Get In the Zone

 Being back on track and with a new focus, I find myself once again flooded with new ideas. If I don't watch it, I will right back in the same pit of stress I just crawled out of.

 Add in my new past time of Competition Chili Cooking and now things are busier than they were before. Plus all the work I neglected over the summer and couple that with repeatedly being told everything I do is wrong and it's all my fault has the stress levels on the rise again. But fear not, there is hope and I call it Refuge.   

Do you ever get into a zone? You know what I'm talking about, kinda like that thousand yard stare sort of thing, but while your doing something. I guess the best way to describe it is like being lost in your own world and everything around you does not exist or even matter until you snap out of whatever it is you are doing. It's a zone where hunger pains do not exist, where you could go for hours without eating and only until you stop do you realize you are in need of a drink, food or even sleep as far as that goes. In that total state of "doing" you are free. Free of all the worries and problems you might be going through. It's a calming place where you and only you exist and time has no meaning.
So have I freaked you out yet? No really, I bet everyone reading this can relate one way or another to what I am saying either by doing gardening, reading, wood working and so on.

Recently I bought a shop, no I did not build it but bought it. It's the first shop I have had for several years and the first real fully functioning one ever. I had the building delivered and that day I went to work on building shelves and work benches. It has already made things easier and it was well worth the money. That shop is my refuge. When I walk in there all worries stay at the door. That is where I get in that zone I described above.

This past couple of weeks I have been building stuff for our Chili Booth. October 6th we will be doing our first trial run at setting up the booth and cooking our chilies for judges, a mock run so to speak. The judges will consist of around fifteen family and friends. This will help us out and get us ready for our first real event the following weekend.
Even though it's a mock event, the top three winning chilies still needs some kind of recognition so last night after work I walked in and zoned out.
It has been a really long time since I built anything small. My wood working tools are old and rusted, sandpaper that is so old it crumbles when used and most of the blades are twenty years old or older but still cut. I found out real quick I don't have as steady of a hand as I once did nor do I have the best eye sight I once had.
But in the end I really don't think that it matters that much. As long as I found my happy place and enjoyed what I was doing stress free.


Not a bad job I don't think for some scrap wood and a bunch of old tools. I still need to complete the ones for second and third places and then put some sort of finish on them. I haven't decided on paint or stain yet.

 I don't guess I have a moral for the story but I can tell ya this, get up and find something to do and when you are feeling stressed, get in the zone.



Thanks to all that entered the T-Shirt giveaway and if you haven't done so it's easy. Just go to the post below and leave a comment that you want one. The drawing will be in less than two weeks so hurry.