The Urban Dictionary tells us that this term of endearment is short for honey. It's good to have a definition, but more important to me, this word is capable of making my day.
Say I am in the drive through getting my “Ultimate Whopper” and when the person, most often a woman, comes to the window, they say something like, “Have a good day, hon.” This immediately brings a smile to my face and helps elevate the rest of the day. I hope there is something for you which accomplishes this feeling.
As the new year has come and gone, and we are under the specter of a twenty-four-hour, minute by minute news cycle I find myself thinking about this more and more. What is it in these words that is so powerful for me? And I think about a couple of completely unrelated things.
First, I think about Star Trek. Not the later versions, but the Star Trek I rushed home to watch when I was a kid and the series was on for the first time. I would love to tell you the name of the episode, but I can’t remember enough specifics to get there. The story was about an advanced lifeform , without a physical body, interacting with the crew of the Enterprise. To come to the solution for the episode, the lifeform had to take over the body of one of the crew. Okay, be patient, I'm getting to the important part. One of the observations the lifeform made about the “human condition” was how alone humans are. By alone, they meant separate from others, not interconnected.
I'll bring this full circle back to my person in the drive-through. With no agenda and no hidden motive, they took the second needed to use a word which made me smile. Although I know this, they probably have no idea it had the impact.
And after taking you through the wander I just concluded, I ask how am I taking care of those I know and care about? With such a busy life and so much going on, I probably haven't taken care of those around me. I have friends who are absolutely great at this. They can know the right thing to say and the right time to say it.
For those of us this for which does not come naturally, we have to work harder at it. I intend to think more about people I interact with intermittently. Maybe I can be better about connecting with them. Time will tell, it always does.
Okay, shop news. A couple of updates. One thing I've wanted to do for a long time was to make a good conditioner for the cutting boards I've made, sold, and given away over the years. I combined mineral oil and beeswax to condition the wood and add lost luster to the item. If any of you have items you have gotten from me, finished with oil to be food safe, reach out and we will find a way to spiff them up.
Next, we are within months of finishing the Teardrop trailer. Then, J and K will come out and pick it up. I'm adding the final flourishes, like fans, windows, door locks, etc. The heavy lifting is done on this project. I look forward to it leaving the shop once and for all, and I really hope it is exactly what my sister wanted all those years ago we started talking about it. We will make some shakedown runs when we get good weather, which still may be awhile. And yes, I will take some pictures and post them here.
Finally, I am getting the hang of using the CNC router I added to the shop a year ago. One of the recommendations from an expert in the field was not to try to “fight outside your weight class” too soon. This is a good recommendation. Early on I had some failures when I tried to do projects too complex for my skill. Over time, I've learned a lot. The last real hurdle I have is to find a good/easy drafting software which will easily move to the language I need for the CNC. More to come on this front.
Well, it is winter in Iowa. We've had horribly cold days and nights, and it is snowing again today. I hope you are safe and warm and having a great week. Be in touch with the important people in your life. It's as big a deal for you as it is for them.
