Postponed but Not Over


I was hoping to hold off on at least part of this announcement till the end of the month after I had completed projects I have currently in the works but things changed the outcome and choice possibilities.

No sooner than I made the last post about upcoming projects, the very next day I was informed as others were here at this facility no one is allowed to do any work of any type. Which in itself ties my hands and choices.

I'm not going to get into the details and drama or the why's and who's responsible for these changes though I know full well the who, why and what of these turn of events. I've seen it a hundred times if not more in South Florida. South Florida has changed dramatically since the 90's, especially the late 90's and even sooner further South than where I am. Hence I moved North to the edge of the next county where I'm seeing the same thing happen as it did South of here. As well as the North of me.

Most wouldn't want to hear the realities as to the cause and effects let alone the realities of changes in their surroundings. While others might hear what's said, they wouldn't listen, they prefer to stick their heads in the sand and stay in denial. Or only see what's going on in their tiny little world and circles and keep telling themselves it's not happening. That is until they wake up one day and go, "What the hell happened!?".

They don't see what's plainly in their faces all around them. Or are just blatently unaware of their surroundings. Which to be honest, can easily happen if you don't look around. Or wear blinders when traveling from point A to point B.

I on the other hand I consider myself a realist. I pay attention to the details, see the patterns. I take notice. I try to see things clearly. It's hard to avoid in my opinion unless you choose to do so. And it's not just happening here, it's happening in other places throughout the country. And having a major effect on the people of this country. Unfortunately, I can't fix it. I just have to deal with it, and move to an area where it's not happening, which is getting far and few between. While others prefer to live life in some Utopian Fantasy world, I'm stuck dealing with and living in the reality of things. What has happened here at this facility, just a taste of the reality of things. Bitching in a blog about it might make for a good read, but it won't change things for me or others here. And even some of those that are effected by what's happened directly to them here at this facility, still don't see what's really going on. They only see what's happened to them personally. They don't see the whole picture.

Given my nature, I look for the whole picture. I don't just look at a single event, I look at a all the events. That's the only way you can see the whole picture, not just what has been framed in the image for you to see. Follow that Grasshopper? To see the whole picture, you can't just look at what's framed in the camera lens and presented to you. The framed shot if you will.
Learn to see it all, not just a tiny piece. Learn to look outside of the framed shot. Give that some thought sometime...

Continuing  on... Those of us here waited a week to see what the heck was going on, if this was true, we couldn't work on anything here and apparently it is. Rather than be evicted or asked to leave at the end of the month as some have already and just how they found out about these supposed policy changes; which I don't understand why or how given everyone had permission to do what they do here for years, I stopped immediately and started packing things up. If I can't do my hobby work here or any work here period then I definitely don't need the extra space I've rented.

Which on that note, I was seriously considering get rid of the extra expansion space I had rented at the end of the month given I haven't made any sales in months. Last months income was $35. This month so far $30. Not even enough to pay attention. The facility attitude change here just solidified that decision.

Rent has increased more than that, in fact, rent has increased 3 times now in 6 months on the space I'm renting. And honestly, it's not the ideal unit for what I'm doing but it was workable.

It sucks but at the same time, getting rid of the expansion unit I rented is simply good business sense. Or in my case, personal finance sense. I'm footing the bill on materials and overhead with zero return. That can only last so long. So rather than stop completely, I was going to go back to work at least part time and just down size. Given now I don't have the choice to continue working on projects that changes that as well. Having to shut down completely is the real kicker in all this. And the news blindsided everyone here, who are now all looking for a place to go.

I have a sense of a weight lifted financially to a degree of course, on the other hand I'm, oh what's a good word, despondent maybe (?) that once again, just like every time I got going with my CG and other creative outlets in the past years, I have to shut it down for one reason or another. I'm really tired of this continuous cycle of starting and stopping just when I'm really getting started.. getting the hang of things etc. It's a freaking pain in the ass as well as frustrating the heck out of me more and more each time.

And yeah to top it off, the realization I just traded for new tools to add new projects and try new things with the week before. But on the positive, I still have them for the future, which is what I'm looking to.

All one can do is shift gears and refocus energy in these situations. For me personally it includes:

A) Getting a steady income and rebuilding my nest egg which I've seriously depleted with all the expenses and little to no income.

B) Find a better location to do what I want to do. Large enough and cheap enough that I can for once set everything I want to do up. A place that meets my requirements. In another State possibly, more than likely actually.

C) Ending this nonsense of starting up, shutting down, starting up, shutting down. It has to end somehow.

I've always end my posts with "Stay creative and above all stay Happy" and I mean it. I want you my readers and visitors to stay creative and above all else stay Happy or find happiness in your creativity and life in general.

I hate to admit it but personally I haven't been happy here in years. In short it's just not working for me here. And hasn't for years which is far too long. I can't find my passion here anymore. Cut and dry, I just don't want to be here anymore. For many reasons not just one specific reason.

Start and stop every six months doesn't work for me.

To create anything it takes focus. To get good it takes practice and dedication. That and incentive. And money! An income above and beyond the cost of living and overhead and expenses. And space, elbow room! And I can't find any of that here anymore it seems.

I'm thinking some place on the west side of the Mississippi. Maybe the North West. Take everything up there...  A Go West young man! kinda thing. Some place different, unique. Filled with people I have something in common with. Day dreaming there for a second... 😀

So what all this means for the blog is... As close as I am to finishing some of these projects. I can't complete them. It would be silly for me to post about them missing one or two parts. Given the situation, I've postponed everything. I'm sure you understand.

So... Here's the deal...

Let me regroup, figure out what the heck I'm going to do, and where I'm going to go and I'll be back posting steadily on the blog again.

Till then, let me say Thank you for visiting and I hope you found something on my blog that helped or inspired you. Don't take away discouragement from this post. It's just my reality. The cards I've been dealt and have to deal with. And I will.

Before leaving I do want to give a shout out to a couple people. And you'll also get a sneak peak at a couple projects in their current state.

I'd like to thank Keda Wood Dyes for their instructional videos. which I used their wood dye on the custom case and stand for the Drill Press Angle Vise. I've never dyed wood before and though it didn't come out exactly as I had envisioned, it was a learning experience. Not due to the dye, but my lack of expertise and know-how as well as a proper scale to weigh out the dye powder. If considering using powdered dyes you need a quality accurate two decimal point scale to measure the powder out with which is something I don't own at the moment. It's still lacking some hardware but here it is, as it is:



I'd like to thank Decals Deluxe SC who was willing to work with me on the layout and custom cutting the decal for the Matco Tools Portable Air Tank, which again lacks the final touches but as you can see below the decal came out great and really pops against the Candy Red.


There is one other thing I can show you as a sneak peek on projects I was working on. If you read the last post you may recall I mentioned I was working on a paint booth of my own design. One more change to the design possibly and I think it'll be ready to be unveiled in it's true form. As mentioned I'm packing so here it is broken down and ready for storage or transport which ever the case may be.


As you can see it breaks down into a rather small form factor for it's size. And don't be fooled by it's white exterior coating, it's not quite what it seems to be. As soon as I get resituated and settled in, I'll be sharing it with everyone. So hope that karma is with me and I do so sooner than later if it's something your interested in.

Well... I guess that's it people.. at least for a while. I'll sneak a post or two on something creative on the blog till I get resituated, or at least try, you can count on that. 😀

Despite this temporary set back of mine, as always my friends, stay creative and most of all stay, Happy!

Cheers all!...
- chase -

Comments