Thomas Merton speaks of silence

We talked about this article tonight. I'm thinking about how to put more silence, peace, into my life. Time to stare out a window and just be.

Yesterday I attended a Quaker meeting for the first time. A group of adults sat for nearly an hour in quietness. It was...good. Although...I really wanted to know what people were thinking about. However, maybe they've learned to be still, and think a little less. I was busy trying to read the titles of the books on the shelf across the room.

to me, this is beautiful.

third week of october

i've been working with a local contractor. my commute is about 6 minutes. he's well-educated, does beautiful work, and is interested in energy-efficient improvements in houses as well as restoration and fine cabinetry. i'm learning tons and working hard.

unlike my last two positions, this one feels somewhat secure. i can focus on trying to learn stuff rather than worrying about whether i will have a job. there is a great deal of stress involved in trying to do good work, and not take too long. i have to make myriad small decisions, and most of the time i don't know if i made the right one. i can ask about everything, but after a while it gets tiring to me as well as my boss. something as simple as whether to put a tool away. if i leave it out, he might ask me to put it away. if i put it away, he might need it.

coiling cords that tangle. trying to find an outlet to plug a tool into. finding the right case (among 10 similar plastic ones) for a particular power tool.

however, it's not all bad. i'm learning, even if i usually learn the hard way. i'm starting to be able to foresee what tools will be needed and bring them ahead of time. yesterday i did some work patching holes and insulating in a basement to save the homeowners on their energy bills. we will also be replacing windows and weather stripping doors. earlier, i scrubbed mildew off a bathroom ceiling, then scraped, spackled, sanded, and painted.

i'm trying to eat enough protein so my muscles can catch up to the demands placed on them. i found some books and magazines at the library and am trying to cram in more knowledge. i plan to start investing in some more significant tools. i'd love to have a workshop to mess around in, maybe try to make some simple furniture. i know i eventually need to have a truck so that i can buy lumber and carry more tools. it feels a little premature to invest in that, although maybe if i was bold and spent the money, it would pay off.

i'm chuckling

have been on an organizing/eliminating binge. needed boxes. found some on side of road in recycling. minor detail: next to a bar.

also found this link for donating used bibles and christian literature (i had too many bibles).

the upshot? a heineken box full of 4 bibles, some writings of j. n. darby, and a few other tomes is on its way. wish i could see the reaction it gets. will they be worried about what the postman thinks they've been ordering?

news

i hope to interview sometime this week with a company that looks perfect for me. i am really excited and i hope i can be what they need. cross your fingers for me, please!

today, i spent half a day caulking around windows. this helps with airtightness, which is essential to energy-efficiency. it also makes for a more finished look. when i went upstairs into the attic to take care of those windows, i was blown away. i climbed narrow red painted stairs to a dark, old gabled space. the ribs of the house were visible--old wood. morning light streamed in from the east. what an enchanted space--far more enticing to me than the updated floors below. definitely a highlight.