I didn’t really intend to take a summer break from this blog. It just sort of happened. I didn’t even go anywhere or do anything extraordinary. Just working, gardening, and… well, not writing. Let’s not kid myself: I wasn’t taking a break, I was moribund. I think I lost my muse for a time. I…
“Amateur” means “to love,” and “dilettante” means “to find delight in.” And yet, both of these words have developed negative connotations. “Amateurish” is an epithet that puts one’s efforts beneath the notice of others. “Dilettante” brings to mind someone who’s unserious and idle, perhaps even someone who feels superior to others while lacking credentials. I’ve…
I just realized it’s been just over 2 years since I began writing this blog seriously. Last year I completely forgot and missed the first anniversary. I think it’s important to note, because blogging has helped me through some challenging times. I have been reflecting lately on how it has shaped me and what I…
As the year winds down, many of us find ourselves sifting through unfinished projects and forgotten logins. This year, I’ve realized that the biggest obstacle isn’t the tools I use, but my own perfectionism and tendency to jump from one idea to another. Yet, with each abandoned project, I’ve learned that perseverance often matters more than flawless execution.
This is my first “real” post on the blog since moving to my own domain. Hopefully, you are seeing this because: 1. my subscriber import worked (it was done the old-fashioned way, adding you in using a hand-built import file) and 2. my email is working (this is my first time running email that wasn’t…
I know now why I shied away from writing a blog for so long. Sometimes, you just don’t have anything in you. I’m a little fascinated by some of the “lifestyle” vloggers that for years will make these cinematic, story-oriented videos week after week. And the stories are… I don’t want to be mean, but…
It’s been a busy week for me. This time of year there are lots of things to be done: gardening, maintenance, socializing, as well as overdue house repairs and some other things, so I’ve been offline for a bit. I’ve also been working on a lower-priority workshop project, just for fun. I like working with…
Last week I posted about not having ideas. And I also posted that I was browsing through old entries in my commonplace book and that’s where I got the idea for that post. And I am still working on how to project (and later retrieve) my thoughts into various apps and note-taking systems, but the…
When it comes to organizing (whether physically or mentally), I’ve always relied on The Heap. The way it works is, when you’re looking for something, you just think back to the last time that you remember it, and it’s about that far deep in the pile. It sounds like it’s the opposite of organization, but…
I’m really good at following directions. Give me a recipe, or building plans, or even just a good hard look at something along with it’s dimensions and I can probably build it (within my skill set, naturally). But designing something from scratch is hard. Going from a rough sketch to actual measurements and assembly methods…