Cobblers

This letter was sent to me by an old friend.

Hi, Gary!

May I give you a story, as promised?

The story is told that if you were a young person in medieval France embarking on a spiritual quest, if you were fortunate you might meet up with someone older, perhaps a [...] Continue Reading…

Borrowing My Chisel

This question comes from a former student.

If a someone asks to borrow a prized chisel how would you politely decline the request? Paul F

My reply: There are several options.

Go Shakespearean:
What, you egg! Shag haired villain of treachery! [and then with a smile] Begone or I shall have to smite [...] Continue Reading…

The Work Bench

Stick with this fact: your bench is the center of the universe. When a client calls and asks, why won’t the door shut after we moved the piece? Or why do we need the shim under that cabinet leg? Or how come the drawer sticks? Your reply is always [...] Continue Reading…

Precision

I was walking the beagle this morning and I heard someone practicing violin in their house as we walked by. The player wasn’t new at it, but neither was he all that proficient. He was learning and repeating his scales. I’m no musician so I cannot say what kind [...] Continue Reading…

Investments

Investing is an act of pure faith these days. In these strange and difficult days, investing in anything takes nerves of steel and hardy determination. But I have a sure thing for you. A can’t miss proposition. There is a guaranteed return on this investment. [Now I’m sure you’ve [...] Continue Reading…