodwork, the garden and my honeydo list I am actually quite busy. How fortunate in these times we are. Thanks Paul.
I enjoyed your q&a. I liked it when somebody asked if you make mistakes… i was so pleased to hear that you do!
I remember meeting a 79 year old man, he was taking stone tiles off of a roof.
I commented respectfully that what he was doing would hard work even for a young man. He said that’s nothing, you should see my brother. Just then his 86 year old brother turned up with a wheelbarrow and he started to load it with heavy flagstones off of the floor. Amazed at this i asked what his secret was and did he intend to retire. He responded ‘I aint ready to be a cabbage yet son’.
Paul, you’re just coming into your prime.
Best regards
“Work is the conduit through which I live a rich and fulfilled life. ” My father-in-law worked in a factory. As he aged, his fellow workers began to retire. So often he would remark that one of those fellows had died just months after retirement. He said on several of those occasions that his friend should have continued to work, so he would live.
Here’s a suggestion for the whole crew.
First, Paul, you decide on what you will be showing/making.
Go through the various steps – without tools or wood – just the process and write it down. Leave the paper on the camera person’s desk or send by email, so they can preposition the equipment (including focus and depth of field) to capture all your moves (maybe excluding close-ups unless you manipulate those yourself). The lighting specialist can also orient the gear properly. Ah, let’s not forget the ‘sound’ challenges, same approach.
They then leave you a list of switches to turn on in sequence.
Most of the ‘movie’ tech challenges should, by now, be ironed out!