Learning Curve

Some people were a little shocked when I announced that I was going to try and build a house for our family.  And they were right to be shocked!

Before I began building our home, I literally had one hammer (a small finishing hammer - the kind of hammer that is smooth on the head for those of you who don't know), a couple screwdrivers, a utility knife, a sawzall, a tape measure and a few little random bits.  I bought the sawzall - everything else, including the tool box this stuff was in, were gifts.  I'm not exaggerating.  There are kids in junior high that know more about building than I knew.  Maybe there still are!

For as much discouragment there has been about my progress in building, I do like learning curves.  They are good for me - they don't intimidate me.  It's almost better for me to be thrown into the fire and learn as I go.

Maybe that's why I was disappointed watching kite-surfing lessons a year ago.  We were in Africa with Dude sitting on a beach (waiting for his passport to be issued), when this class showed up to kite surf.  I was pretty excited.  The previous couple days we had spent enjoying the ocean and sitting on the beach watching people kite surf - we even met & watched the country's champion jumping in insane ways and flying around the ocean.  I enjoyed it enough that I was considering signing up for lessons (and SuperLu really wanted me to).

But then I started watching the lessons.

They spent 2 full days on the beach.  The first few hours they didn't even try on the gear or touch it.  I was told that day 3 would be in the water, but we were checking out of our B&B that day so I never saw.  That's too much theoretical learning and 'practicing' for me.  I'd like some instruction, but then start testing it out and figure it out on the go with some help.  That's how I learned to surf (I'm not great, but I love it).  Mouth rented a board with me, told me how not to get my face smashed in by the board, showed me how to stand up on the board (and do it quick), and within 10 minutes we were making our way out into the ocean.  I'd rather continue learning while I'm doing it than have all the answers ahead of time.

So maybe house building is right down my alley.  One time!  Not multiple homes - this is a labor of love & hopefully vision, not something I'm looking to do repeatedly!

Later,
I.B.