Random Thought Thread

up til 20 days ago, I thought my time in the bike business had ended forever. Totally ok with it, moved on to make knives and sheaths, and after two years of that and barely scraping by I feel like I'm hitting my stride- making what I want and selling what I make. Planning ahead so that I can increase my output and actually start to make enough money to tool up and maybe treat the family to take out from time to time.

But it's lonely work. Day after day in the workshop, toiling and gritty. I don't mind it, but now that I'm out in the world again, I realized that it's kind of nice to be around other people while I work. Getting on that bummer train from time to time is a problem, mostly because it's tough to get off it- when the self doubt and negative thoughts start up, it's hard to shut them off when there's no one around to lighten the load.

holy smokes, though! Sooo many people! I owned a bike shop in this little town for almost 20 years and almost every person to pass through those days is a familiar face. The big difference now is that my job is to spin wrenches. I don't do sales, I'm not there to have conversations or feign interest in other people's stuff. I'm there to fix bikes and build out an efficient and productive service area. I'm able to ignore people and just work...

It's glorious!

I don't think I've ever been paid so well, or given the kind of flexibility with hours that leaves me time to focus on my first love, which is designing and making knives. After many years of carpets being pulled and disappointments, part of me is waiting for the other shoe to drop. But that kind of thinking is sabotage- there is a really good thing going on here. Just the knowledge that I'll be pulling in enough money from this job to pay our bills and keep food on the table changes everything. Knife making is feast or famine- there is no money coming in between jobs- and that creates this low level of anxiety that hums along day after day. The balance between buying new belts, for example, or picking up stuff at the grocery store which we really like, but that might be too expensive, is hard to reconcile at times.

anyway, not much time for the forum or anything else these days, but I love you all and thanks for being here!
 
Lorien said:
up til 20 days ago, I thought my time in the bike business had ended forever. Totally ok with it, moved on to make knives and sheaths, and after two years of that and barely scraping by I feel like I'm hitting my stride- making what I want and selling what I make. Planning ahead so that I can increase my output and actually start to make enough money to tool up and maybe treat the family to take out from time to time.

But it's lonely work. Day after day in the workshop, toiling and gritty. I don't mind it, but now that I'm out in the world again, I realized that it's kind of nice to be around other people while I work. Getting on that bummer train from time to time is a problem, mostly because it's tough to get off it- when the self doubt and negative thoughts start up, it's hard to shut them off when there's no one around to lighten the load.

holy smokes, though! Sooo many people! I owned a bike shop in this little town for almost 20 years and almost every person to pass through those days is a familiar face. The big difference now is that my job is to spin wrenches. I don't do sales, I'm not there to have conversations or feign interest in other people's stuff. I'm there to fix bikes and build out an efficient and productive service area. I'm able to ignore people and just work...

It's glorious!

I don't think I've ever been paid so well, or given the kind of flexibility with hours that leaves me time to focus on my first love, which is designing and making knives. After many years of carpets being pulled and disappointments, part of me is waiting for the other shoe to drop. But that kind of thinking is sabotage- there is a really good thing going on here. Just the knowledge that I'll be pulling in enough money from this job to pay our bills and keep food on the table changes everything. Knife making is feast or famine- there is no money coming in between jobs- and that creates this low level of anxiety that hums along day after day. The balance between buying new belts, for example, or picking up stuff at the grocery store which we really like, but that might be too expensive, is hard to reconcile at times.

anyway, not much time for the forum or anything else these days, but I love you all and thanks for being here!
Click to expand...
Such awesome news!!!!
 
random bike porn
DLbd8T1.jpg
 
Lorien said:
up til 20 days ago, I thought my time in the bike business had ended forever. Totally ok with it, moved on to make knives and sheaths, and after two years of that and barely scraping by I feel like I'm hitting my stride- making what I want and selling what I make. Planning ahead so that I can increase my output and actually start to make enough money to tool up and maybe treat the family to take out from time to time.

But it's lonely work. Day after day in the workshop, toiling and gritty. I don't mind it, but now that I'm out in the world again, I realized that it's kind of nice to be around other people while I work. Getting on that bummer train from time to time is a problem, mostly because it's tough to get off it- when the self doubt and negative thoughts start up, it's hard to shut them off when there's no one around to lighten the load.

holy smokes, though! Sooo many people! I owned a bike shop in this little town for almost 20 years and almost every person to pass through those days is a familiar face. The big difference now is that my job is to spin wrenches. I don't do sales, I'm not there to have conversations or feign interest in other people's stuff. I'm there to fix bikes and build out an efficient and productive service area. I'm able to ignore people and just work...

It's glorious!

I don't think I've ever been paid so well, or given the kind of flexibility with hours that leaves me time to focus on my first love, which is designing and making knives. After many years of carpets being pulled and disappointments, part of me is waiting for the other shoe to drop. But that kind of thinking is sabotage- there is a really good thing going on here. Just the knowledge that I'll be pulling in enough money from this job to pay our bills and keep food on the table changes everything. Knife making is feast or famine- there is no money coming in between jobs- and that creates this low level of anxiety that hums along day after day. The balance between buying new belts, for example, or picking up stuff at the grocery store which we really like, but that might be too expensive, is hard to reconcile at times.

anyway, not much time for the forum or anything else these days, but I love you all and thanks for being here!
Click to expand...
Glad things are going well for you Lorien ... Congrats!
 
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