Super unhappy at work. Since I can’t fix things on the job, I’ve been fixing other things. I go out twice a day to simply water the plants I have out back; a hodge podge of planned (grass, rose bushes) and adopted (rando flowers my daughter buys then abandons). Feels good to put in a little effort and get great returns back. I know they can’t talk, but I feel appreciated.
Motorcycle, car, appliance, and AC maintenance is another one. I haven’t read the famous Motorcycle Zen book, but simply being self-sufficient, saving money, and being proud of my work feels good. Being terrible at something and then making small gains feels good.
Something as “simple” as install our new sink faucet has changed all our lives for the better. New LED lights on the minivan is empowering to my daughter & wife who have bad eyesight and can barely see at night while driving; wayyy better than the default halogens. Really looking forward to learning how to fix my water heater as well. The parts alone are $600, can’t imagine what the repair bill would be vs. me just YouTubing it and getting the parts myself from the manufacturer over the phone this morning.
I wonder what’ll happen when I get a job I like. Will I keep these hobbies? I’ll have the knowledge, sure, but will I apply it, or go normal Jesse-workaholic mode and just throw myself into the job, ignoring all my previous escapes from reality?