I saw a skein of yarn online and I thought of how many interesting things we used to touch and do with our hand when I was young. Seems like all we do is touch keys or buttons these days. \
When I was young, yarn came in a huge skein. You untwisted it and two of you would make a ball of yarn of it. One would hold the skein, while the other wound the ball. It was a wonderful sensation, so relaxing. Letters were typed on a typewriter. When you got to the end of the paper, a little bell would ding and you hit the carriage return to roll the paper up and start the next line. Telephones had rotary dials that had this kind of tug and your fingers when you spun the dial and a clicking return.
I used to use an old egg beater to make eggs when I was young. You held the handle with one hand and turned a crank with the others. My grandfather mowed our lawn with a spindle mower. No need for gas or wires. And when you needed to change the channel on the TV, you got up off you butt, walked over to the TV and changed it. OK so maybe there WERE only three channels to choose from back then.
I love to work with my hands. I love to craft, to build and to garden. Maybe the reason so many people are making and selling crafts these days is to do something with their hands.
I'm feeling the weight of nothing going right today. Recent purchases are screwed up. Sales are dropping rapidly. I remember last year feeling the pinch. I don't even have tax return to look forward to because I owe about $3000 in back taxes, long story. We could really use the car repaired too, but I'll be lucky to make enough to survive on.
The thing that amazes me is that each of the past 5 years, we earn less and less, and yet we seem to do OK. It really can't get too much worse. I'm trying to make a go of my craft, but I think I may have to “get a real job”. Just a little down in the dumps today. Feeling there are just not enough people out there who like my product, to support myself, no matter what I offer.
You should remember what you yourself linked to yesterday, there's a lot to be said about the right attitude! Think positive!
ReplyDeleteHang in there. Doubt is a crazy thing. (Ever see the movie/play/screenplay?) You've had it tough but I know you will persevere.
ReplyDeleteLove your thoughts on hands and creating. I have always loved working with my hands. I think deep down we all need to create. I remember when I was an engineer, I had hoped to be in product design but ended up in process engineering. I hated it. Every day spinning wheels, making phone calls, trying to fix things but never having authority. At the end of the day I would ask myself, "what did I accomplish?" I had nothing to show for it....
Anyway, I want to do a blog thing with hands - photos of hands. Need to figure out how to do it - a linky - or post all the photos on the web somewhere or a facebook page.