Why do I ask myself why?

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barbee6043

barbee6043

barbee 6043
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Since I am OLD I have more time to ask myself why and ponder the reasons. Back when I was younger I was always too busy with LIFE and work and everything to PONDER! But/.....since it is harder to do, I still do but I have time to wonder as to the why of it all. Case in point, WHY have I always found such pleasure in accomplishing even the smallest success at anything? Am I a little "off"? Am I just an odd duck? I need no recognition. No ego. It ain't gonna make me a dime. I can always use a dime.

Restoring or building an old car is huge sucess but just spending a couple hours with some body filler, just getting a little of it done and smooth, getting that old motor out of a car, getting that engine to run just a tad better, finding just a nothing needed part on Rock Auto at a little disount from O' Really, cleaning some bird poop off the winshield, anything....no matter how small.
 
It’s a great day when it’s finished and it doesn’t matter if you are the only one who likes it, it belongs to you and it makes you happy. We are our only keepers until the end.
 
Don't know how old you are my friend. I'm 75 and REALLY starting to feel that. No where near the stamina I used to have both age and health issues, my back, etc. HEAT really affects me more now, and cold is no picnic, either.
 
67Dart273 said:
Don't know how old you are my friend. I'm 75 and REALLY starting to feel that. No where near the stamina I used to have both age and health issues, my back, etc. HEAT really affects me more now, and cold is no picnic, either.
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Me? Yep 75 also. If you are 7 and NO health issues, YOU are already dead! More likely!
Heat? OK so I know it is hotter in S. Az/ but it has been above 100 every day for a couple of months. SE Tx/ But remember way more people die form the cold than heat!
Cold? I had a couple of fingers geta little frost bit I guess once. When I lived in Mo. and it got cold, it felt like someone sticking a knife in them..continually till I warmed them up.

But it sure feels good to accomplish a little something. But... Its like a journey. You wan to find that destination, but it is so rewarding the every day progress you make and the scenery along the way.

We all have to pick our battles. With us older guys its usually health and stamina, with the younger guys maybe its time and family time, or with that wife thats Hell on wheels, its just permission to work on that car and spend a few $$$!! :BangHead:
We all have to pick our battles!!
:poke:
 
It takes me 1.75 hours to cut my grass and that is my alone with my thoughts time. So once a week I ponder the heck about life's little problems while no one is around to bother me. A couple of hours ago I built a fire and sat by my little river for a while. About 65 years ago my family would rent a cabin about 30 miles down stream from my current house but the cabin was on the opposite side of the river. I found myself trying to come up with a good reason why both dwellings were on opposite sides of the same river. The obvious reasons of a railroad track and the little village were there but I know there must be something more. I'm only 72 so there should be plenty of time left to figure it out.
Thanks for listening.
Jerry
 
A little perspective...

I'm 46. I have always been active and the type of guy to work until there's no more sunlight, and that's just how it is. I took for granted my ability to complete tasks all day long until I broke my foot. I had never been incapacitated until that happened, so I was in for a rude awakening.

Anyway, I've been slowly healing and my ability to get things done has increased, and as that happens, I am SO happy when I see what I've done.

I guess my point is we should never discount our accomplishments. Whether we're 75 or 25, there are always mountains to conquer.
 
I’m 69 and every time I work on this old **** I ask myself why. More in the summer when it’s 110 plus. But hey, it’s in my blood.
 
dart4forte said:
I’m 69 and every time I work on this old **** I ask myself why. More in the summer when it’s 110 plus. But hey, it’s in my blood.
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Agree with the "in the blood" comment. Not far from you in A.J. Sit about 1900 ft elevation against the Goldfield mountain so a few degrees cooler. A 20 lb. bag of ice in the Port-Cool on wheels helps. Even in the humid times, it will blow about 77ºF.
 
There's nothing wrong with having a sense of accomplishment and saying "I did that!" I've always been that way too. I'm 66, and was a lineman for the Power Company my whole adult life. I can ride by a pole that I worked out 40 years ago, and still feel good about "I did that". I'm the same way with working on my cars, and I still like learning new ways of doing stuff in order to make the end result better. I think the best we can do is keep piddling as long as we're on this side of the grass.....even if it takes us longer to do stuff! :)
 
You are not “off” at all. As we get older, it is the day that we don’t learn or accomplish something, no matter how small, that makes it a lost day.
Yote
 
I think it's very healthy to feel good about even the smallest accomplishments.
 
As age creeps. I'm finding questioning me keeping everything that has accumulated. I have a set of BB 452 heads for example. With an excellent performance port job done that really wakes up a pump has engine build. I of course was "I will certainly use these in a (Let's say 383) future build? But now comes the "Why." Will I? The odds are shrinking with age. Lol. Along with the heads is a MI intake and older, but rebuilt nice performing 850 Holley DP. I will certainly use them again? But again have to ask myself honestly. Will I really?

I've thoughts about packing the pickup truck up with this kind of stuff for some parts swap meet. But I really hate selling! I'm pretty shewed buyer. But not much of a salesman. Just too much work to watch my stuff drive away for a few bucks. Lol.

So I ask myself. "Is this how hoarding starts?" I'm thinking "Just stop asking yourself? Problem solved! Lol.
 
^^^^ I agree. I can make honest and conservative purchases at swaps etc. and feel good about myself and my hobby. But I hate like heck selling and the BS that always seems to go along so many times. I had tons of parts for years and finally figured out living in the sticks of Mo. I had to haul to the Nats and have parts people wanted and sell below everyone elses price. Then I would sell out on Sat morning. Sold plenty that Thur afternoon to the flippers and early birds, also.

Anytime I sell anything of mine, anything I always want it to go to someone that will love, honor and respect it whatever it is. Sounds corny maybe but IF I cherish that car, or part, or some livestock or whatever....I want the buyer to fell the same and use it and feel good about it.
 
Years ago I used to race Yamaha KT-100 two stroke racing karts. They have a triple disc wet bath clutch or triple disc dry clutch that you always have to adjust and fiddle with. They came out with a new 100cc motor that basically runs forever and you do nothing to them. A guy came up to me at the track and asked why I mess with that old junk.... I just said, I like to tinker.
 
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