#Trust30 Day 15

[We're halfway through the #Trust30 challenge...This is what it is].

Do your work, and I shall know you. Do your work, and you shall reinforce yourself. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Take a moment, step back from your concerns, and focus on one thing: You have one life to achieve everything you’ve ever wanted. Sounds simple, but when you really focus on it, let it seep into your consciousness, you realize you only have about 100 years to get every single thing you’ve ever wanted to do. No second chances. This is your only shot. Suddenly, this means you should have started yesterday. No more waiting for permission or resources to start. Today is the day you make the rest of your life happen. Write down one thing you’ve always wanted to do and how you will achieve that goal. Don’t be afraid to be very specific in how you’ll achieve it: once you start achieving, your goals will get bigger and your capability to meet them will grow.”—Colin Wright

Someday, I want to build my own acoustic guitar. I really know nothing about what it takes to make one, so I am going to have to find some help. I will start by reading a book or two about the process, so that when it comes time to talk to someone about it, I will know what questions to ask. Then I will either take a class at a community college or find a luthier who is willing to teach me.

At this point, I do not have the tools or space to make one, so I will have to buy/borrow/rent the tools to undertake the project. If I am in Portland when I undertake the project, I will look at joining one of the community workshops around the city, where people can bring in materials and use the tools to shape them into finished projects.

The guitar will probably have a conventional design, much like a Taylor or Martin guitar. I’m sure I will put some type of signature art in it, but above all, I want it to have a unique tone. For me, tone is the most important part of a guitar.

One of the reasons I want to make a guitar is because I think that building something using real materials is fulfilling. These days, I spend most of my time in front of a computer screen, which can be tiring on both the eyes and the mind.

Making a guitar is a project that I could do that would require learning a whole new set of skills. It is challenging, tactile and full of real sensory experiences. I could easily see my progress toward the finish, and when I got done, I would have something useful to show for my efforts, something I would enjoy for years to come.