Ah, good old resolutions! Who doesn’t make resolutions for the New Year — I suppose it is a symptom of the human condition, a little bit of hope springs eternal, at least for the first few weeks of the year. So here goes:
1. I’m going to learn something new this New Year. Last year I started to do a bit of leatherwork for the first time. I bought a few simple tools and half a steer hide and built a couple of stools and a Campaign Chair from “Campaign Furniture”. It is a very pleasant hobby and now I understand why people enjoy it.
2. I will continue to purchase more Lost Art Press books, except I do it for a bit of a different reason. I buy things to support the craftspeople and artists who produce the things I like and use. If nobody buys their stuff, they will go away and I will not be able to purchase the things I enjoy for my work. I want Lost Art Press and all the others in our passion, to continue doing what they do.
3. I still want to sweep and vacuum my shop. I resolved to do this several years ago, but it was one of those which fell to the wayside. A supposedly simple thing, but it will take a while to get it done, and I keep putting it off. Like three years now.
4. I want to add to my Festool collection. I love pictures of those walls of Festool boxes and those stacks of Festools taller than the craftsman. I’m up past waist high so far and I want to keep going.
5. I need another class this year. Classes motivate me and I love the way many of them send you home with a finished project. Plus, since I don’t take many vacations, I combine a vacation with a class. If you live in the Southeast US, John Campbell Folk School is a wonderful place with over 800 classes each year. Obviously too, Highland Woodworking has a wonderful list of classes with nationally known and local craftspeople teaching.
6. Recognizing the conflict with Number 1 above, I resolve to drop something. I have reached a point where I cannot be reasonably good at everything so it is time to narrow the focus a bit. How many 10,000 hour blocks to get good at something are left? If I had to say right now, I think it would be carving. I have done enough carving to last me for a long, long time. Been there, done that.
What resolutions do you have?