Well, I got sick over the weekend again. I have a weird problem with being sick: I can’t sit still knowing there’s work to be done, and I push myself to get whatever projects I can completed while I’m stuck at home. The weird part? I couldn’t be bothered to do those tasks when I was healthy.

This weekend, I managed to finish hunting down the screws and nuts needed to complete a manufactured workbench my grandpa gave me but was missing remaining parts. Instead of waiting until I was fully well, I wound up hunting down the materials online and putting the whole thing together while in recovery. But now it’s done! I also finished replacing a set of light switches that I was concerned might be causing electrical problems.

Fix, fix, fix. I’m not a handy man. I don’t want to build things. But, I’ve been trying to build things under the guise of making it for cheaper than buying flimsy equivalents. It took me months to put together a workbench I’d found a design for online, and it cost me more in the long run than if I’d just bought one. I know there’s a learning curve, but I’m not really in the mood to learn.

Yet again, though, I’ve gone out and bought materials to help me use the spare wood I have to make a sitting shoe bench for my living room. I even bought primer, stain, and a finishing coat to make it look nice. I don’t know why I’m pushing myself to do this. No wait. Actually, I do: my friends and I are a bit heavier than most benches are built to hold. I wanted a large enough bench that I could use to set my gym bag next to me while I’m putting on my shoes. I also wanted to make sure it was wide enough to store plenty of pairs of shoes for guests as well as tall enough to store snow boots.

I’m not looking forward to putting it all together, since I know it won’t be perfect. But buying furniture is so low on my priorities list that I want to make this work in the short-term. I’ve made the measurements. I’ve made some cuts. Now that the last of my workbenches is completed, I’ve been able to organize my basement and clear space to work on cutting the remaining boards. I’m promising myself that I’ll make the remaining cuts this weekend.

It has been a long time since I’ve worked this hard to keep the promises I make to myself, but I have noticed a major improvement in my timetables when I treat promises to myself with the same zeal I give to others. I have to keep making realistic promises to myself and work to fulfill them. If you can’t trust yourself, who else can you possibly rely on to get anything done?

If I have the energy, I’ll plan to put the frame together as well. Then all I’d need to do is sand and start staining.

Don’t forget about Mother’s Day this Sunday! I had to make sure to check with my mother about a good time to visit her.