Distracted

I have had it in my mind to do a Blog each week on something that folks would find interesting, fun, informative or just some stuff. Well this is one of those “stuff” weeks. My problem is that I got involved in making a guitar stand. As you probably know from my blog picture, I play the guitar, mostly as a way to sing and give me a little three chord accompaniment. My hands are feeling some creeping arthritis. One remedy is to keep using them. Hence, play the guitar more often. The guitar is presently in a case. If I want to play I have to unpack at every use.

This led to, “why don’t you make a guitar stand so that it will always be right out there in the open and you would play and sing more often?” I agreed. So began the guitar stand project. Looking at the pictures on the internet, I found a model using just six sticks. Now the Internet guy wanted $400 for it and I said he’s crazy. I have a lot of pieces of white oak laying around the shop and “it’ll be duck soup to make this thing.” Oh yeah? It always starts out that way. Then I find I am either to Bau House functional or Kate esthetic. So began the weekend. I finished up with A for esthetics but a fat C for functional. That’s the opposite of where I usually end up.

One of my guiding stars when it comes to shop work is a saying Fiorello LaGuardia used to close his reading of the Funnies over the radio during a newspaper strike, “patience and fortitude.” That’s how I am able to get through my many woodworking projects, “patience and fortitude.” In the case of the Guitar stand I need to remake some things that look pretty, but don’t fit the guitar. There’s the lesson for today, how to achieve the ultimate in “form and function?” Not easy.

I’ll be back in a few days with some thoughts on the gender issue in the the primary campaign. In the meantime Spring really is here even if the nights are cold. The Forsythia are blooming and there’s the promise. That’s how I am able to set aside the craziness out there in the world. It’s temporary, but it’s one of the many ways we can maintain our humanity.

Thanks Kate N.H.W.Y.