The Stitch

The hardest part of doing anything is starting. I am writing this to build momentum to finish a couple projects that have stalled in my activity queue. Starting is like climbing the stairs to the top of a water slide. Once you are sitting at the top it's mostly downhill from there.

My Projects list

First is to publish a blog post. My goal is to write weekly blogs but not so much in March or April. I have a few drafts and outlines but no finished work. I finished the second one as of today. I changed the bases on our new recliners so they swivel. After that, I have a car radio to install with a backup camera. I bit that one off with the mis-guided confidence of a Tim Waltz dad changing the car oil in the driveway. Big mistake. Next is a pair of shorts I am stitching up from a pattern. I have darted shirts and pants before; how hard could it be? So far, they look like scrap from the cutting room floor.

Starting a project without a plan might seem risky, but I have the advantage of time on my hands. I have some guidelines to encourage my efforts.

Success! I reused the swivel Base on the left to replace the fixed base on the right.

Encourages Creativity: Without rigid guidelines, you can explore unconventional ideas and solutions. Push off from the edge and decide where to go next. I tend to look at a few examples or watch some how-to videos when I start a project. But I only had an idea to modify our new recliners with a swivel base. My husband wanted me to do my chair first and work out the kinks. Once I started looking at the options I figured out a plan. I could drill new bolt holes in the new chairs to mount the swivel base of the old chairs. Once I started removing the new chair base I found out there were holes ready to use hidden from my initial investigation. Jumping in with a first step plan allowed me to see other opportunities. Solutions I could not see without having started. Extra credit to my husband for suggesting I retain the swivel base from our old chairs to use on the new chairs. That part would have cost about $80 each if I had to start from scratch. Also, I reused all the bolts they fit perfectly. The new Joey and Chandler chairs are an upgrade with power recline buttons and USB ports built in. All we need now are feeding tubes and we may never need to leave our chairs.

Farwell Joey and Chandler Chairs.

Promotes Flexibility: Speaking of swiveling solutions, you can adapt and pivot based on new insights rather than being locked into a predetermined course. I love getting started on my complicated projects. Getting stuck in with my projects this last week I became aware of the truism that says the hardest part of a project is getting started. I did more on my car radio project in two one-hour sessions this week than I had in the previous year of hemming and hawing at the best options. I almost gave up.

No Plan No Problem

Reduces Overthinking: Planning can sometimes lead to analysis paralysis—jumping in allows you to learn by doing. I bit off my car radio project last year. Yes, last year. My failure to finish gives my husband something to reign me in from starting anything new. I started working on cars as a cell phone installer in the last century. I thought, "oh, I can do this." My memory failed me because back in 1995 I was a terrible cellphone installer.

Far from plug and play

I was expecting the radio would be plug and play. It got complicated fast. I had to buy tools and wiring kits to go with the cheapo radio from Amazon. I quickly became paralyzed by watching too many how to videos on changing out the 2005 stock radio with broken CD changer with a new model with backup camera and Bluetooth.

Up from the Ashes Rise the Roses of Success.

I am jumping in with a multistep attempt to beat my planning and overthinking. I hope to do the project in a few days. I don't think I have enough mojo to work on it more than two hours at a time. That works to my advantage by allowing me to address one insurmountable problem at each session. I estimate my install is now 80% complete. Once the last parts arrive, I should be able to finish up on one or two more sessions. The upside to being retired. No hurry.

What was I thinking? One problem at a time.

Quick Iteration: Instead of spending excessive time mapping things out, you get to test and refine ideas in real-time. I am working on my first sewing project. I had the idea of rebuilding a pair of board shorts that fit poorly, like a paper bag. I like the material of the shorts but not the cut. I had a brain fart of an idea to cut them into work-out shorts in a tighter fit with shorter legs. Cutting up the material to fit an Etsy pattern I downloaded has led to some odd issue; the shorts are smaller but I am short material. So far last week I boosted my confidence by roughing in all the parts. I took a break this week to work on the radio, Next week I will dart up a quilted style patchwork of scraps to fill in the fabric shortage.

How hard could it be? Pretty damn difficult. One stitch at a time.