Because of my real work, I always feel I am behind schedule on my work shop projects. Nothing in the work shop (to do) is on a critical path. So my anxiety is self inflicted and totally controlled, but I still feel it.
My plans have always been to build a workshop that I can enjoy while I am in retirement. Retirement is a time when I assumed it would be harder to make large machine tool purchases so I wanted the major equipment costs out of the way while I was fully employed; Thank you God and country! I am pleased I have made that goal and every tool I have is paid for.
Now the problem is when to take that exit ramp from the real workforce and actually retire full time to the workshop. There I can do all the things I have started and planned to do at this stage of my life. However, I just past route 66 on my journey and haven’t picked a place to set camp and permanently drive in the stakes. Many of my peers are already in the parking lot, engines off and have their tents up; but I am still putting fuel in the tank and heading back out on the road.
The rule is supposed to be “Enjoy what you are doing.” That tune is playing on the car radio, so I want to keep driving. I could also hear it on the shop radio if I turned up the volume. So maybe it’s my calendar that’s off schedule.
I have never in my life been laid off or been without full time employment. I don’t even like to take “away” idle vacations. I have made major changes in my life’s work but all were well planned. My work has always provided a security shell around me and I fear what it might be like when that egg breaks. Call me Humpty Dumpty.
Another minor detail I don’t write much about is my health. I have progressive Peripheral Neuropathy (PN) that for the last 20 years has slowly eroded my abilities such as walking and standing without support and now fine motor skills with my hands and fingers. The later still work, but not near as well as they once did. So my time may be running out on those ambidextrous abilities needed in the workshop.
As a behind schedule workaholic, I need to change my brand of booze from the commercial stuff to the home brew variety. Will the “buzz” be the same?