Neurotic Balance

The more I frame and the more I blog, the more I am aware of what I call my neuroses or OCD me.  Clearly, I am a bit type "A".  Some who are reading this may chuckle at that and think, "a bit?".  Hey, I no longer have marks on my closet rod where the hangers should go.  Progress?  Indeed.  While I don't wholly lament my tendencies toward perfectionism, I do see some of the limitations and challenges of the same.  I am also aware that having a perfectionistic bent can be handy as it can push one toward succeeding and toward mastery.  Without the aid of OCD me, do you think I would have spent an hour cleaning an 8x10 piece of glass?  No, I don't either because that is crazy with a "K"!   

That being said, a particular challenge for me is not being too hard on myself and maintaining realistic expectations.  (See previous blog post)  As a manager of people, I would never expect an employee to have gained a comprehensive knowledge and understanding of a new line of work in only a matter of weeks.  It seems I should give myself the same consideration, right?  Well, I don't.  At least I don't without conscious thought and concerted effort.  Owner has never said she was displeased with my work.  In fact, she has said the opposite which helps me be less of a taskmaster to myself.  In fact, her encouragement helps me believe I just might become a good framer and retailer after all!

Yesterday, I was charged with cutting moulding for a few projects we needed to get completed.  After measuring, measuring again, measuring again, measuring again and yes, measuring again, I cut.  In joining the lengths, I ran into a problem.  The corners are supposed to line up on top, along the spine and on the bottom of the frame, but mine did not.  Curses, I say!  Curses!  I asked Owner for assistance.  NOTE:  OCD people and true perfectionists don't ask for help.  (BriGuy's Guide to Psychological Dysfunctions; to be released 2013).  Owner explained what seemed to be causing the misaligned corners.  Ugh.  I thought I had checked that.  In fact, I was sure I had checked it, but obviously I hadn't.  Mind spinning, frustration building, I had to walk away.  Since I'm blogging about this 24 hours later, obviously, it had some effect on me.  Some time later, after completing a different project, I had to leave a little early to meet the bug man at my mother's house.  BUT I was coming back.  I was going to win this little war of framer vs. misaligned moulding! 

I arrived back at the shop a little after sixish to settle this once and for all.  Straight-backed and exuding confidence, I walked to the workroom to meet the joiner and moulding for the showdown.  Imagine my surprise when I found a note, written on scrap mat board of course, from Owner lying beside the offending moulding, stating, "6:00.  I had the same problem.  We'll deal with it tomorrow."  Huge sigh of relief.  HUGE! 

If the woman who has framed original Picassos and who has been doing this for 33 years is having the same difficulty as I, then maybe this situation was beyond BriGuy's control.  What a radical notion!  So, today, I will remember that not everything can be known and not everything can be controlled.  And now I set out to start this framer guy's day encouraged that a little crazy can make a good framer, but a lot of crazy will just make you crazy.