Cleaning and your shop, or workspace, or work area etc.
I'm naturally a messy person. I find it un-natural to maintain an uncluttered area. It's a thoughtful process. I have to make habits and mental notes so that I remember to clean up one action before proceeding to the next.
In the 1st through 6th grade I was in various special ed classes. At least one of which every semester focused on organizing my desk, book-bag, etc. This process continues even to this day as I try to build more habits that allow me to clean up as I go.
This leads me to be somewhat anal with folks around my shop or kitchen or room. There's good reason for it though and it's something I've recently learned to accept. I never knew why some folks were anal and asshole-ish about keeping things neat as a pin and organized to a fault. I derided such, and laughed at them. After all, I can find my keys in a pile of clothes, all dirty, strewn about my room. What do I care for those that fear clutter?
I am sorry. To all of you that I ever even thought such things. I am terribly sorry.
Why? Because. If I don't sweep up my shop every day, I can slip in sawdust. A slip while the table saw is running could be a disaster.
Why? Because. If I cannot find the chisel when I need it, I will chose a lesser one, and then my project will suffer.
Why? Because. If my tool wasn't sharpened recently, and I've abused it, it will take 5 times longer to re-sharpen, de-rust and clean before I can use it.
Why? Because. A dirty, messy, hard to find things in - shop is hell to work in, and a depressing sight. A clean, neat shop is is a place welcoming the returning craftsman.
A dirty shop is not even a shop. It's a place where a tool collector stuffs the various crud he's spent money on, to gather dust.
I never realized all this, till I lived it, so for that I am sorry.
And I'm sorry to those that have to put up with my sometimes arbitrary standards, one day being messy and not caring, the next being a neat freak and ragging you about the dishes. I'm TRYING to learn to be consistent, but it's a process. Bear with me please.
If anyone has had similar problems, and needs help, leave a comment. I can probably offer some decent advice because if failure is learning, I've learned a lot over the years. :-D
-M
In the 1st through 6th grade I was in various special ed classes. At least one of which every semester focused on organizing my desk, book-bag, etc. This process continues even to this day as I try to build more habits that allow me to clean up as I go.
This leads me to be somewhat anal with folks around my shop or kitchen or room. There's good reason for it though and it's something I've recently learned to accept. I never knew why some folks were anal and asshole-ish about keeping things neat as a pin and organized to a fault. I derided such, and laughed at them. After all, I can find my keys in a pile of clothes, all dirty, strewn about my room. What do I care for those that fear clutter?
I am sorry. To all of you that I ever even thought such things. I am terribly sorry.
Why? Because. If I don't sweep up my shop every day, I can slip in sawdust. A slip while the table saw is running could be a disaster.
Why? Because. If I cannot find the chisel when I need it, I will chose a lesser one, and then my project will suffer.
Why? Because. If my tool wasn't sharpened recently, and I've abused it, it will take 5 times longer to re-sharpen, de-rust and clean before I can use it.
Why? Because. A dirty, messy, hard to find things in - shop is hell to work in, and a depressing sight. A clean, neat shop is is a place welcoming the returning craftsman.
A dirty shop is not even a shop. It's a place where a tool collector stuffs the various crud he's spent money on, to gather dust.
I never realized all this, till I lived it, so for that I am sorry.
And I'm sorry to those that have to put up with my sometimes arbitrary standards, one day being messy and not caring, the next being a neat freak and ragging you about the dishes. I'm TRYING to learn to be consistent, but it's a process. Bear with me please.
If anyone has had similar problems, and needs help, leave a comment. I can probably offer some decent advice because if failure is learning, I've learned a lot over the years. :-D
-M