Yeah, keeping busy was the only thing that got me through last winter. I had to fill every single hour with a small task, even dumb stuff like organizing my bookshelf. It wasn't about being productive, it was just about moving forward to the next thing. That constant motion stopped me from sitting still and getting stuck in my own head. It felt like running on a treadmill, but eventually the days started to feel normal again.

Hey @fionac33, read something once about how shared hometowns make people feel safe right away. Totally makes sense with the Chicago thing... like you skip all the small talk.

Seriously, a different rasp is that big of a deal, @wendy32?

That reminds me of the time a crow stole my entire sandwich at a picnic.

My old shop teacher in high school always said to oil handles every 300 hours of use. That stuck with me because it ties care directly to the work you do, not just some random calendar date. It's the same with anything made of wood or leather, they need maintenance based on how hard you use them, not just when you remember. Letting stuff go until it breaks is always more expensive and annoying than the two minutes of upkeep. Your hammer is a perfect example of that pattern.