Ides of January Observation

Re: Ides of January Observation

George@Colonel's Workshop-Havertown PA

>Good Afternoon Tommy,

All of the above thoughts are reinforced in my mind by my memories of others hanging out in my shop with me in times past. That was mostly in my old neighborhood, in my big house. They would hear the machines buzzing through the wide open double cellar doors and I'd be hosting several neighbors. All that changed with time and distance. Machines and sawdust aren't all that much fun by themselves alone, and I suppose neither am I.

George

Wow, I'd never put words to it, but

Gary Camp - Bend, Oregon

>You sure made me think about that. I've spent many hours just sitting on a stool, next to the bench with coffee and tunes. Somedays the closest I got to woodworking was making shavings for the wood stove. Thanks

glc

Re: Ides of January Observation

Mark Kauder, Phenix City, AL

>Thanks, Tommy.

Some of the best time in my shop is when I have no projects going. Set on a stool, with my feet up on the bench, cold Coke, music on the box....... ahhhhh.

Mark

Re: Wow, I'd never put words to it, but

Todd O. Cronkhite Maine Native, Presently Away

>....the bliss of just being in the workshop. The workshop to me represents that "Fortress of Solitude". The one place where I can truly escape and be in my element and forget about the world around me. A hot mug of coffee, some music on the boombox, the smell of sawdust and the surrounding of tools. Some days I would just kick back and be in my element...and that's all I needed.

Guilty as charged Tommy, but truth be told I thought that this was just an "understood" thing and didn't need to be mentioned.

I really couldn't of said it better myself tho.

Hey, if anybody comes to visit and are not comfortable in my shop,than they must of come to visit my wife or daughter.

Todd O.

Re: Ides of January Observation

Ron Jones

>Well said Tommy. And when I can't get to the shop, I can get almost the same feeling in my den with the Lazy Boy, a stack of woodworking magazines, my canine companion, time on a couple of my favorite WW forums, good music and, of course, the mug of coffee. Heck I might even turn on a ball game if there is a good one on the tube. It's not as good as the shop, but not bad at all.

________

Ron

Ain't that the truth.

Brian Hahn in SW Wisconsin

>That reminds me of a quote I saw someplace:

A man's home might be his castle,

but his workshop is his sanctuary.

Re: Ides of January Observation

Ken Oakley-Sunny St. Cloud, Fla.

>I think a few years back Ellis asked a question in the Ides about why or what we felt about our shops. I remember I replied I was the Lord of my Realm in in but always reverted to the janitor at the end of the time spent in the shop. Or words to that effect. The column he wrote may still be in the archives.

Not just for guys...

Carol in Illinois

>Y'no, it's not just the guys who feel this way. I'm just as happy puttering around, cleaning up and organizing my (or someone else's) shop as I am making sawdust... tho the joys are slightly different, they each soothe my soul when I need it.

Carol

Re: Ides of January Observation

Ron Hildreth, Alta, Iowa

>You know, Thomas, I've noticed that I enjoy the same things. Doesn't even have to be my own shop. Might not even be the commaradiery of another woodworker (tho I prize my woodworking buddies!) Even the tools might be totaly different than my own. It's just the atmosphere of any woodworking shop that I love. I've sat in a local blacksmith shop once to see if the lure was there, but NOTHING is as great as a woodshop!! Sometimes even my own livingroom with compfy easychair can't contain me!

Ron in Iowa

Re: Ides of January Observation

Glenn Madsen near San Francisco

>It's a lot more 'zen' when spring gets here, even in California.

And thanks for the note, Carol

Ellis Walentine

>I'm realizing more and more that women are probably the fastest growing segment of our woodworking universe. Presumably, you're into it for the same reasons, no doubt colored by your situation and perspective.

Thanks for the post.

Ellis Walentine, Host

Yes! Yes! YESSS!!

Bruce, a MN Galoot

>My shop is unheated, so when it's finally warm enough to be out there in the spring, Saturday mornings, with the garage door open, light flooding in, NPR Saturday Edition on the radio and just puttering and cleaning, maybe sharpening something. Just about my most favorite thing to do, my place to be.

You've hit this one dead on!

Bruce

Re: Ides of January Observation

Kirk (KC) Constable

>If my shop looked like a living room, I'd write it just like you did. :-)

KC