Background music of a power sander: work eupohoria?
Melody | Thursday, 17 July, 2008 at 2:58 PM Having moved my laptop and cell phone into my bedroom for the afternoon's work session, I just realized I have the best groove going! Emailing and talking to clients, making rigid notes about who gets this block of time... it's a serious to-do list at my side. There's a need for severity in my note-taking and time-logging to keep up with when I hung up the phone with this client, and when I finished drafting this set of graphics for another. These are exactly the rhythms I craved after a morning spent with my parents, nephew, and nephew's parents - I actually needed the familiarity of my geeky work processes, once we all said our goodbyes.
Not only is the work going well, but I think all the background noise that floods my home is actually helping! What's typical is that I'm playing music. At the moment, Beck is crooning about Going It Alone. Okay. No big deal there. I always work with music playing.
The OTHER thing in the background, though? The sound of electric power sanders. An undetermined number of strange men are currently in my living room sanding with what I fantasize are magnificent power tools. (I guess they're sanding; I haven't actually watched them work today, and they've sequestered me back here with sheets of plastic taped over doorways. But I'm pretty sure they were due for some sanding of all that Spackle that had to go up after the sheet rock was hung above our heads.) I own my own sander, it must be admitted, (although it's an older Sears brand model passed down from my mom when she wanted something newer and fancier.) Never mind. I love my little sander. Hearing them work reminded me of that. In fact the sound actually makes me want to start some random project. A huge project that will give me a reason to use power tools. Ones you have to plug in and wear masks for and clean up big messes from and feel glorious pride in the results of, once all is complete.
Not gonna' happen. Those guys get to play with the power tools and I get to draft fun, whimsical graphic banners to be used in two forthcoming websites for happy clients bored with their old, stagnant sites. And tweak placement of photos in the nearly-completed other sites that seem to be pleasing those who commissioned them, equally.
And the sounds? Not one bit distracting! I love the sounds of productivity...of movement...of rhythm. It helps me work better. Helps me find my groove. Helps me stay focused.
You'd better believe I need to stay focused. This needs to be one seriously productive afternoon. Too bad they can't sand all afternoon. Pretty soon you may find me back here, griping about paint fumes. At least there's a huge window in this room. Then again, who knows? Maybe that could add further to my little cocktail of productivity-inducing elements...!
Melody
Reader Comments (3)
After spending Thursday AM with you, et al, Mom and I drove to another city where WE had work to do, with a power mower, some hot water, and other things. We had a cell phone signal, (which we have had at the location only on the last two visits), but no signal to allow computer access. There was access in som motels--in which we were not staying--but the only access I know of at, say an eating establishment, was miles away. So this is the first time I have logged in since Thursday. That leads to this:
The sounds of power tools may be exilarating, but there is no such sound which compares to old fashioned claw hammers driving nails into Southern Yellow Pine used for framing new houses. There is also a distinct smell of said wood.
I first heard this smell when I was a little boy, and the hammers were building a post WW2 baby boom subdivision near my home.My dad was swinging one of the hammers, and he would swing it harder thatn anyone else I know. I think he keeps a hammer near his bed now for protection from possible intruders! Even how the sound of hammers arouses the adrenaline!
Just so you would know,
Love,
Dad
Actually, I heard the SOUND, not the SMELL of hammers!
Dad
Where's the link of the background music? I want to hear it also.