The Journey's Beginning
Oct. 1/10
Preface: Jordan has asked that we save our shoe carving projects for a grand unveiling when we have completed the challenge and I will do that, however, I want to blog about the experience, from a personal level, to document my journey of self-awareness and personal growth. To do that I need to go back to the beginning…
A week or so ago, Jordan Straker jokingly said something about posting a tutorial, teaching people how to "see" and to carve a shoe. What I have come to know about myself is that I am a great cheerleader. What I lack in hands-on skills I make up in my ability to motivate others to move forward and to fulfill their visions and dreams. (I think Martin also says something about this when he talks about our conversations when I first contacted him with ideas about the site.)
Anyway, I had to jump on Jordan's statement and try my best to see it come to fruition. What a great opportunity for Jordan, for our members, and for LumberJocks.com! Now, you know the saying, "Be careful what you wish for", well, Jordan took up the challenge and I, having made a personal pledge of following through with statements I've made and to take up opportunities that offer themselves, felt that since I pushed for the challenge I should participate. "Put your money where you mouth is" would be the motivating wisdom.
As I usually do when I find myself going into unfamiliar territories because of something that I have said I would do, I blocked my emotions, trying my best to ignore the fears of giving it a try. "Just jump in and do it" and the fears will take care of themselves. I mean once you are doing something you can't be afraid of starting, can you, since you have already started!
And so for the past week I have been waiting for that point where I've already started so I could let go of the emotional blocking. Underneath that veil of blankness I could still feel the anxieties just dying to be acknowledged. The result of this emotional non-battle battle was that I didn't choose my shoe until this morning. When I sent the picture to Jordan, as requested, I told him why I had had such a hard time choosing: I have two pairs of running shoes; both are identical. So which one should I choose?? The two identical pairs is the truth. The procrastination was the refusal to engage "fear".
Step 1: The Template
Today, I have the wood, the shoe, the Dremel bits, and Jordan's first lessons. And so the journey begins. I've now jumped the hurdle of the first "beginning".
A running joke here in this house is my lack of ability to judge distance (as well as to read a measuring tape in anything less than 1/4 inches. So it was no surprise to me that the vision in my mind of a running shoe "half the size of the original" was way off.
Now, I know that Jordan said to measure, to make sure the copy of the template was indeed 50% but I had to measure twice in order to believe that the 2" distance was now 1" .. and then half the length was indeed 50%. No wonder Prez laughed at me when I was looking at the pieces of basswood at the Wood Show today! I could make two or three pairs with the chunk of wood I picked out. Of course, I did buy a large piece in hopes that I really could carve and I'd have extra wood to make more creations. Really. Really I did! Prez might have a different story to tell.. but I'm sticking with this one.
The Next Step
The next step will be transferring the template to the wood. I'll do that tomorrow. I've overcome enough emotional hurdles for one day. That will be my next "beginning".
Oct. 1/10
Preface: Jordan has asked that we save our shoe carving projects for a grand unveiling when we have completed the challenge and I will do that, however, I want to blog about the experience, from a personal level, to document my journey of self-awareness and personal growth. To do that I need to go back to the beginning…
A week or so ago, Jordan Straker jokingly said something about posting a tutorial, teaching people how to "see" and to carve a shoe. What I have come to know about myself is that I am a great cheerleader. What I lack in hands-on skills I make up in my ability to motivate others to move forward and to fulfill their visions and dreams. (I think Martin also says something about this when he talks about our conversations when I first contacted him with ideas about the site.)
Anyway, I had to jump on Jordan's statement and try my best to see it come to fruition. What a great opportunity for Jordan, for our members, and for LumberJocks.com! Now, you know the saying, "Be careful what you wish for", well, Jordan took up the challenge and I, having made a personal pledge of following through with statements I've made and to take up opportunities that offer themselves, felt that since I pushed for the challenge I should participate. "Put your money where you mouth is" would be the motivating wisdom.
As I usually do when I find myself going into unfamiliar territories because of something that I have said I would do, I blocked my emotions, trying my best to ignore the fears of giving it a try. "Just jump in and do it" and the fears will take care of themselves. I mean once you are doing something you can't be afraid of starting, can you, since you have already started!
And so for the past week I have been waiting for that point where I've already started so I could let go of the emotional blocking. Underneath that veil of blankness I could still feel the anxieties just dying to be acknowledged. The result of this emotional non-battle battle was that I didn't choose my shoe until this morning. When I sent the picture to Jordan, as requested, I told him why I had had such a hard time choosing: I have two pairs of running shoes; both are identical. So which one should I choose?? The two identical pairs is the truth. The procrastination was the refusal to engage "fear".
Step 1: The Template
Today, I have the wood, the shoe, the Dremel bits, and Jordan's first lessons. And so the journey begins. I've now jumped the hurdle of the first "beginning".
A running joke here in this house is my lack of ability to judge distance (as well as to read a measuring tape in anything less than 1/4 inches. So it was no surprise to me that the vision in my mind of a running shoe "half the size of the original" was way off.
Now, I know that Jordan said to measure, to make sure the copy of the template was indeed 50% but I had to measure twice in order to believe that the 2" distance was now 1" .. and then half the length was indeed 50%. No wonder Prez laughed at me when I was looking at the pieces of basswood at the Wood Show today! I could make two or three pairs with the chunk of wood I picked out. Of course, I did buy a large piece in hopes that I really could carve and I'd have extra wood to make more creations. Really. Really I did! Prez might have a different story to tell.. but I'm sticking with this one.
The Next Step
The next step will be transferring the template to the wood. I'll do that tomorrow. I've overcome enough emotional hurdles for one day. That will be my next "beginning".