Opposite of Boredom

            Lately I have had several people tell me they are bored. It was always different circumstances, and they were a range of ages. When I asked them what they did for hobbies, or for fun, they were all able to give me several things that they did.

            Several days have passed now and it just dawned on me that they were not really bored, they were just unhappy with the time it was taking them to accomplish certain things in their lives.

            Most of us think of “bored” as having a lack of things to do. Or at least I will say that has always been the definition I have heard. Here is just one example I pulled off a Google search. “Feeling weary because one is unoccupied or lacks interest in one's current activity.”

            I guess that might explain my sometimes overwhelming number of things I like to do. If I find that I don’t feel like working on one thing, I can move on to something else for a bit. Or change directions completely. Going from wood working to blacksmithing, or writing to carving a golf ball. Sometimes I even fall off the deep end and spend time reading a book.

Slabs in the process of becoming wall sculptures or clocks. 

            Because I’m a “list” person I have white boards in my shop with sectioned off lists of various projects that I “want” to do along with a few I “need” to get done. When I find that I’m unhappy with what I’m doing I look at something on the list that required a change in direction from what I’m doing, and start down that path.

My "Bassinet" bowl made from a Walnut limb.

            The down side to that is I have many projects that are in various stages of completion. My project this weekend was to clean up my shop, make the “flat surfaces” flat again and take inventory of the projects that are near completion so I can work them into the schedule soon and get them off the list they are on… Some it will only take a few minutes of dedicated work; others will take several weeks of working on them after my “day job” at Llama Hardware.

            Oh, and Christmas is coming up, that adds a whole new list of projects that will need finished up in time to ship to family and friends… Yep, I can feel boredom coming up Real fast! 

Six Months!

            They say that if you are busy doing things that time seems to go by faster. After realizing that I have now owned Llama Hardware for nearly six months I guess I have to agree with that statement.

            While I have been busy learning how to make the products offered with the same quality as my predecessors, the time has been ticking along. While it seems like I just started, and in the long term, I have only just started, it has been nearly a full six months of rushing to get caught up on back orders, learn the book keeping system, and add some time for research and development (R&D) to develop some new products.

            While you are reading this there are a few new products out with fellow llama owners for testing and more on the books to get made up. As those are perfected I’ll start offering them on the web site. Some will have a big appeal, and others might have fewer people interested, but that’s what R&D is all about.

            Next on the list for R&D is a system to attach various items to the Flaming Star pack system. On the schedule for this week are adjustable strap for fishing pole, rifle, and bow cases. Since nearly everyone that uses those items has different equipment there must be a wide range of adjustment to allow for that personal choice. Overnight I believe I have came up with a system that will work but now I need to get a couple built and find some volunteers to test them out on their own items. First on the list will be straps for fishing poles (fall fishing is Fantastic) and I’ll follow that with the rifle / bow case system. With luck and a bit of time I’ll have these ready to sell by next spring so everyone can start conditioning their llamas while using those products.

            As part of this process I have been developing a new web site. Look for that to appear in the next month or so. Who knew that it would take so many hours of my time to develop. I don’t work on it unless I’m caught up on orders and thanks to everyone making orders I have not had that much time.

            More orders have came in over the weekend and I’ll be completing the orders from last week and getting started on those orders right away. Orders always take precedence over R&D.

            And now time has flown by while I’m writing this and it’s time to get to work filling those orders! 

R & D Time

There are many things to worry about when running a small business. Keeping up with orders, getting orders, keeping enough supplies on hand to fill orders, paying all the vendors for those supplies, the list is long.

So, when you are caught up on orders do you panic or do you use that time to do some Research and Development of new projects? I have decided to do that. R&D is best done when there is no orders that would be delayed if the time for R&D was done with them on the books.

Then there is a new add to develop, a web page that needs updating, bookwork that is ever demanding of my time. But those are always there so can’t be factored into the mix.

One of the first things on the list for R&D is a set of straps to hold golf bags on the Flaming Star saddle. After that I have an axe/ hatchet holder in mind, and with the recent proof near home that winter Is on the way, I have a dog coat to work on.

The list of things to build on the wood working side is even longer… A friend just got me hooked on chess sets again, and the idea of a ‘yard’ set is percolating. Just need to dig out the logs and see if I have enough of two kinds of wood for 16 pieces each to make them the size I want. I’m thinking pawns of 6” in diameter and 10-12” tall and the king 8 or 10” in diameter and close to 36” tall. That’s all the length I can do on my lathe and I’m thinking anything over that would be too heavy to move anyway.

Of course that means I need to design a chess board that is proportional in size as well. I’m guessing something in the range of 24” squares or a board 16 feet on a side… Hum, wonder if I can get sidewalk pavers that big?

Keep checking back for updates on all of the above or to suggest items for R&D that you would like to see.