Lost my enthusiasm

[doobes]

I've been doing woodworking of one sort or another virtually my entire life. Started small, and have built a fairly respectable number of pieces which now grace my home.

Trouble is, I can't seem to motivate myself into doing it any longer. I turned 60 this year and it seems like my entire life has gone topsy turvy.

A couple of years ago a back problem resulting from a car accident when I was a teenager escalated into a full blown crises.  I was hunched over, could not stand for any length of time, could only sit in specific chairs, etc.  It was exceedingly unpleasant.  I saw a neurosurgeon and with a MRI discovered the injured disk, which has obviously been injured for a long time as shown by the bone erosion. Other than the bulge, the disk was quite healthy.  In retrospect, I've had symptoms of this all my adult life. Back spasms, stiffness, etc. Just never got bad enough to look into it, until this.


The Dr is sort of a non traditionalist and his recommended treatment was to walk in the pool for an hour a day, three times a week. I thought he was nuts, but figured it couldn't hurt so I did. I got relief from the worst of the symptoms, but it never did get back to the state prior to this episode.

In doing some spelunking around the web on back injuries, many recommendations were for yoga as a means of rehabilitation. Don't know why, but yoga was always one of those things I found interesting, so I figured why not.  The first class triggered a perturbation of staggering proportions. I could hardly move through the pain. H'mmm, this was not a good start. Had decided I wasn't going back, but the night before my next class, it dissipated, so I went. I mentioned it to the instructor and she tailored the movements a bit to help. Over time I got better and stronger.  It's takes a while to undue some 40 years of abuse.

About a year or so in, the symptoms dissipated. I remember going to a class and my instructor commenting "you are feeling better", to which I enthusiastically agreed. I've been going for about 2 1/2 years now and I absolutely love it. I have hour long practices several times a week, and still go to classes. I like the physical challenge as I'm stronger and more flexible than I've ever been, but most of all I like the mental part.  Having to focus on working through the movements correctly brings a sense of calm and peacefulness that I've never experienced before.  My wife has noticed that I'm much calmer and things just simply don't get under my skin as much any more. To me, that is huge.

All this leads up to my lack of interest in woodworking.  I have no interest in being cooped up in my little shop with no windows for hours on end doing things that I never really enjoyed doing.  I love playing with the tools, and having a finished item to show, but the rest, not so much.

I've rediscovered photography, which again I've done since I was in college. In November I bought a NOS Fuji X-Pro1 and absolutely love it. It's relatively small and best of all takes spectacular images out of the camera needing little to no post processing. LOML and I are getting out and about much more frequently now and with the camera at hand, I've gotten a lot if interesting images.

So, have you had a period in your woodworking where your interest waned? Did it come back? If not, what did you do? I've got a shop full of tools I spent a lot of time rehabbing, and am a bit trepidatios about selling them should the desire to do woodworking return.

Thanks in advance,

[Woodworm!]

I've been doing woodworking of one sort or another virtually my entire life. Started small, and have built a fairly respectable number of pieces which now grace my home.

Trouble is, I can't seem to motivate myself into doing it any longer. I turned 60 this year and it seems like my entire life has gone topsy turvy.

A couple of years ago a back problem resulting from a car accident when I was a teenager escalated into a full blown crises.  I was hunched over, could not stand for any length of time, could only sit in specific chairs, etc.  It was exceedingly unpleasant.  I saw a neurosurgeon and with a MRI discovered the injured disk, which has obviously been injured for a long time as shown by the bone erosion. Other than the bulge, the disk was quite healthy.  In retrospect, I've had symptoms of this all my adult life. Back spasms, stiffness, etc. Just never got bad enough to look into it, until this.


The Dr is sort of a non traditionalist and his recommended treatment was to walk in the pool for an hour a day, three times a week. I thought he was nuts, but figured it couldn't hurt so I did. I got relief from the worst of the symptoms, but it never did get back to the state prior to this episode.

In doing some spelunking around the web on back injuries, many recommendations were for yoga as a means of rehabilitation. Don't know why, but yoga was always one of those things I found interesting, so I figured why not.  The first class triggered a perturbation of staggering proportions. I could hardly move through the pain. H'mmm, this was not a good start. Had decided I wasn't going back, but the night before my next class, it dissipated, so I went. I mentioned it to the instructor and she tailored the movements a bit to help. Over time I got better and stronger.  It's takes a while to undue some 40 years of abuse.

About a year or so in, the symptoms dissipated. I remember going to a class and my instructor commenting "you are feeling better", to which I enthusiastically agreed. I've been going for about 2 1/2 years now and I absolutely love it. I have hour long practices several times a week, and still go to classes. I like the physical challenge as I'm stronger and more flexible than I've ever been, but most of all I like the mental part.  Having to focus on working through the movements correctly brings a sense of calm and peacefulness that I've never experienced before.  My wife has noticed that I'm much calmer and things just simply don't get under my skin as much any more. To me, that is huge.

All this leads up to my lack of interest in woodworking.  I have no interest in being cooped up in my little shop with no windows for hours on end doing things that I never really enjoyed doing.  I love playing with the tools, and having a finished item to show, but the rest, not so much.

I've rediscovered photography, which again I've done since I was in college. In November I bought a NOS Fuji X-Pro1 and absolutely love it. It's relatively small and best of all takes spectacular images out of the camera needing little to no post processing. LOML and I are getting out and about much more frequently now and with the camera at hand, I've gotten a lot if interesting images.

So, have you had a period in your woodworking where your interest waned? Did it come back? If not, what did you do? I've got a shop full of tools I spent a lot of time rehabbing, and am a bit trepidatios about selling them should the desire to do woodworking return.

Thanks in advance,

Maybe woodcarving, as you can do that anywhere rather than being in a shop. 

I did Yoga for a couple years, and it does a good job of making you flexible again, keeping you regular, etc.. Got bored of it as it was so repetitive/

[Admiral]

My bride has given me a to do list for the house that is less than inspiring; painting, molding, laundry room cabinets, bath vanities (3), etc.  Not to denigrate the work, but its just really a lot of trim carpentry, and the cabinet work I tried to put in a lot of furniture like features (flutes, beading details, etc.) but in the end it is just a box to hold drawers and put some granite countertops on top of...... I did make some mirror frames, which I also dolled up with features, but I seem to want to expand.  I've pretty much completed her list, so I'm open to new things....

My suggestion would to be to undertake something that you've not considered before; in my case it might be a guitar; but I also want to make chairs.  Think about things outside your comfort zone and give it a whirl.

[mike4244]

I've been doing woodworking of one sort or another virtually my entire life. Started small, and have built a fairly respectable number of pieces which now grace my home.

Trouble is, I can't seem to motivate myself into doing it any longer. I turned 60 this year and it seems like my entire life has gone topsy turvy.

A couple of years ago a back problem resulting from a car accident when I was a teenager escalated into a full blown crises.  I was hunched over, could not stand for any length of time, could only sit in specific chairs, etc.  It was exceedingly unpleasant.  I saw a neurosurgeon and with a MRI discovered the injured disk, which has obviously been injured for a long time as shown by the bone erosion. Other than the bulge, the disk was quite healthy.  In retrospect, I've had symptoms of this all my adult life. Back spasms, stiffness, etc. Just never got bad enough to look into it, until this.


The Dr is sort of a non traditionalist and his recommended treatment was to walk in the pool for an hour a day, three times a week. I thought he was nuts, but figured it couldn't hurt so I did. I got relief from the worst of the symptoms, but it never did get back to the state prior to this episode.

In doing some spelunking around the web on back injuries, many recommendations were for yoga as a means of rehabilitation. Don't know why, but yoga was always one of those things I found interesting, so I figured why not.  The first class triggered a perturbation of staggering proportions. I could hardly move through the pain. H'mmm, this was not a good start. Had decided I wasn't going back, but the night before my next class, it dissipated, so I went. I mentioned it to the instructor and she tailored the movements a bit to help. Over time I got better and stronger.  It's takes a while to undue some 40 years of abuse.

About a year or so in, the symptoms dissipated. I remember going to a class and my instructor commenting "you are feeling better", to which I enthusiastically agreed. I've been going for about 2 1/2 years now and I absolutely love it. I have hour long practices several times a week, and still go to classes. I like the physical challenge as I'm stronger and more flexible than I've ever been, but most of all I like the mental part.  Having to focus on working through the movements correctly brings a sense of calm and peacefulness that I've never experienced before.  My wife has noticed that I'm much calmer and things just simply don't get under my skin as much any more. To me, that is huge.

All this leads up to my lack of interest in woodworking.  I have no interest in being cooped up in my little shop with no windows for hours on end doing things that I never really enjoyed doing.  I love playing with the tools, and having a finished item to show, but the rest, not so much.

I've rediscovered photography, which again I've done since I was in college. In November I bought a NOS Fuji X-Pro1 and absolutely love it. It's relatively small and best of all takes spectacular images out of the camera needing little to no post processing. LOML and I are getting out and about much more frequently now and with the camera at hand, I've gotten a lot if interesting images.

So, have you had a period in your woodworking where your interest waned? Did it come back? If not, what did you do? I've got a shop full of tools I spent a lot of time rehabbing, and am a bit trepidatios about selling them should the desire to do woodworking return.

Thanks in advance,

Add a few windows

[TGW]

It is normal for each and every one that one's interrests vary in intensity and priority over time. Often such variations are triggered by hard times in one's life. I am only 36 but as I have had more than my fair share of had tiomes and back problems I have seen it happen over and over again. However the same interrests always return after a good break.
As you have had a genuine interrest in woodworking I rekon that you are bound to find your way back sooner or later. Maybe not to the same sort of woodworking you did before but to some sort of woodworking where at least some of your tools will prove useful.
There is a lot more to woodworking than cabinetmaking and turning. Had I not moved from one sort of woodworking to another and then to another and then back then I would have been sick and tired and bored of woodwork before age 25.

Why not branch out from the ordinary and build a small simple plywood rowboat or a wood-and-canvas kayak for yourself to use on photo expeditions on local lakes and rivers?
Rowing and kayaking are great way to get up close with nature and wildlife and is excellent back training. Had it not been for kayaking I would be a chronic bed patient with my bad back.

[doobes]

...

Why not branch out from the ordinary and build a small simple plywood rowboat or a wood-and-canvas kayak for yourself to use on photo expeditions on local lakes and rivers?
Rowing and kayaking are great way to get up close with nature and wildlife and is excellent back training. Had it not been for kayaking I would be a chronic bed patient with my bad back.

Thanks.  Good advise.

[Phil Thien]

Bummer.

Can I have your tools?

[Wild Turkey]

One of the things I made sure to include in my new shop was PLENTY of windows.  I've worked in buildings without windows and it is absolutely depressing.

I'm also a photographer so I understand.  It goes in cycles, hang on to your good stuff for a while longer -- you may need to frame a good pix

[Arlin Eastman]

Thanks.  Good advise.

Chris

If I could suggest a Good Chiropractor and Massage therapist.  I went to mine 3 years after I got hurt and I can say they really did help me get out of the wheelchair and then out of a walker.

In February I joined the local Senior Center that has a huge heated swimming pool (about 100' by 60') and I was walking in it for several months and then went to the deeper part and started jogging.  It has helped my stanama and other things but I still have a balance problem which is due to head injury.

I started out going 3 times a week for a year and then 2 times a week and now once a month and the Massage Therapist every two weeks for muscle that cramp or to tight from lack of activity for so long and they do get muscle memory which has to be worked out.

Please find and see a good one.

If you wish send me a pm and I will contact mine to see if they know of any good ones in your area.  They REALLY do help.

[Tapper]

I've been doing woodworking of one sort or another virtually my entire life. Started small, and have built a fairly respectable number of pieces which now grace my home.

Trouble is, I can't seem to motivate myself into doing it any longer. I turned 60 this year and it seems like my entire life has gone topsy turvy.

A couple of years ago a back problem resulting from a car accident when I was a teenager escalated into a full blown crises.  I was hunched over, could not stand for any length of time, could only sit in specific chairs, etc.  It was exceedingly unpleasant.  I saw a neurosurgeon and with a MRI discovered the injured disk, which has obviously been injured for a long time as shown by the bone erosion. Other than the bulge, the disk was quite healthy.  In retrospect, I've had symptoms of this all my adult life. Back spasms, stiffness, etc. Just never got bad enough to look into it, until this.


The Dr is sort of a non traditionalist and his recommended treatment was to walk in the pool for an hour a day, three times a week. I thought he was nuts, but figured it couldn't hurt so I did. I got relief from the worst of the symptoms, but it never did get back to the state prior to this episode.

In doing some spelunking around the web on back injuries, many recommendations were for yoga as a means of rehabilitation. Don't know why, but yoga was always one of those things I found interesting, so I figured why not.  The first class triggered a perturbation of staggering proportions. I could hardly move through the pain. H'mmm, this was not a good start. Had decided I wasn't going back, but the night before my next class, it dissipated, so I went. I mentioned it to the instructor and she tailored the movements a bit to help. Over time I got better and stronger.  It's takes a while to undue some 40 years of abuse.

About a year or so in, the symptoms dissipated. I remember going to a class and my instructor commenting "you are feeling better", to which I enthusiastically agreed. I've been going for about 2 1/2 years now and I absolutely love it. I have hour long practices several times a week, and still go to classes. I like the physical challenge as I'm stronger and more flexible than I've ever been, but most of all I like the mental part.  Having to focus on working through the movements correctly brings a sense of calm and peacefulness that I've never experienced before.  My wife has noticed that I'm much calmer and things just simply don't get under my skin as much any more. To me, that is huge.

All this leads up to my lack of interest in woodworking.  I have no interest in being cooped up in my little shop with no windows for hours on end doing things that I never really enjoyed doing.  I love playing with the tools, and having a finished item to show, but the rest, not so much.

I've rediscovered photography, which again I've done since I was in college. In November I bought a NOS Fuji X-Pro1 and absolutely love it. It's relatively small and best of all takes spectacular images out of the camera needing little to no post processing. LOML and I are getting out and about much more frequently now and with the camera at hand, I've gotten a lot if interesting images.

So, have you had a period in your woodworking where your interest waned? Did it come back? If not, what did you do? I've got a shop full of tools I spent a lot of time rehabbing, and am a bit trepidatios about selling them should the desire to do woodworking return.

Thanks in advance,

To me this is the "operative" part of your story. It seems that you had a little shop with no windows and you were doing things you never really enjoyed???  To me that's the definition of torture! Why spend a large chunk of your life doing something you don't enjoy in an environment that isn't very enticing and comfortable?

In woodworking, if you don't enjoy the process, you will never enjoy the hobby. Sure, there are always things you enjoy doing more than other things - pretty natural for that to be the case no matter what the hobby/task. You sound like you're "head-over-heels" enamored with this new camera and photography, a good thing IMO. Go with it, keep only the WW tools you think you might need for "fix-it" projects and use the stash for more photography equipment. Enjoy life!!!

Glad your back is better!

Doug