Jewel in the Forest

Can't Seem to Keep the Restoration on Track?

I know the feeling, it seems like only yesterday I threw that final coat of Porsche "Guard's Red" on the wife's roadster. On the way from the paint building to the shop I parked it for a minute to get the phone. Cynthia had about 4 people looking for obscure bits of information hopefully tucked away in some corner of my head; yet still retrievable. Refixed a web page that had been put up incorrectly, took a couple other phone calls, fumbled through some boxes looking for a used 1600 transmission gear; (some day I WILL get these used gears organized!), balanced a fender box vertically while Cynthia read the weight on the scale; looked at this week's fax list of parts I am now going to have to beg for if I want them, answered most of the emails that came in during the last hour; grabbed a cookie (yes I know I don't need anymore); saw that the truck on the hoist was done dripping oil and put the plug in. Was going to put the hoist down when I happened to see a box of used gauges I thought we had already sold and before long I had forgotten all about the wife's roadster.
Somehow it's been about 2 years since I walked over by the tree where I parked it. She has complained about it now and then but I'm usually busy processing other mental tasks and the words fluttered on through without registering.

So I know the feeling when you say you are having trouble getting going on YOUR roadster. You probably have a few other things happening as well. Sometimes you can get a mental block when you see your car all apart. This is common. The trick is to make a list of what has to be done, and put each task on a separate piece of paper. Forget about cool computer spreadsheets, the more you are at your computer the more stress and less time you will have for anything important. Sure it's cool to find out your 6th grade teacher is now a famous pool player or that the factory that makes the little ribbon bows that go on hamburger toothpicks is closing down but your car is still unfinished and you are still stuck driving your beige 1981 Chrysler K-Car.

So put each task on a piece of paper. After you have reorganized the sheets into the proper order, put one on your desk, or bedroom dresser or kitchen table. Put the rest away where you can't see them. Just do that ONE task. You have NOTHING to do but that one task... When that ONE little thing is DONE, get out another project sheet. Sounds silly but it WORKS. Before you know it your neighbors will be wondering why you don't seem to be mowing your lawn with any regularity, why you always seem to be laughing when you drive off, and hoping you'll either sell the K-car or at least fix the flat tire and trim the vines back from it so the neighborhood looks better.

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	Can't Seem to Keep the Restoration on Track?
	I know the feeling, it seems like only yesterday I threw that final coat of Porsche "Guard's Red" on the wife's roadster. On the way from the paint building to the shop I parked it for a minute to get the phone. Cynthia had about 4 people looking for obscure bits of information hopefully tucked away in some corner of my head; yet still retrievable. Refixed a web page that had been put up incorrectly, took a couple other phone calls, fumbled through some boxes looking for a used 1600 transmission gear; (some day I WILL get these used gears organized!), balanced a fender box vertically while Cynthia read the weight on the scale; looked at this week's fax list of parts I am now going to have to beg for if I want them, answered most of the emails that came in during the last hour; grabbed a cookie (yes I know I don't need anymore); saw that the truck on the hoist was done dripping oil and put the plug in. Was going to put the hoist down when I happened to see a box of used gauges I thought we had already sold and before long I had forgotten all about the wife's roadster. Somehow it's been about 2 years since I walked over by the tree where I parked it. She has complained about it now and then but I'm usually busy processing other mental tasks and the words fluttered on through without registering. So I know the feeling when you say you are having trouble getting going on YOUR roadster. You probably have a few other things happening as well. Sometimes you can get a mental block when you see your car all apart. This is common. The trick is to make a list of what has to be done, and put each task on a separate piece of paper. Forget about cool computer spreadsheets, the more you are at your computer the more stress and less time you will have for anything important. Sure it's cool to find out your 6th grade teacher is now a famous pool player or that the factory that makes the little ribbon bows that go on hamburger toothpicks is closing down but your car is still unfinished and you are still stuck driving your beige 1981 Chrysler K-Car. So put each task on a piece of paper. After you have reorganized the sheets into the proper order, put one on your desk, or bedroom dresser or kitchen table. Put the rest away where you can't see them. Just do that ONE task. You have NOTHING to do but that one task... When that ONE little thing is DONE, get out another project sheet. Sounds silly but it WORKS. Before you know it your neighbors will be wondering why you don't seem to be mowing your lawn with any regularity, why you always seem to be laughing when you drive off, and hoping you'll either sell the K-car or at least fix the flat tire and trim the vines back from it so the neighborhood looks better.