Tis funny how seemingly all programs add things which lower creativity on behalf of the writer, with the excuse that it makes things easier

This wordpress program puts a bar right across the script just above what ive written so that i cant see exactly what ive produced – it has all sorts of helpful things on it but nothing on how to make it disappear permanently.

In fact ive used word press a bit and it does not get better.

This program is for developers or those interested in computer programs – not writers.

But to case – as a design maker i suffer from a tremendous handicap – i never studied design. i never studied furniture making, never went on woodturning or carving courses. I only ever went on one course and that was a commercial 6 month course in wales – woodmachining. TOPS course – earnings related pay and all sorts of perks.

I was not well at the time – i had numerous accidents and was accused of being an alcoholic, as all 6 i shared a house with had serious drink problems but it wasnt that – it was the medication i was taking.

The picture shows part of the woodmachining shop at port talbot, one of my fellow trainees and a map of the area – the road is at cwmavon where my first digs were – and horrible they were too – i got thrown out and moved into a large shared house where i was much happier and the people i was with were fun.

I learnt an awful lot about heavy machinery, how to set them up, make cutters and all sorts of magic.

Every woodworking machine you could think of and then some – the 5 cutter moulding hachine was so big you could get inside – the planer was a 30 inch jobby – the blades were bent due to the sharpening machine so you have to learn how to deal with that – sharpening bandsaw blades – joining them yadi.

After 6 months i was to find a job.

The first was at a place called Shinners mill near Totnes.

It was a toy makers(rogue toys) – fun work but very frustrating.

The boss had studied business at university and therefore didnt have a clue. As a result we could all see disasters building – i went back a couple of times.

He supplied only one company, and that was tridas. Initially it was all kinds of designs but it got narrowed down to about 6. Easy to produce and tridas paid.

The first time i went back he had borrowed a considerable sum and modernized the whole place. Now he could produce the 6 designs far faster.

The next time i visited it was closed.

Some time after i started working for the toy company i had a motorcycle accident.

Again due partly to the medication i was taking and partly due to a homicidal semi senile old git who was targeting motorcyclists in Devon. I was initially charged by the police for dangerous driving but they went away.

Some 9 months afterwards he was charged with dangerous driving – he got braver after hospitalising 10 and tried it on a busy industrial estate – someone other than the motorcyclist was a witness.

The last i heard he was in a nursing home with locked doors

i wont go into details but the result was that i hobbled out of that hospital with the leg still broken – much to the upset of the hospital staff who i guess had never had such a thing happen before.

I was in my 20s when this happened, my life had hit zero but i had time to think

Back to case.

i decided i had to do something worthwhile with my life.

Being another cypher would lead to disaster sooner or later.

I was not designed to live on a housing estate – i could not bear the thought of spending time with semiliterate bigots. I did not enjoy beer, television or popmusic.

Yes id had a very good job for 5 years so i could.

After abandoning hospital i went to work for Exeters largest joinery firm Chancel joinery – then a shopfitters called Watsons (still going strong)

Time to start making.

The business was called THE FOLLOWING MORNING CO.

Strange – came to me as in a dream. The name FUNNY – the morning after? But in reality a sunrise, the start of a new day. And –

My business card was designed by a ancient printers in Okehampton – the boss showed me some woodcuts for printing – some from the mid 1600s. The design of the card and logo were also automatic, just fell into place – the printer asked what i wanted – he drew it and it was right

I had no money but a kind aunt suddenly died and left me enough to start.

i was a furniture maker – no skills – no design ability and very little experience. i was hopeless.

But there was work.

Working with a seriously damaged leg was hard, at times the pain was excruciating but i realised that i had succeeded in banishing some of my “ghosts” by taking charge.

Making was a process of copying – everything has been made, most of it everywhere.

The perfect dining chair was perfected by the wartime utility chair – designed by a committee it fulfilled all the requirements, all you had to do was change the non essentials – dining tables, we know what one looks like to make it work – all have basics in common. Work inside those and it will work.

My first chair was — unfortunate.

It was a commode for a lady who had developed Leukemia after being run over by an aquaintance of mine.

Dosent get more bizarre than that, particularly as she was also a friend.

It took very long to make – especially as i lacked the skills and had to learn – on the go, by myself.

One of the first things i learnt about hand tools is to reject most of them.

I went to a large iron mongers to buy new. Nice shiny but ohh my, bent this, bent that – this out of line, beds not flat. But i got a good set.

I had learnt a lot by watching the joiners at watsons – saw setting, chisel sharpening – planing. The joints from the woodmachining course. Being inexperienced i made some very successful mistakes. The oakey drum sander was one.

Nobody takes this seriously – cheap foam drum, breaks easily – yadi I MASTERED IT.

What a tool.

Sometimes its not a question of saving time – its a question of wanting to go to work.

Another mistake was buying cheap electric hand tools – Skil belt sander lasted 13 months and cost £120, makita belt sander (much better tool and easier to use) Cost £320 and lasted for 25 years.

Poverty is a state of mind.

How easy is it