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The Outpost This forum is dedicated to all who share a love for, and a desire to make good knives, and have fun doing it. We represent a diverse group of smiths and knifemakers who bring numerous methods to their craft.

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  #121  
Old 01-16-2003, 08:57 AM
Dana Acker Dana Acker is offline
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Rules for Living

Since Chuck shared his rules for living, I'll share mine too. Many moons ago, I was going through a very stressful situation, being stretched in a thousand different directions and was at my wits end. I began having sharp chest pains, and was concerned that I might be becoming a candidate for a heart attack. A former professor, minister and friend came to see me, and related his rules for life, which he claimed saved his life when he developed heart problems from being totally stressed out all the time. I've pretty much adopted them and endeavor to practice them faithfully. Thankfully I have never had heart problems or stress disorders since. Travelling extensively in Mexico and becoming comfortable with many aspects of their culture has helped and taught me much as well. They come close to having it figured out I think.

Everybody's life and situations are different, I know, but I offer these simply for what they're worth. I'm sure we all have prescriptions for life which we've put into practice and found they work for us. Feel free to share them. As always these are not set in stone, so eat the fish, and spit out the bones. Hope these come in handy for someone.

1) Learn to say "NO." We can't do everything that everyone including ourselves puts on us. It's one of the hardest, yet most liberating things a human being can do, to be able to say no. Don't fall into the trap of being made to feel guilty for not being able to, or having enough hours in the day to do everything "expected" of us. Guilt is defined as a healthy response to sin or personal wrongdoing. It isn't either a sin or wrongdoing to say no to most of the stuff that comes down the pike for us to do. Get good at separating the unimportant from the important, so you have the energy and the time to say yes to that which really matters.

The Mexicans have a very neat word, man~ana (sorry my keyboard doesn't type in Spanish.) Man~ana in a dictionary literally translates for us gringos as "tomorrow." But in Mexico, the word takes on a completely different meaning. Yes, it can mean tomorrow, but more often it means "not today." That is a wonderful concept. When will we do it--not today. Maybe tomorrow, maybe next week, maybe next year, maybe never, but not today. If it's really important, it will get done. If not, it doesn't matter anyway.

2) Take frequent breaks. Find 5 or 10 minutes (or longer) here or there to just do nothing. Sit, lay down, take a rest. The Mexicans practice siesta. They shut down everything for a couple of hours in the afternoon, and just chill. Make time, steal time if you have to, but take a break--the more the better.

3) Have a diversion. Everyone needs something to take their mind off of the day's or life's cares. Most of us here have a shop in which to retreat. Sometimes our shops can produce as much stress as they relieve. Have something that lets you escape life for a bit. It'll still be there when you return.

4) Develope a "Who Cares?" attitude toward that which really doesn't matter. This is sort of a postscript to the first point. Ask yourself the questions, "Is what's looming so large and troubling in my sight at the moment, really going to be of any consequence this time next year?" and "If life goes on another 100 years will anyone even know or care that what you're facing even existed?" If not then why get stressed over it? We are very good at making mountains out of molehills. Making important that which in reality is unimportant. The sun's going to keep coming up in the east and keep going down in the west, and Christmas is going to keep coming on the 25th of December whether or not most of our life situations and annoyances get straightened out. This one's a little tougher than the others to put into practice, but take a minute and look at all the things that have bothered you, angered you, stressed you out, interrupted your day's game plan, etc., over the last couple of days, and honestly ask yourself, in the big scheme of things how important they really are? If the cure for some horrible disease, the solution for world hunger or peace don't hang in the balance because of it, then why worry about it? Ask yourself "Who cares?"

5) Exercise your sense of humor. Laugh a lot. Try to interject some humor into everything you do. Watch some cartoons or the Three Stooges, or the Marx Brothers or whatever makes your drink come out your nose when caught off guard by a good punchline. Learn to laugh at your self, and lighten up a little bit. Often times when you're the brunt of a joke, it really is funny. Why should everybody else only get to laugh? We're all funny creatures who do a lot of funny and dumb things. Enjoy it. It's OK. Dr. Norman Cousins, who wrote "Anatomy of an Illness," basically eliminated crippling arthritic pain from his life through exposing himself to hours of belly laughing humor.

6) This got added to my list later, when I heard an old doctor tell someone that if they wanted to live to a ripe old age, "Don't smoke too much, don't drink too much, and don't worry about nothing."


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  #122  
Old 01-16-2003, 08:58 AM
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eat'n sh1t

You know... once you get past the texture and the smell of it, this sh1t actually tastes pretty good! I bet if I stir it, it will get better and better. All I need to do now is make myself a bigger spoon.

I'm not sharing this sh1t with anyone. Y'all can watch, but it's mine.
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  #123  
Old 01-16-2003, 09:02 AM
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It's all definately mine.
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  #124  
Old 01-16-2003, 10:32 AM
Phillip Jones Phillip Jones is offline
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If we all stick together we can forge out a shovel big enough to move any pile of *&^%
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  #125  
Old 01-16-2003, 11:50 AM
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You guys do the forging, I'll do the shoveling.
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  #126  
Old 01-16-2003, 02:09 PM
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hammerdownnow hammerdownnow is offline
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Tai, we need YOU to make the coolest looking sh!t shovel ever made. HONEY DIPPERS UNITE!
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  #127  
Old 01-16-2003, 02:12 PM
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I could really get into that.

I love my job!
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  #128  
Old 01-16-2003, 02:16 PM
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hammerdownnow hammerdownnow is offline
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Don't forget the socket handle.
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  #129  
Old 01-16-2003, 02:19 PM
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hammerdownnow hammerdownnow is offline
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It could do double duty. When there is no sh!t to shovel. You could scoop ashes with it. Call it the "ASH WHACKER"
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  #130  
Old 01-16-2003, 02:19 PM
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No doubt!... and meteorites too. Forged north in the moon light.

My magic sh1t shovel.
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  #131  
Old 01-16-2003, 02:22 PM
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hammerdownnow hammerdownnow is offline
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This one is gonna NEED a butt plug tho....just to be on the safe side....
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  #132  
Old 01-16-2003, 03:06 PM
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It's a toss up between the shovel and the spoon. I'm leaning towards the spoon... it's some tastey sh1t!

If I use the shovel, I'm just moving the sh1t from point "A" to point "B". If I use the spoon, and eat the sh1t, I just create new sh1t. I guess I should look at it as "job security" either way.
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  #133  
Old 01-16-2003, 03:14 PM
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hammerdownnow hammerdownnow is offline
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If it is moved from point A to point B and allowed to sit for awhile it then becomes fertilizer. If you eat it, it returns in its original form and never grows into anything.
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  #134  
Old 01-16-2003, 10:28 PM
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How about a "sh1t spoon in the hat"?
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