re-mod-el (re mod’el), v.t., -eled, -el-ing or (esp. Brit.) -elled, -el-ling. 1. to model again. 2. to reconstruct; make over. Random House
Yes, we know.
Here’s a building that could benefit from a remodel and a term with a definition we well understand.
Entropy never sleeps.
The plan seems a simple one: gather the timber, measure, document, disassemble, de-nail, stack and stage, layout and cut mortise and tenons and raise the building. Then voila’, a new woodshed.
How hard is that?
YouTube is positively lousy with forty-minute timber frame builds. Where are those people?
Oops!
Looks like the projects just get bigger. Maybe time to take stock of things - set some priorities. Maybe time for some autobiographical planning (laziness).
After all, there’s a lot of remodelling to do.
Reconstruction is another way to look at things, and my approach of preference. Reinventing what already works is wasteful and a luxury not always afforded us. There will always be larger reconstruction projects to keep us busy, while we’re working them, we might consider their qualities already present.
subliminal message warning
Questionable Introspection
Navigating the inner workings of my own mind.
The writer seems to have somehow acquired a knack for expression that at times seems more like verbal jujitsu. Don’t remember training for it, don’t remember apprenticing with a master, just sort of comes natural to me. It’s all more than likely part of some illusion or other.
Example:
Was trolling the nether regions of substack trying to find someone to reach out to (outreach) because after all S&UP ain’t setting the world on fire and marketing is completely my task (done a lot of marketing - marketing bores me). Came across a writer that caught my attention and as usual skipped through large amounts of content and went right to the comments (because after all - wanta’ see who’s hangin’ out there). That writer is a heavy hitter with thousands of subscribers, many paid, hundreds of likes and comments. And hard core with a lot of hard-core followers including some real leathernecks. Cool, so do we want to invite them into our intricate web of intrigue?
When comments originate from S&UP they are straight up ego feed (because that’s what they thrive on) or (and here’s the thing) clever. Of course, that means clever in the kindest and gentlest of ways. Always brief and to the point.
So, this thread was about the virtues of cannibalism and the comments were on fire, some congratulatory, some accusatory, most were from folks cussing like it was their first day discovering freedom of expression and frolicking in their newfound language. Don’t get me wrong - cussing is my thing, but my keyboard skills are agonizingly slow so there’s no urge to waste strokes here.
The commenters seemed to be having a good time reveling in the macabre with their wit some remarks about population control and barbecues while bantering with the host - my kind of people. But they just weren’t getting anywhere with it all. Being able to wrap up a topic in ten words or less is a specialty of mine.
OK, so they’re hitting all around the objective and my patience is running thin. What to do?
Eat the babies…
No likes, no replies. The writer not only took down the thread but issued a retraction followed by a fluff piece. Maybe it’s the image in my profile, or maybe it’s something else that seems to propel folks right to the escape function (not sure), but if you inhabit these portals, you know that my meaning is anything but sinister (see: WORKS….Jan. 13). Just trying to help. These are not people who scare easily so there must be something else going on.
Could it be the unknown?
Example 2:
Another writer, one that S&UP subscribes to, is a world-renowned writer, speaker, spiritual leader with movie rights and the acclaimed all time most watched TED TALK speech. Having participated in spiritual practices and religions all over the world seeking her own Nirvana this woman should be a force to be reckoned with (and she is); yet she admits to being paralyzed with fear much of the time. Having followed this woman’s career for a couple of decades as well as being a willing disciple of eastern philosophies, yoga, Thai Chi, meditation etc. myself - her dilemma strikes me as tragic.
Yet she is a superstar with tens and thousands of subscribers, podcasts, videos and guest appearances. The content is always meant to be uplifting and supportive, full of love and peace - a throwback from the New Age (been there done that) and the comments are prolific, full of ego feed.
This guy is terrible at ego feed. My urge is to reach out (outreach) with some comforting words until reminded that all of it is in here, and easily reachable. Because we can’t get past her paywall, opportunities to comment only occur when invited through the chat option. Coping mechanisms are here to be had, hard won and effective when we consider that fear is real and attempting to dissolve it is futile. Confronting fear is more straightforward. Fearing forward is part of my training.
But alas, any outreach toward that group also goes unanswered. Checking my impulses it becomes clear that it’s not my responsibility to explain myself when my explanation resides here. So much for that.
So here we are:
A dust mote in a literary universe, just the way we like it: intimate like a message to home. Solitary, subtle and elusive. Subversive. Only brave souls here. Like finding a twenty in the parking lot.
Pictured on the left is a two-pound steam era (steampunk) cross peen hammer with handle in ash. On the right is a Warrington pattern bench hammer with handle in Osage orange (the handle is shaped to match the arc of the user’s arm when working at the bench, allowing the bell to strike true while the hand is slightly below the bench top).
Peace…