2002-06-26 - 9:41 a.m.
Hmm�so that last entry was�tedious. To those of ya who actually slogged through it�well I take my hat off to you. You�re hard core�
Perhaps something a bit more light hearted and shorter. (or not, now that I have gone back and rad what I wrote)
I have been thinking a lot about blacksmithing lately. Mostly about how I want to do it full time. Problem is I am not good enough yet to make a go of it. At least not on my own, perhaps as a part of a larger shop, but definitely not on my own. I guess that many of us are in a similar boat. How many of you are doing what you love? How many of you are following your dreams? Or is there something else that you would really rather be doing? Yeah yeah�I know if we all had our choices we would get paid 6 figures for just being ourselves, and spending our time playing or chasing our current fancy. But really folks�How many of you are following your passion? I know that right now I am not. Yeah, I like teaching, but I would much rather be doing it from beside the anvil. I guess I shouldn�t complain I don�t rally hate my job. Teaching is a passion of mine, but it could be better. How bout you?
So as I was puttering around last night, washing clothes and putting my entire CD collection on the computer, came across this poem. I am sure many of you have read it before or at least have heard me talk about it. But today I need a pick me up and this is it. Some day�some day that smith will be me. (both the one in the picture and the poem)
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Titled: �Can you fix my Dolly?�
THE VILLAGE BLACKSMITH
UNDER a spreading chestnut-tree
The village smithy stands;
The smith, a mighty man is he,
With large and sinewy hands;
And the muscles of his brawny arms
Are strong as iron bands.
His hair is crisp, and black, and long,
His face is like the tan;
His brow is wet with honest sweat,
He earns whate'er he can,
And looks the whole world in the face,
For he owes not any man.
Week in, week out, from morn till night,
You can hear his bellows blow;
You can hear him swing his heavy sledge,
With measured beat and slow,
Like a sexton ringing the village bell,
When the evening sun is low.
And children coming home from school
Look in at the open door;
They love to see the flaming forge,
And hear the bellows roar,
And catch the burning sparks that fly
Like chaff from a threshing-floor.
He goes on Sunday to the church,
And sits among his boys;
He hears the parson pray and preach,
He hears his daughter's voice,
Singing in the village choir,
And it makes his heart rejoice.
It sounds to him like her mother's voice,
Singing in Paradise!
He needs must think of her once more,
How in the grave she lies;
And with his hard, rough hand he wipes
A tear out of his eyes.
Toiling,---rejoicing,---sorrowing,
Onward through life he goes;
Each morning sees some task begin,
Each evening sees it close;
Something attempted, something done,
Has earned a night's repose.
Thanks, thanks to thee, my worthy friend,
For the lesson thou hast taught!
Thus at the flaming forge of life
Our fortunes must be wrought;
Thus on its sounding anvil shaped
Each burning deed and thought.
(Longfellow)
Well as my buddy Colin so often says�For them what care�.
Today I learned that my boss is becoming easier and easier to work with. Perhaps it is because we are beginning to understand each other better. She is quickly learning that if she wants me to do something, all she needs to do is ask. She has also learned that in order for me to get any real work done, I must be left alone and uninterrupted. I am the king of distraction�but when I can eliminate them�I am also the king of Hyper-focusing. And when I am in that mode, well amazing things are accomplished. As for me, well I have realized that she just doesn�t understand people very well, but you can be very frank and up front with her and she both respects and appreciates that. Guess we all have our problems. Yesterday I told her that I wanted to start getting some more advanced training�and today I have 4 classes on my schedule�Hmm�funny how thing work when folks understand each other a little bit�and can communicate. I still don�t have a desk of my own though�and I don�t think I ever will�guess you can�t win em all�
So my friends�What have you learned today?
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