Does anyone else get frustrated with HT?

cc-rider · #1 01/27/15, 08:24 PM

But not really in a bad way....

I get on here and get so jazzed about stuff, and start planning, and dreaming, and plotting....

And then get frustrated because I don't *DO* it, or don't have time, or never found the perfect homestead, or whatever. Choose an excuse.

I probably never would have built TisaWee if I hadn't been so excited and pumped from reading HT. After 7 years of building, though, and not getting much accomplished, I got frustrated and quit. And kinda fell off the face of HT for a couple years.

And now I'm back and reading again, and getting those old hopes and dreams up again. But I'm afraid of failing again, so I'm not sure what I will accomplish.

But I read everyone else's accomplishments and feel happy for them, and then frustrated that it doesn't work out for me (which I KNOW is my own problem).

Ok....done rambling. I'm not sure where I was going with this post.

samm · #2 01/27/15, 08:46 PM

Reading these posts can keep ya jazzed up lol , and inspired and knowing that other people are just as odd as my self....but in good ways lol.....there's so many things that I've wanted to get done , and have got done....but there's always many many things I still want to do ,so I just keep on plugging on.....it's kinda like when I go to hobby lobby, I very seldom go, but when I do, I go for a specific reason/project ....until I get there....and my mind just gets blown cause there is many choices....I pick up and put down different items, and finally I focus enough to get back on track ....kinda.....so yeah I know your frustration ....but in a good way ��

Ozarks Tom · #3 01/27/15, 09:08 PM

I have no idea if this applies to you, but I had a long conversation with a neighbor today who is beyond frustrated at the pace of his place coming together. I've been watching him for 6 years now, and until today didn't feel comfortable giving him any advice. He's got about 5 projects started, but none finished. In his words "I don't know what to do next". My advice, pick a project and don't get distracted until it's done, and by done I mean completely done.

I'm a little (OK, maybe a lot) OCD, and can't stand having something partially done. When I start a barn, I finish the barn including the details, THEN I start on the coop. After a few successes I can look back and see progress, re-charging my batteries for the next one. I might take some time between projects to cross the small stuff of my "to do" list, but not until I've done what I started.

Might not work for everyone, but it works for me.

FarmboyBill · #4 01/27/15, 09:23 PM

Ill start a project, and take it as far as money will allow. Then ill start another project and do the same with it. I might have 3 of these things going at one time. When the money comes in, I buy the parts needed to continue. I usually continue then on the one nearest completion. Finish it, and then pick another next to completion and work on it till I need parts again, Then ill hit the other one . I never do one project and take it as far as I can, then twiddle my thumbs till my check comes in to buy whats needed to continue it.

cc-rider · #5 01/27/15, 09:50 PM

Samm, I totally know what you mean (especially about Hobby Lobby or ANY craft store). I get all excited about something new (a new quilt, carving, fairy garden, musical instrument, craft medium....choose your poison), and that takes over my brain for awhile. Until the next one comes along. I never leave a craft store with what I intended. LOL Maybe I've got ADHD. I KNOW I'm OCD!

Tom, thanks for the advice. I REALLY make an attempt to finish what I start because I struggle with that. With boredom, impatience, etc. When I did TisaWee, I pretty much finished one thing at a time. Orchard, well, and septic first. Then the chicken coop. Then the barn and driveway. THEN the house. I just never got the house finished. I was over my head, physically, mentally, and financially. It just kept getting bigger and bigger. Luckily, a young man with the same dream as me wanted it more than I did, and he had more strength, determination, and support than I. It worked out well for both. And I learned A LOT in the meantime.

Mostly, that I don't think I'll do it to that extent again. And I'll hire help. LOL.

In the meantime, I spend my time reading others' posts and thinking "yeah, I want to try that!" and having SO MANY things I want to do that I don't do any of them.

Hubby and I were talking the other day. We are SOOO blessed that we have so many options available to us and so many things that we enjoy. So many that we can't even take advantage of all of them. You'd think that would make me happy, wouldn't you? For some reason though, it makes me depressed.

I think I just need a sunny day to clear all of this gloom away.

Taratunafish · #6 01/27/15, 10:02 PM

cc-rider, I thought what you described was a function of Pinterest!!! I too, have fallen into the trap of overexcitement and finding myself not accomplishing much. Most of my reason (not excuse) is that I still work full time (along with a 45 min commute each way). Also, while it might seem to some to be an excuse, I've found I don't get much done most evenings because my husband has retired.
One benefit to taking so long to get to something is I've come to find out some of the homesteading activities really aren't worth my getting involved in. I would love to make soap, but since I'd be the only one using it, one batch would last me a decade. I'm better off supporting someone else's labors. Canning is another one of those activities that just wouldn't work for our household. I still enjoy reading about the members' efforts and actively browse the threads looking to learn.
I do hope things can change for me when I retire and have more time to work on my many projects. It's hard to get out from feeling overwhelmed and unaccomplished. Sometimes I have to push myself to move forward. So, yes, viewing HT (and Pinterest) can be frustrating!!

-Taratunafish

cc-rider · #7 01/27/15, 10:23 PM

Taratunafish, you hit the nail on the head. Overwhelmed and under-accomplished. Yep, that's it.

1shotwade · #8 01/28/15, 02:57 AM

I think we all do this to some extent.Right now I have a half finished smoker I'm building,a generator to mount on wheels but is too big to move by my self and 20 more ceiling panels to construct to finish the basement(and more projects). But as things go,I didn't get anything done Friday 'cause the wife hit a deer Thursday night so I had to get an estimate,pick up the grandson from daycare,Take the car to the shop after getting the call about cost,arrange a ride home get grandson to his house.So which one don't I do so I can work on the "projects?!"
Saturday cut firewood and bring in the last I have ready to burn.(I have to get more wood cut NOW to get through winter!) Sunday I had to go see my 86 yo mother I haven't checked in on for 3 weeks.
Monday my brother calls and wants to get more trees down off the pond dam so spent the day cutting and dragging trees up to the house so I'll have firewood handy when you can't get back through the fields.
Tuesday I'm sore from the chainsaw so i start paying bills and realize i missed paying the phone bill last month.I drive over there and take care of that and 5 other chores while I'm out,get home and the car is ready to be picked up.
Now Wed. maybe I can get started cutting up the trees in my backyard.I still don't know when I'll get back to the "projects"!
HT is my distraction from frustration. Honestly,the only frustrating thing I find on HT is giving someone (what I think) is an answer only to be completely ignored.This happens more than I like so I guess it just means I'm not as wise as I think I am! LOL !

Wade

Homesteader · #9 01/28/15, 06:10 PM

cc rider do you have specific goals? Not just, well, I'd like to homestead, but really specific goals?

Now, why do you have them, ask yourself, why do I think I want to achieve "X".

Taratunafish made a very important point. There are many many homesteading activities but that doesn't mean every one of them is for you or for your situation.

I'm just thinking along with you here. Maybe ask yourself why you want all the various "X"s. Maybe you don't actually want them? Or, maybe, you do want some of them, even really really want them, but you've lumped all the others in there too, that you might not actually want!

cc-rider · #10 01/28/15, 06:44 PM

Wade, sounds like you are awfully busy! LOL. I had to laugh at your response about being ignored when you make a suggestion.

I remember asking a LOT of questions (I mean... a LOT) and I'd get LOTS of answers. I'd have to take some with a grain of salt. Some made sense. Some didn't. At least, they didn't in my case...maybe in someone else's. I don't think I responded to everyone's suggestions, but I took them into consideration. Maybe that's your situation, too. People are LISTENING...just not responding.

cc-rider · #11 01/28/15, 06:50 PM

Homesteader,

Yes, I think I have pretty specific goals. I'm a list-writer...so they are even pretty detailed and in order. But I get side-tracked easily, by reading HT and daydreaming. LOL

And then I get frustrated that I'm still sitting at my old home in town, scanning Zillow and not finding anything, instead of working on stuff that I should be, and being content where I am planted for now.

manygoatsnmore · #12 01/28/15, 09:11 PM

I don't get frustrated at HT, but sure do get frustrated with myself for putting so many things off when I could or should be working on those projects. I look at my goal lists from 10 years ago, and there are TOO many things that are STILL on my list now. So, I understand where you're coming from....

It's good to see you back, BTW.

Callieslamb · #13 01/29/15, 08:59 AM

That's exactly why I am here - to get all crazy excited about something. Fortunately, I've been here long enough and am old enough that I can get crazy excited about everyone else's projects and that seems to be enough....I've also tried enough that I'm pretty aware of my own limitations. So I hope everyone just keeps on posting and encouraging each other and planning and doing... so I won't have to.

watcher · #14 01/29/15, 09:11 AM

I do. Either there's too much to read or I get on and spend too much time sitting on my . . . chair when I should be working.

TRAILRIDER · #15 01/29/15, 09:13 AM

I don't get frustrated any more....but I did. Everything in its own time. I think each one of us on here is very similar in one way.

We LOVE (are fascinated by, interested in etc) way too many things. I am always thinking about a million things at once. I want to do SO, SO MUCH! There aren't enough days left in my life to do it all! But I am happy with what little I have accomplished. Okay, my chicken pens are not much, and are in need of repair. My fencing really need improvement. My house, well, don't even ask! But you know what? There are people out there (and right here on HT) who dream (yes dream!) about living on a little farm like mine. I just keep that in mind.

I am so lucky! : )

jlxian · #16 01/29/15, 09:23 AM

Very. And as Taratunafish said, I get it from looking at Pinterest too. We moved to our "ideal" place 25 years ago and set out to make it more perfect. Enter surprise twins, and us continuing to work our full time jobs, everything, everything, everything got put on hold. Now the twins are 22 and about to set off on their own lives. Our place is run down from lack of maintenance. And we are both in our early 60s with far less energy and get up and get. It is extremely frustrating. But I do love to read what everyone else is up to and sometimes I'm inspired to take on a small project I can finish on my own.

painterswife · #17 01/29/15, 10:11 AM

Homesteading does not yield its rewards quickly. It can be hard to deal with if you are not use to it.

geo in mi · #18 01/29/15, 02:49 PM

Best thing for me is to have everything in a home office. I start out every morning at the computer, tracking HT, writing emails, etc, etc. All my home financials are here, all the bills, records, budgets, and so forth. On my desk are several yellow, legal size tablets--some blank and ready, some (usually a couple) in process with a new or recent project. Each new project goes onto a new pad and that pad is used till done.

I have several of the mini-legal pads for material lists that I can take with me to Menards, Lowe's, or wherever to buy just the things that project needs--or use them as reminder lists. (I look through the cabinets and drawers first.......)

My morning time in the office is where it all comes together. I love to scratch off the "done" jobs.

geo

**clovis** · #19 01/30/15, 06:41 AM

I can easily understand the OP's feelings of frustration.

I can't say that I feel frustrated with HT, even though I do with other subjects and other sites. I am passionate about some areas of history, for example, and have the same feelings the OP does about wanting to do more. I wish I had the time to study more, research more, have more hands on experiences, travel more, and even write about those facets of history that I love so much.

Part of my problem is that I love too much. I have too many interests and too many loves/hobbies. I don't have enough time or money to enjoy them all.

I think that the main satisfaction that I pull from HT is knowing that there are real people doing really cool things. I will probably never build a smoke house or raise 30 hogs, but if I ever did, there is a tremendous community here to call on for advice.

Bret · #20 01/30/15, 07:42 AM

I don't do anything naturally. Well, almost. I have to really work at things I want. Breeding a cow, playing Orange Blossom Special ( I have a long way to go for such a short song)or Swallowtail Jig on the violin, dance steps, etc.

Some people can see and hear and do. I have to see her, her and do over and over. Some things have to be hired around the home and ranch. The music comes from within and it has to be me. I accept that much of it is just for me.

I know and I'm satisfied in the journey or the constant trail. I know that when I arrive I will be restless and needing to pull hard against the clevis. Look at me ramble.

Take stock.

HT is a great outlet. Near and far we are the same.