Playing Hookie

All of my life, I have defined my success by my accomplishments. How much can I do in a single day, how high can I climb the ladder of success. I’ve always believed that if I did more than what was expected of me that I would be a success. I have been a success by that measure. I changed careers at 31 and began again at the bottom of the ladder. Over the 36 years that followed I became a master of my new craft, winning awards and rising to the top of my field.

During the last 10 years of my career as a sales engineer in the air pollution control industry, I worked every weekend and vacation honing my woodturning skills. I started my own website and opened a shop on ETSY in 2010. I’ve sold every piece I’ve made, well over 2000 bowls, platters, hollow forms etc., except the few I’ve made for my wife and family. I love turning and it’s easy to go to work in the shop every day.

I am just learning how to play hookie though. I hope to be a success at hookie too. This morning, I binge watched a series on Netflix. Surprisingly, I don’t feel that bad about it. With some more practice I might wind up being pretty good at hookie. We’ll see.

I took the morning off, I’ve eaten my lunch, now it’s time to go back to work. There are some really spectacular pieces of wood out there just waiting for my attention.

Below is a lovely piece that was made from a walnut crotch burl. My son was driving to a job and saw that someone was taking down two trees, a maple and a walnut. He brought me a few pieces and we went back with my truck to get the rest. Here is one of the prettier pieces:

@2010 Black Walnut Crotch Burl Wooden Bowl