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As I'm typing up this stuff, I've got an awesome custom bike sitting in the middle of the floor, a fender I just cleared last night with airbrushed skulls and flames under kandy blue, drawings to do for an upcoming street rod flame job and quotes, sketches and other notes for projects that will be in here once I clear up some space. The workload is good, and I'm pricing projects higher than I ever have. For once, it looks like I'm actually going to make a dollar when the day is done. So why do I dread the next 8 hours and get knots when I think about what's happening next week?
I figure I'm just burnt out. I heard something on TV the other night; Chip Foose was working on that T-bird project when he said, "The design and concept is the exciting part, the fun part. It's when you have to start working on it, that BOOT CAMP begins..." (not that that statement is verbatim, but it's close)
That's how I feel. I get to 'talking' about these projects, get to sketchin' and drawing and I get really excited. It's like making the sale is THE challenge. However, when it comes time to WORK, I gradually lose interest. This red custom bike on the floor is partially laid out, ready to mask and prep to spray, and I am half-heartedly avoiding it. Earlier this week, I striped a flame job on a chopper for one of my regular customers. The whole time I was laying lines, I was beating it apart: little too crooked here, nice tip but it doesn't match the other and those U's!!! good god, how do you get them so WOBBLY!!! BUT, when Jimmy came to pick them up (and Jimmy is the second most anal person I could ever work for...I ran the MOST ANAL person off last week!!!), he was tickled to death. He never looked at the tips, the U's, but he did compliment me on how clean and thin the lines were...
There are still parts of this business I love. I love to pinstripe, even though I beat myself apart. I love logo design and graphic design. I even love airbrushing and masking, but it seems I'm just getting LAZY. I lose interest quickly and all I want to do is move on to the next project. I can always come back, but I know inside, I need to push on, so I do.
I'm sure some of you have been in the same boat (or at least I HOPE I'm not the only one). What have you done to overcome this? Do you phase out certain aspects of your market, the ones that seem to trigger this phase? Do you say a magic chant and all of a sudden your head clears, the fog lifts and dealing with the public is as enjoyable as a church social in October (NOW THAT'S A PIPE DREAM!!?!?)??
It's crossed my mind to pursue a new and different career, even though I love what I do. I feel really fortunate to be able to create, draw, analyze and paint some of the coolest stuff I can imagine, but I also feel like I'm reaching that point just before taking it all for granted. I don't know what I'd get into. I don't believe I really want a different job; I'd just love to be able to change the focus of what I'm doing. I like to think that if I learn to MANAGE the business more, it will be better. Limit the amount of time-intensive projects that come in at one time. Determine which 'quicky' projects turn the most profit and push them harder. Research new areas for new clients. Research new materials to offer new types of projects.
Managing time has been the hardest part of my business for the past 6 years. I've got a planner on this computer that I LIVE by. It tells me when to do this and when that should be done, step by step.
The last time I felt like this was last year after a tumultuous bike season. My saving grace then: mountain biking. I got into the sport, because a friend did. Since then, I've become entranced by everything mountain biking: trails, bikes, equipment, techniques. Now, I'm beginning to feel resentful towards my hobby; that it has cut into my business' potential. My gross sales are down 12%, but my NET profit is up 50%. I say it's because I BEAT the burnout of last year (along with raising my labor rate $10 per hour). I also know that the economy is not where it was. However, I feel like I'm at that point where a MAJOR change has to be made. I just don't know what to change.
It may sound like I'm at rock-bottom and depressed. I don't really feel THAT bad. I am concerned about my business, however. I want it to be the best possible, both financially and, for myself, mentally. When something 'feels wrong', I look to correct it.
What do any of you suggest? What did you do when you hit the 'WALL'? I know I'll make it through, whether it's a few small changes or ONE BIG change, but I've got to figure out what's going to change. Thanks...
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Dwayne, I have a drum set stored in the shop and when the meltdown hits, I spend the time settimg it up, throw on a set of headphones and beat the hell out of them. It's gives me a good physical workout and I can vent with anyone getting caught in the crossfire. Rapid
PS: I saw your quote on the bottom of your post. Might wanna think about that one. I paint for a living, but living it up is what I do when I'm not painting.
-------------------- Ray Rheaume Rapidfire Design 543 Brushwood Road North Haverhill, NH 03774 rapidfiredesign@hotmail.com 603-787-6803
I like my paint shaken, not stirred. Posts: 5648 | From: North Haverhill, New Hampshire | Registered: Apr 2003
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Long post & I know there are things I was thinking about but I'll forget them before I get done with my ideas. I've been having motivation problems lately & I like to call that my ADD. I've got a zillion projects started, but having a horrible time finishing them. I work on one thing for a little bit, get bored & off to the next.
First thing I would suggest is to schedule yourself some slack time. If you figure out & book 8 hours of work a day, start booking 6 or 7 instead. Gives you a little room when you just want to screw off. If you can do a job on Tuesday, tell the customer drop it off Monday & it should be ready by 5 Wednesday. They'll be tickled if you call Tuesday & tell them "I squeezed it in & it's ready for pickup" If you just can't stand to look at it anymore on Tuesday, walk away & finish it Wednesday.
If you get to the point you can't stand to be in the shop anymore, hang a sign on the door that says "I'm out doing a job on-site. Please call or stop by tomorrow." If you are afraid to leave the phone unattended, forward it to your cell phone & go down to the corner bar to shoot a few games. Take a day & go mountain bike riding.
Everyone needs a "personal mental health day" once in a while. Just drop off the planet for the day. Set your answering machine to "closed today due to emergency. please leave a message or call tomorrow when shop re-opens". If anyone asks, tell them you were preventing yourself from going postal.
-------------------- Chris Welker Wildfire Signs Indiana, Pa Posts: 4254 | From: Indiana, PA | Registered: Mar 2001
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Dwayne, all I can say is, "Yep". You very eloquently voiced what the rest of feel on a regular basis. In fact, Gary Anderson and I were talking about the very same thing on the phone yesterday.
There are times when it just isn't fun anymore. And this probably will not be the last time you feel that way. What I do is to think back when I had several other types of jobs that made me feel like I was in prison. Even at the worst of times, I am still doing what I love to do. The pressure gets to you, you get exhausted, you are drained physically, emotionally, and creativitally....but it is still better than working at Walmart.
Others may be able to give better advice, but this is what I would suggest. Even though you are swamped, take some time off for just yourself. It might just be a few hours, but get away from everyone. Nothing drains you like working seven days a week (guess how I know that?). Then raise your prices again. Nothing gets you in the dumps faster than knowing that all this time you are spending on a job is not really putting that much in your pocket. Throw in some routine jobs every now and then (but price them right) to let your brain take a rest. And surround yourself with other folks that like to do what you do. There is nothing better than a pat on the back from someone who does the same thing and still admires what you do. Now you know why I call Gary Anderson all the time.
Someone much smarter than me once said, "This too shall pass". You'll get through it and another surge of creativity will come along. It always does. Just don't let the rut become a grave.
Jay Cooke once gave me some very good advice. He said, "Get a Life". There is more to this life than painting anything. There is a tendency to become so involved in what we do that we forget than there is a real world outside the shop. After all, "It's only a sign" (or car, or bike, etc.)
[ July 18, 2003, 01:18 PM: Message edited by: Raymond Chapman ]
-------------------- Chapman Sign Studio Temple, Texas chapmanstudio@sbcglobal.net Posts: 6306 | From: Temple, Texas, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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aaah yes i think all of us wacky artistic types can relate. i have burn out bad..80+ hr work weeks for months now..finally hired someone..she worked this week...i LOVE it!!! 25 hrs less for me to work. i also just bought estimate software so now my rates and prices have gone up accordingly. why the f&*k should i be working my a$$ off and not being paid anymore than some employee down the street that goes home at 5pm and has weekends off..my attitude has changed to the better this past week...it's amazing what a few hours to yourself in the evening to go hiking, walking or fishing can do! it sounds like you need a vacation to regroup...i haven't got to the point where i'm not happy about what i do...i was just getting sick of the long hours with not enough $$. you seem to have that area covered...like any creative person...you may have a little creative block...so go do something new and exciting and i'm sure it will put a whole new perspective on things.
[ July 18, 2003, 01:32 PM: Message edited by: KARYN BUSH ]
-------------------- Karyn Bush Simply Not Ordinary, LLC Bartlett, NH 603-383-9955 www.snosigns.com info@snosigns.com Posts: 3516 | From: Bartlett, NH USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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Motorcycles and firearms. My worst burnouts happen in the recording studio, but the graphics studio is just as bad, just not as often. When it happens to me I either jump on a dirt bike and go blasting around the mnountain trails for a couple of hours, or break out the PE57 or the Ma Deuce and rip off 100 rounds of .50 caliber. Amazing how the adrenalin rush straightens me out. Pretty extreme, eh? Maybe. But it works for me. I, once again, become liveable. At the moment I'm not particularly liveable. My Pooh is gone.
k31
-------------------- Pierre St.Marie Stmariegraphics Kalispell,Mt www.stmariegraphics.com ------------------ Plan on knowing everything before I die and time's running out! Posts: 4223 | From: Kalispell,Mt 59903 | Registered: Mar 2000
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Sounds like me 100x daily. You know when you've had enough and need a break desperately when it isn't fun anymore. Plus what helped me is having an employee doing the stuff that bored me to death. I really miss those days. I envy you Karyn. Good for you!!!
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I really appreciate all the advice, and believe it or not, just writing this post helped ALOT. My head is a lil' clearer, but it also made me look at my own words.
I'm not too far away on this bike, and I believe what I dread is what I'm gonna have to put into the project in the next few hours. However, after I posted this, I had a few phone calls and a couple of walk-ins that made me think. I've got another bike coming in two weeks that will be FUN. It's really simple: a nice tribal design with pink & purple graphics with blue & orange pinstripes. It'll be time-intensive, BUT it will be different. However, what got me excited about this is, maybe, this is the direction I need to take "my" bike market. Don't sell the ultra-high-dollar, full-on-freaky paint jobs (the same ones that take 40-60 hours and pay $25-$30 per hour), but concentrate on clean, simple graphics. It's not so much the money, but the satisfaction. When I get done with a UHD-FOF paint job, it doesn't have that long term appeal, in my eyes. A simple paint job with good colors, clean lines holds an appeal that lasts longer than one show season.
Chris, I LOVE your idea. I have allowed more 'slack' time since last year; I'm down to 10 hours a day, 5 days a week. Maybe I need to go more. I try to ride everyday, too. I've also cut that down, too. I figure if I ride less, I'll appreciate the time I do get to ride even more.
Raymond, you are exactly right. This won't be the last time, but whining and bitching about it has somehow 'cleared the fog'. I feel better now than I did two hours ago. Now I just have to keep my 'new goals' in mind.
Karyn, congrats on your new-found lease on life as an artist/business person!! I've always felt I ought to make more than the average worker, but I've always felt I traded off something (money) to lead the life I do (do what I love and get to mountain bike 4-6 times a week). However, you made me see what I could do if I hired someone. I'm definitely gonna research it, look at the possibilities...
Pierre, nothing starts a day like hammering through the woods!!!
Donna, I'm just glad to know that I'm not the only one in this boat...
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One of the things you can do to avoid "Burnout" is to set yourself a goal or target. Make it something really significant, that you've really wanted. Then set a REALISTIC time frame in which you BELIEVE that you can achieve that goal. Now, break down that time schedule into much smaller increments...such as months or weeks. After you've done this, think about how you can MOST PROFITABLY get to your goal or objective. You don't want to kill yourself, or bury yourself with "Drudgery Work" to get to where you want to go.
That means really thinking about what kind of work that you most enjoy doing, and how can you make that type of work the most profitable towards achieving your goal. Once you do that, you'll find that you're working with a REAL PURPOSE in mind. Reward yourself occasionally (with small rewards) for meeting your smaller objectives. Your ultimate goal may change over time, but really strive to meet your objective. Once you've done that, you can find some sense of accomplishment in that you've done exactly what it was that YOU set out to do.
Hopefully, this will make you work smarter, but less harder, and give you some real satisfaction in accomplishing YOUR GOAL. It may also re-affirm your personal sense of self-worth, and perhaps even elevate it as well. There is a certain dignity to creating something with your own skills and hands. Not everyone is capable of doing that, and it's well worth remembering, as you go about your daily work. Smile and be thankful that you are among those who can do that. It's a genuine blessing that we often take for granted, and sometimes arn't as thankful as we might be.
As my wife might say: "Start smiling right now, or I'll be forced to come over there and kick your ass".
-------------------- Ken Henry Henry & Henry Signs London, Ontario Canada (519) 439-1881 e-mail: kjmlhenry@rogers.com
Why do I get all those on-line offers to sell me Viagara, when the only thing hardening is my arteries ? Posts: 2684 | From: London,Ontario, Canada | Registered: Feb 1999
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How I feel your pain! My wife says she's tired of only talking to me only on the phone. We bought our shop last month and have been remodeling at night. We try to make it so that the next day is not disrupted, so this takes even more time. I did buy a bike last week, and so I just hop on and run some of my errands on that. Big help!
Last Friday, I took my grandson to his swim lessons, and had a great time! Today we are closing a little early to go to the fair that is in town this weekend.
Ditto to Karyn! Sometimes we loose focus of why were self employed. All our friends think we never work and are filthy rich simply because we don't happen to follow their schedule. I challenge any one of them to keep up with a successful sign maker.
I am often reminded of a sayng I once heard..."Nobody on his deathbed ever said '"I wish I would have worked more"
""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3484 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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Yep. Joe C. from Conn. Woodcarvers just left the shop. I was bitchin' about painting and gilding and sanding, et al. Yes, business is doing well, but like Joe said, "After the design, the fun is over." I try and ACTIVELY stay in a good mood when I'm sitting down at the paint table and I know I'll be there for at least 8hrs straight. I just try and think of things that otherwise I may not be able to think about. Other than that THIS site helps me a lot with burnout. Thanks
-------------------- Mark Rogan The Great Barrington Sign Company 2 Stilwell Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230 mark@gbsignco.com
"Sometimes I think my head is so big because it is so full of fonts" Posts: 332 | From: Great Barrington, MA | Registered: Mar 2003
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Dwayne, Believe it or not I think the heat of the summer has a lot to do with the "I don't give a sh@#" attitudes. I have a hard time getting motivated when the weather begins to swelter. We have an air-conditioned shop but it still gets hot when the machines are running. I've been in this business for 27 years and I still dread the summers when it comes to production. I'd much rather be laying out by the pool with a cold one.
-------------------- Steve Manning Express Printing Services 1160 Suite B Old Powder Springs Rd. Mableton, GA 7707321910 epsprinting@earthlink.net Posts: 47 | From: Mableton, GA | Registered: Jun 2003
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The only reponse I can think of is:"the only easy day was yesterday."
-------------------- Frank Magoo, Magoo's-Las Vegas; fmagoo@netzero.com "the only easy day was yesterday" Posts: 2365 | From: Las Vegas, Nv. | Registered: Jun 2003
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-------------------- Pierre St.Marie Stmariegraphics Kalispell,Mt www.stmariegraphics.com ------------------ Plan on knowing everything before I die and time's running out! Posts: 4223 | From: Kalispell,Mt 59903 | Registered: Mar 2000
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Hey Dwayne! Boy, what a topic. I've been on the brink of serious burn-out for about the last five years. Moving to a new, much bigger shop 3 years ago helped a little, tho' remodeling the house led to new stress levels as well as having to let that work stop when my Mom passed away in 2000 and I took up tending to my 80 year old Dad. Apparently, the Lord feels that I thrive on stress. He said He would'nt put more on us than we could bear, so actually we are both quite impressed at just what I can handle, LOL. One of the biggest things that pushes me toward burn-out, besides the shear volume of work, ie: I'm everything in this biz, secretary, job-scout, designer, fabricator, installation, etc., is the occasional customer who has unrealistic demands. You sound like an organized, perfectionist, like so many artists. You put much higher demands on yourself than any customer ever could. Then, for me, when a "picky" customer signs on, I can't help but feel a little righteous indignation. What really gets me is customers who seem to feel that my shop is a 24 hour emergency service. I really can't think of ANY jobs that are in such dire need that they would try to track me down at my Dad's, calling him 2 or 3 times a day.(One particular fella was obsessing about wether I was finished with a 6"x60" cross-cut saw blade "mural" he "was'nt in a hurry" for.) Unfortunatly, I have to get rude, harsh and arrogant with such people. Fortunatly,(I think, LOL) I'm capable an' willing to. . Well, I could go on an' on about what causes burn-out for me. When I found this site I was really kind'a disappointed because in my heart I was thru with sign-biz and here was the most wonderful place about signs. Then my lil' ole', somehow accidently, isolated-self started meetin' ALL these people who are just like me!! Who eat,drink and inhale the same fumes an' tho'ts about what we do everyday that I do!! Since I came on around february, I been rejuvinated, I tell ya! (but you discovered that too, huh!) Even if I sell my business, I'm more confident than ever that I can do the facets of this business that I really wanna do. But, 'nuff 'bout me...YOU'RE burnt-out. Let's see Dwayne . . .one of the the best things I used to do when I could'nt stand it no more was to take off to the creek with my dog, hike about 5 miles, and take a nap. I loved it 'cuz no one 'cept the sitter knew basically where I was and absolutely no one could contact me. ~~~~~No shoes,~~~no phones,~~~No problems~~~ Organizing and cleaning the shop up always gets me jazzed up to re-enter that zone too. However, being blessed with the artistic mind, I find I'm also blessed with the artistic mood. Sometimes, I wanna wait for that REALLY creative mood and coercing that thing to submit to my financial, punctual and contractual needs is quite a challenge. Hence the reason SO many extremely talented people cannot be self-employeed. It's that dirty "D" werd: DISCIPLINE, LOL. Sometimes, I don't think it's the actual work I hate so much as it is making me, myself and I do it. Well, pretty soon a message is pro'ly gonna pop up here sayin' this reply is X amount'a words too long. So, in closing, Have a great week, month, year and life but take it one day at a time!
-------------------- Signs Sweet Home Alabama
oneshot on chat
"Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a dog" Posts: 5758 | From: "Sweet Home" Alabama | Registered: Mar 2003
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Since you said that you get enthused when going around seeing people and putting the ideas together, I think you should try doing just that for awhile. See if you can find someone to come work with you... 'till you see how you like it that way. I know, it may not be an easy task finding someone, but there are painters out there who would enjoy being free of the customer - seeing responsibilities, and just focus on painting. Perhaps you are not so much a victim of burn-out, but rather an individual who has just evolved to the point where some additional help is the next step. Sign people are always gonna be thinking signs, even on days off...I think it's more like a lifestyle for alot of us. So don't blame yourself. Be happy you've gotten this far.
Just my 2 cents...........
-------------------- Jeff Ogden 8727 NE 68 Terr. Gainesville FL, 32609 Posts: 2138 | From: 8827 NE 68 Terr Gainesville Fl 32609 | Registered: Aug 2002
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Go buy an airplane and learn to fly. There really aren't that expensive. Well maybe a horse and learn to ride, or a boat and learn to sail. In other words get a hobby and it will help you to relax and unwind and above all work through it.
Also think about designing for a living. I say this because I just finished a sandblasted sign that someone else designed for my customer. Thats all he does. He doesn't build any signs at all. He just designs and lets others build his designs.
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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Nah you don't need a hobby.. If you're anything like me, you'll pick up hobbies to take your mind off work but once you pass the "peak of the challenge" in your hobby, you'll forget about it too.. just like your work!.. then you'll pick up new hobbies and eventually like me, you'll have way too many hobbies and no real time to devote to any of them! My biggest challenge now is deciding which hobby I want to spend some time on or whether I should pick up a new one.
Anyway... when I get burned out, I head down to the lake to decompress, whether it's swimming, thrashing around some buouys or doing freestyle tricks on my jetski, or just sittin in a beach chair watchin the sunset.
When jobs get boring, ya just gotta push through them otherwise you can't get them done and start on the new jobs.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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Laura!! "Buy an airplane??" Starting at $35,000 for one that'll actually stay in the air? You're my kinda girl, kiddo!! heh..........
k31
-------------------- Pierre St.Marie Stmariegraphics Kalispell,Mt www.stmariegraphics.com ------------------ Plan on knowing everything before I die and time's running out! Posts: 4223 | From: Kalispell,Mt 59903 | Registered: Mar 2000
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Since buying a boat in April, Ive been only working 4 days a week, taking Fridays or MOndays off to go fishing. I've also increased my other hobby- cycling - and am riding approx. 100 miles per week. Cycling keeps me focused mentally.
These activities have cleared my mind incredibly, and I've been feeling 'supercharged' the four days that I do work - cranking out nice, creative work.
I'm feeling more productive in four days, than I was in five. I look forward to my 3 days off a week - but while working the other four, I feel refreshed, calm and in control.
As Ray said, getting a life really helps. Theres more to life than signs, logos and web sites. The real important things are focusing on how to catch large striped bass, and gettimg myself ready to compete with Lance (haha - go LANCE and the POSTIES!)
"Some are born to move the world, to live their fantasies. But most of us just dream about the things we'd like to be." - Rush Posts: 1192 | From: Washington, NJ | Registered: Feb 1999
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Sold the shop, got back to my roots, so to speak, handlettering, got into the Movie paint gig, doing boats, movie stuff is VERY DIFFERENT from signs, as we know it!!!
(doesn't hurt to have a partner with a REAL JOB!!!)
John Lennig / SignRider
-------------------- John Lennig / Big Top Sign Arts 5668 Ewart Street, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada bigtopya@hotmail.com 604.451.0006 Posts: 2184 | From: Burnaby, British Columbia,Canada | Registered: Nov 2001
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....I'm fortunate to have suddenly remembered how to spell "fortunately"...'sides, I wanna bump this post up 'cuz I hope to hear how others deal with burn-out too.
-------------------- Signs Sweet Home Alabama
oneshot on chat
"Look like a girl, act like a lady, think like a man, work like a dog" Posts: 5758 | From: "Sweet Home" Alabama | Registered: Mar 2003
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Today has really turned out better than it started. All of you may or may not realize how much you've helped today. To 'hear' all these ideas on what may help has been great. Actually, I think I foresee some major changes.
1) I am going to 'limit' the types of work I do. Whether I dig it or not, custom bike builders and owner ARE my biggest customers. I've built a good reputation so I better use it. However, I'm going to regulate the intensity of the project. Quick, simple graphics are going to be my main service, and I will just not offer or I will turn away the freaky/crazy/time-consuming graphics. I've been wanting to go this way, but my clientele has expected more, so I always stepped forward. Well, maybe I can CHANGE what they expect by pushing what I WANT, without saying it out loud. 2) Dan Antonelli's idea REALLY appealed to me. FOUR days a week sounds great. I may have to work 12 hours a day, but I know of a local house painter who's worked like this for 2 years and loves it. I may have to work 1/2 a Friday, 1/2 a Monday for awhile. I don't mind working from 7 in the morning to 7 at night, though. I do it now as is. 3) With the newfound time I have in my future, I'll spend it with the two best things in my life: my wife and my mountain biking. Red has always wanted Sundays to be 'her' day, but I've always squeezed in a ride or a quick trip to the shop (and it ends up being 4 or 5 hours) I started spending all day Saturdays riding a week or two ago. I'll also make time to start road biking more. I've bought a couple of used rides that I'm nursing back to road condition, so that could my 'rainy' day project. But Dan, I gotta tell ya: I'd really like to see Tyler Hamilton take the yellow jersey... 4) I am gonna look at hiring someone, too. I didn't realize til today how much there is to do around that could be done my someone else, and they won't have to be that experienced. We're looking at buying a house: one big enough to hold the family upstairs and Image Factory in the basement and a garage. When this happens, I know I'll be stressing, so the extra help for all the projects I'll take in will be a welcome asset.
Anyways, thanks for all the advice. It really has helped. By the way, the full-custom is taped, masked and ready spray tomorrow. My wife came in and did MOST ALL the masking for me. I got everything else ready, so all I'll have to do clean it and start spraying. I've switched plans to do a kandy fade TO doing an all pearl fade. It'll definitely be easier, and it'll make for a much easier job to complete. Check my website @ www.paintwhat.com next week to see pics of it. There's already some concept drawings on there (then you can see my I dreaded masking this beast!!!)
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Ask me about burnout and stress tomorrow morning about 7am when I'm sitting back, letting the bike eat up the miles on the highway! Signs may cross my mind but the whole world can kiss off til Monday morning....
-------------------- Frisby Signs, Inc. El Dorado, Arkansas Posts: 902 | From: El Dorado, Arkansas, USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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Check this out... this pic is a small section of my garage.. please excuse my mess!
That's what I like to call "The Fun Rack".. two mountain bikes, a touring/road bike, and the new recumbent bike on the floor (you want a *real* workout on a bike, get a recumbent!!). All are Cannondales except the yellow one, which is just a cheapie that I can beat the hell out of and not feel bad about it. The lady's mountain bike belongs to my roommate and I had another Cannondale road race bike but I outgrew it a few years ago (was a 22" frame). I've been wanting to build my own ultralight bike and fabricating a carbon fiber shell to go with it. Then each rung on that wooden rack is home to a kayak. The red one (18ft) is a sea kayak, below that is usually a 19ft sit-on-top but when I took this pic it was still sitting on the trailer outside, the blue one is gone now but it belonged to a friend - there's now a bright green whitewater boat in its place, and on the very bottom of the rack theres a black whitewater boat called a "Stubby", which is short and has a wicked curve in the hull to make it spin on a dime. In front of the rack along the wall there's a rubbermaid bin with an Aire (brand name) inflatable kayak rolled up inside. I've been giving some thought to building my own mini catamaran too.
This picture is proof that what starts off as "just a hobby" quickly becomes an obsession! I don't even have time to clean my garage with all my hobbies!
[ July 19, 2003, 03:18 PM: Message edited by: Mike Pipes ]
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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-------------------- Pierre St.Marie Stmariegraphics Kalispell,Mt www.stmariegraphics.com ------------------ Plan on knowing everything before I die and time's running out! Posts: 4223 | From: Kalispell,Mt 59903 | Registered: Mar 2000
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The bike is 1500 Kawasaki Nomad. Wouldn't you know it, it has rained the whole frickin day here. What a bummer of a day! So much for the road trip plans. As the old saying goes..."The road to hell is paved with good intentions." Maybe next week?
-------------------- Frisby Signs, Inc. El Dorado, Arkansas Posts: 902 | From: El Dorado, Arkansas, USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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Pierre, I have found many others that think airplane are these expensively priced hobbies. Recently at out National covention in Springfield, MO there was a really nice Piper Colt for $11,900. Add $2,000 for flying instructions and you have a new hobby that can get you to more letterhead meets that are farther away. We used auto gas in ours and $600 a year to be fully insured. Lets see, that brings us up to about $14,500-probably the same price for a decent motorcycle, small boat, 2 jet skiis, etc. Now let see - take-off, cruise at about 95 mph, visit far away friends, go out to breakfast on the other side of the state (many airports have restaurants right on the airports), or just get away in the wild blue yonder. Sounds pretty good to me.
-------------------- Laura Butler Vision Graphics & Sign 4479 Welch Rd Attica, Mi 48412 Posts: 2855 | From: Attica, Mi, USA | Registered: Nov 2000
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be glad that you have your health so you can work enough hours to have burn out.
-------------------- Jimmy Chatham Chatham Signs 468 stark st Commerce, Ga 30529 Posts: 1766 | From: Commerce, GA, USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Laura, don't you go taunting me with airplanes now! Back in college I took a semester of "ground school". It wasn't your every day run of the mill ground school though, it was a pretty thorough class that was geared towards commercial piloting since at the time TWA and MacDonnel Douglas were based in St Louis, and there were small airports littered all over the St Louis area.. I was trained in VFR and IFR.. got the permit to take to the skies but being in college I couldn't afford the airtime.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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Mike, I actually have a few hours in my log book. Had a friend that owned the flight school here. I used to go flying with him & went a few times when he took the aerial photos for the dept of ag. (guess from the colors of the fields they can tell what crop is there & have even found a few illegal crops). After his daughter started college, he sold the flight school. I miss just spending a day screwing off at the airport.
-------------------- Chris Welker Wildfire Signs Indiana, Pa Posts: 4254 | From: Indiana, PA | Registered: Mar 2001
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It doesn't sound like you suffer from burnout as much as "mental blocking" on your project(s). I think we have all been there at one time or another, and everyone handles it in their own fashion.
On the airplane thing---my own hobby is flight simming on the puter, and I only recently discovered it. Always been interested in flying but couldn't get on flight status when I was in the AF because of poor vision. Wilber and Orville wouldn't risk their creation. Never have been a pilot in real life, but do have a little knowledge of flight principles. Anyway, flight simming is a lot of fun, and when you crash there is a lot less pain and expense.
There are a lot of good sim programs out there, and some of the add-ons put realism in to a degree I wouldn't have believed possible only a few short years ago. Don't believe it? Try a night landing in the rain on a carrier deck flying an F/A18. Too much? Try the same landing on a bright sunny day. It will still put your heart where it doesn't belong.
Waiting now for Flight Simulator 2004, A Century of Flight, due for release on the 29th of this month. Even us old f---s get excited about new toys. There was something else I used to get excited about, but I can't remember what it was.
-------------------- Bill Preston Fly Creek, N.Y. USA Posts: 943 | From: Fly Creek, N.Y. USA | Registered: Jan 2000
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Sounds good to me too, Laura. I'm simply uninformed. We do a fair bit of work for a bunch of pilots who also build experimentals. They're always talking about expenses. I would imagine that the experimentals must be more of an investment. I did price an enclosed ultralite out of Canada. $32,000 for that little two seater. Remember "The Gods Must Be Crazy Two"?? That's the one I found.
k31
-------------------- Pierre St.Marie Stmariegraphics Kalispell,Mt www.stmariegraphics.com ------------------ Plan on knowing everything before I die and time's running out! Posts: 4223 | From: Kalispell,Mt 59903 | Registered: Mar 2000
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I go to some kind of training seminar to get a recharge. Discuss how to implement new ideas and hear new approaches to old ideas. Then i come home ready to do battle again.
That is all it takes for me.
-------------------- Leaper of Tall buildings.. If you find my posts divisive or otherwise snarky please ignore them. If you do not know how then PM me about it and I will demonstrate. Posts: 5274 | From: Im a nowhere man | Registered: Jul 2001
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I got my pilot's license when I was airbrushing T-****s at Six Flags in IL. I lived right by the Waukegan airport and didn't have to be at work until 10 A.M. For once in my life, I had the time AND money, and went up nearly every morning. A great way to start the day. I have about 150 hours now, but haven't flown in the last two years. Time to start flying some more. I currently am a student/assistant instructor at my neighborhood Ju-Jitsu club. I teach everyone from kids to cops fascinating ways to discourage an attacker. Work burnout? I always find burnout with me is a direct result of being greedy. I take on a job because I want the easy money or it seems like a cool project, even though my schedule is booked. I often regret it. I like to be home at 5 and be done for the day.
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When diving into the problem doesn't work, and no music can pacify you through it, I remember that I should have a plan a and a plan b, AND plan c; but also don't forget, every problem usually has a "back door". when that doesn't work, go flying! I'm with Laura!
up up and awaaaaaay!
( I think it may be better to fly above, but I enjoy deep sea diving and snorkeling too), gives one another perspective on things.
-------------------- Deb Fowler
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible - Walt Disney (1901-1966) Posts: 5373 | From: Loves Park, Illinois | Registered: Aug 1999
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Hi Dwayne. I'm with Jimmy. I am disabled and on a good day I hope to get 3 or 4 hours of work done. Some days, I'm in so much pain that, the bed whatI am burnouted with. I do feel for you Dwayne because burnout is awful. When you are talented and a perfectionist, life nor work can be fun. Take time for yourself and if you have a family , spend time with them. Don't put off doing the things you want to do, because you only have today. Your health can be gone tomorrow and the simpliest things in life go with them. Last night I had one of the greatest times I have had in 2 years. I was on my way back from the dragway (my husband drag races), and I turn the radio to an oldies station (93.1FM). You can probably get that station if you like that kind of music. I had the windows down and the music was blaring. It only lasted about 30 minutes, but for some unknown reason , I was pain free and I felt young again. Those few minutes will get me through till next time I have a few minutes of no pain. Dewayne, thank God you are healthy and please live today as there is no tomorrow. Because all any of us have is right now. I don't say these words for sympathy because I am thankful that I have the pain and I can walk. There are lots of people out there that are a lot worse off than me. Jimmy, I don't know you but I pray for you because I have read your post from time to time. Dewayne, get out there and have some fun. The work will be there when you get back and you will be better satisfied with your work. Don't expect perfection, because no lines in nature are straight.
-------------------- Cynthia Pack 246 Diamondview Loop Galax, Va. 24333 Posts: 659 | From: Galax, Virginia USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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WEll................ actually there IS something in nature that is straight. The finest riflescopes use a spider's web for the crosshairs.
k31
-------------------- Pierre St.Marie Stmariegraphics Kalispell,Mt www.stmariegraphics.com ------------------ Plan on knowing everything before I die and time's running out! Posts: 4223 | From: Kalispell,Mt 59903 | Registered: Mar 2000
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