Hi guys, remember me?  Frosty sent me an email today so I decided to poke my head in IFI for a few moments on a study break, see what was going on.  Just stoppin' in to say howdy.  Some of you may remember I disappeared about a year ago with some fool notion of going to graduate school  - after being out of college for 30 years (GULP!!)  I figure it'd keep me busy, but Frosty's email reminded me I haven't swung a hammer since school started!  Just too busy, going 50 different directions between work and school.  Happily, after this summer term I've just two semesters to go - woo woo!

Anyway, just wanted to say HI!  I miss my hammer!  I miss my IFI time!  I miss my forge, my tongs, even my burns!!   Don't worry, I'll get back to it in another year, I even have a very nice commission piece waiting patiently on me to graduate.  But first...I gotta get through "The History of the Protestant Reformation and 16th Century Europe." 

Cry for me.......  

Summer term and two semesters is a walk in the park. If you need motivation, use the forge time as a present to yourself. Forge time also makes a good break to clear your head.   (grin)

Keep in mind that after a year your brain remembers how to sing a hammer but your body may not. Restart slow and build up as everything gets back into the swing of things. 

Glad to hear from you, and know your doing well. Please keep us informed. 

 

LOL, kinda' like my BRAIN, which had to wake from a 30-year sleep to remember how to retain information.  The Spirit was willing, but the grey matter was weak.   

Good to see you again! Don't be a stranger!

(Which would be hard: we're a pretty strange bunch.)

Wow, if I'd known sending you a FWD's get you posting again I would've done it a long time ago, I get them all the time. 

Is your brain building up to the task? You really need to take a break now and then, all work and no play, you know.

Next time something draws a tear I'll donate it to your cause though that does sound like a fascinating subject. 

Frosty The Lucky.

Have you even had fire in your brand new gas forge yet? Yes I know it's hot.

Al

NOOoooooooooo..... Look, I'll make a deal... you come over and complete 20 pages of essay questions THIS WEEK on exactly why Protestantism thrived in England and Scotland but not Spain in the mid 16th century, and I'll fire up the new forge....deal?   

Sadly, it's still on my workbench.  sigh.....  Who knew working and going to grad school would be this insanely busy?   Okay, well, pretty much anyone knows that, but geeeze!!!

Might it have had something to do with the intertwining of religious and economic factors in the expansion of the Spanish colonial empire?

Mostly had to do with who was in charge at the time!

BTW Glenn, thanks for the reminder - being who I am I would hit the anvil full charge when I can get back to it, and then pay for it the next day or so.  You're so right, the mind remembers, the body (especially at my age!) requires an easing in period.  Thanks!

Set up a short time frame for hammer time, say an hour, for the first few forge sessions. End of the hour, shut down. Move to clean up mode so you can stay in the shop. Put the tools back where they go, sweep the floor, etc. Next session make it two hours and quit.

Listen to your body as it will tell you when to quit, hold at that time interval, or add a bit more time. The idea is to keep the hammer time intentionally short. Overnight will give the your body time to adjust, rest, and recover. By going slow at the beginning, the stress on the body is much less. Going slow allows your body to remember what muscles need to be used, and to bring them back on line and working again. 

Good to hear from you Spanky. Good luck  

Nice to see you here even for a short time & Remember !!! when frustrated instead of tearing  the books apart !

Hitting HOT metal has a relaxing affect  

Hmmmm, IronWolf, now you have me wondering if my forge opening is big enough for a text book....  maybe if I kinda' bend it it'll fit?  I think that might be more cathartic than hitting metal!