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Thumb In My Eye

Woodworking is, without a doubt, my favorite hobby now. I started out getting hooked on this hobby, from making a small, "bookshelf toy shelf living room space saver thing". When I first completed it, I was like a new dad.

"COME SEE MY BOOKCASE! See, how it's square? See the shelf and how level it is!? Did you notice those nice clean butt joints?"

About a week later someone said to me, "Welcome to the craft. Enjoy it. And after a while, you'll look back at your first project with disgust."

"Oh, Okay. Thanks for the advice. I'm sure that applies to you, but I'm perfect. Sorry you didn't get the memo."

"That's absurd," I thought. How could I ever see anything but perfection in this?

Well... he's was right. I've only been woodworking for about 9 months, and I find that that this 'perfect' bookshelf is an unrelenting thumb in my eye whenever I come home. Every time I look at it, I get ill. Its funny, because looking back, I can't see how I ever thought of it as quality. The shelf sags, the plywood edging isn't hidden, there are gaps in the casework and the finish is a blotchy and offensive to the eyes. I made it in about 8 hours. At the time I was bubbling with joy. Now I wish I'd taken more time on it.

I was just so excited that I made something. Something that I could put books and toys on it without it giving way. Something that made a huge improvement for space in my living room. Something that didn't exist before I dreamed it into creation.

When I compare it to my second piece, the difference is staggering. My second piece was an over the toilet cabinet stand thing. I planed it out, designed it, worked out dimensions and took weeks to assemble. The standing toilet cabinet isn't perfect, but it does show growth.

So I guess what the point of this post is simply this, without a starting point, you cannot grow. So it's not as perfect as I though it would be, but it's still the first. And nothing I do can change that the nasty thumb in my eye piece of woodworking, is what helped me find this diverting new hobby.
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