Art & Inspiration Loos'en the inspiration.

I understand your feeling. Having had a heart attack at 37, triple by-pass at 60, double by-pass at 70, and now, at 80, on kidney dialysis 3 days a week, I sometimes don't feel like doing anything. On other days, I go down stairs to my work shop, and work on carburetors to keep my mind and body active. look at it this way, we are still here, while others are gone. Be thankful, life is tough, but just keep on keeping on.

 

God bless you Larry. A woman who survived concentration camps in WW 2 said : "life may bring pain at times, but never, never give up". Hang in there, i'll be pray'n for ya.........

 

That Coupe Rules Rocky!

 

Sorry to read this, not sure what to say. You're still the same hotrodder, even with all the crap that life has dealt you. I'm sorry about your wife's illness, I went through that with my mom many years ago.
When my dad was getting older, and was worn down by dealing with my mom 24 hours a day, he kept telling me to take his tools to my house, he wasn't ever going to need them again. He had dealt and beat serious, life changing cancer, but was 80ish and tired, and dealing with the changes cancer caused in his life. I tried to ignore him as long as I could. Then I felt like I had to honor his wishes, and took a couple of toolboxes to my house.
Not long after, he started asking me to bring this or that tool back, he just needed it for a minute, to do some little thing. I always obliged him, didn't say anything. Then it happened again and again. One day I took them all back to him, told him he needed them more than I did, and to keep them. He didn't say a thing, just made room for them, and there they stayed until he was gone.
That was 25 years ago. His tools are at my house, still in his toolboxes. I don't mix them with mine, they were his, not mine.
He got depressed with life. Then later he needed to take care of stuff again.
I wish you well, and hope you get back in the saddle again.
Bill

 

Larry, that 34 isn't much different than you at the moment. No effort, no work, no momentum toward rejuvenation... stasis... and nothing good comes. No rumble from the exhaust, no passion that connects the right foot to the pleasure center of our brains.

You have to fight and move forward. Life is always life-ing.

 

Guys..............I have trouble finding the words,. Odd how as life goes by things that seemed so damned important at the time, have less and less meaning, and things that were never important become so.
A life lesson has occurred for me here. I could PM each and everyone of you expressing a debt of gratitude but choose to do that with this post. Thanks to all who have posted support. Lesson learned: we truly are our brothers keeper and all mankind is a brotherhood, (to include the ladies also).

 

37and a half years in a Combat Arms MOS with hundreds of combat missions and facing death every day. I realized a long time ago that when The Man Upstairs calls you there is no "wait until I finish this". I should have been dead years ago from explosions, being shot at, vehicle accidents etc. Being diagnosed with PTSD and depression, well yes I needed help and got it. Go talk to someone and get some meds Larry. Every time I went to the VA they asked me if I ever had any thoughts of harming myself and I did not. One day they asked if I wanted to hurt anyone else and I said, "YES." I had every intention of shooting my superior if he said one wrong word after years of abuse. Got to the point of having a loaded .45 at all times waiting. Well he never did and I got the help and away from the situation. Problem was years of situations and trauma that led to my PTSD which bred depression. Point is, help is out there you just need to seek it.

 

Larry, forgive yourself, you don't have to go out to the shop, whether you can or can't, don't beat yourself up. I've spent this winter in the house, everything hot rod related I didn't do, normally the shop is hot and ready, this year, cold and not ready, first time ever, I never have sat on my ass. Know what? I'm good with it, I just didn't feel like it, but as the weather betters, so does my mind. You can get your ass torn off here, and.....we're the best of friends, friends I need, I've lost a bunch last year. We're here for you buddy, call those of us closest to you, an afternoon of work and laughter will get that car together, this is after all, a car club to help each other, AND, POST MORE, don't go away. LeRoy.

 

Same with me. Oh and, the last time I was in Oceanside I was a 20 yr old Marine Sgt. What a difference a few decades makes.

 

I full and well understand the aches and pain thing. Both hands and knees affect my length of time to work on anything.

I've been thinking lately that I may be better off to do a whole lot less ambitious build on the 48 and just simplify it a lot.

I hate to say it but there isn't a thing wrong with putting the coupe up for sale and maybe taking a far simpler running and driving rod as part trade. Something that you just have to do a bit of maintenance on and not have to "work on" and something that you can get in and drive and even take the wife for a ride in to see the flower fields or to the beach if she is up to it.

 

I see a Banger in your future

 

Larry, I have to say 'Thanks' for bringing up this subject. At 71 I am not particularly old but like many on this thread plenty of medical issues that take some of the pleasure out of the once daily routine. 'Severe spinal deterioration' was one of the comments on a recent CT scan...hell, I was there for my hip...and my knee...
I guess if we live long enough we will find all of the weak-link parts.
I wish I was closer to Federal Way. I am not moving as well as I once was but I'd sure try to help if I could...maybe I could help empty a few beer cans so they weren't so heavy and we could watch some younger guys do the work.
As has been said, even if you don't have the stamina to work on the car try picking up the phone and just talk shop with someone. I thank Jon Clark for calling me today just to pick my brain; it needed the exercise.
Hang in there by whatever means you find. Spring is coming, the days are getting longer and sunshine is a great healer in my book.
My prayers for you and your wife.

Gary

 

My dad is going to be 75this year, his injury’s and pain ..... well it would be easier to tell you what still works and don’t hurt him ( his hair and his ear lobes ) he is the strongest and toughest guy I know nothing beat him when he was younger now in his own words “ fuck if one of these kids hits me with a snowball I’m done finished, I’m like a we mitten, good for nothing !!”

but, everyday he gets up and putters and does stuff until he simply doesn’t feel like it any more, then stops and does nothing.

ya gotta keep social and keep going, simply going in the garage and sweeping, cleaning, organizing, at some point you’ll start and then finish the car.
Keep it, sell it , give it away, it’s yours.

but don’t give up.

I’m gonna be 42this year sciatica in both legs my lower back looks like a bag of bread crumbs and my hands hurt .

I don’t have an old car right now, because my family is young, we moved the merc would not fit in the garage, and as much as I hate it I think this COVID is simply going to fuck the economy in the next couple years. So I’m waiting for the deals to pop up and I’ll buy something.


Wake up, take care of yourself , your wife, your home. The rest will fall into place.
Eat right,keep clean , and keep your mind and body active.


Your doing just fine, just keep doing.

 

Thanks for posting that, I felt like I was the only one. (Just turned 69)

Also, you're correct about better weather and SUN. We finally got warm today with full sun, so I worked outside on a vintage engine that Bill's Auto Works recently delivered from NorCal. We will only have 3 more warm days, but for the first time in ages, I actually look forward to TOMMOROW to work out there in the sun again.

We just got so little sun this winter and got way more snow than last couple of sparse winters.... plus of all the "stuff" going since the last year, I got lost along the way. People asked how's the project coming, I just said 'it's supposed to be a Hobby, I can't see being forced to do a Hobby"...

"I just didn't feel like it" (to steal your words)

 

I guess I'm not the only one waiting for warm weather, not that it gets all that cold here but just looking forward to spring.

 

Shit,,,, I’m a long long way from Washington,,,but if I were closer I’d come help you a little bit. Shut the damn TV off,,,invite some buddies over and have a little fun. A steady diet of gloom and doom isn’t healthy.

 

Larry
No matter the problems of ME and the rest of your HAMB brethren we can't say we exactly feel what it's like walking in your shoes right now but we all are feeling your pain.
A lot of "feel good" responses here and it sounds like you are responding to them but the best I have for you is to ask for help at your local level, many city, county, and state agencies are avaliable to lend support, I just wish I had specifics for you but not sure about your area.
DDD

 

I definitely understand your feelings and you don't have to be in your 70's or 80's to have health issues and fall into a depression induced funk, it happens to the young too, sometimes I think the young have it worse since they haven't had a chance to live their life before it gets taken away from them.
Like you said, the things you thought were important aren't so important and you sure notice the simple things in life like birds singing, flowers blooming, the warmth of the sun on your face, nature's life if you will.
I've found that listening to your body is ok, take a nap if you're tired, take a trip to the garage when the mood hits you, no matter what time it is, hold your wife's hand and tell her you love her even if she gives you a funny look, it's ok to just be who you are now.
Not a single person asks for the bad things in life to come their way, but when they do you find a way to deal with it and push forward, maybe only one inch at a time, hell you might even slide back a little but don't give up on yourself and the ability to take that step forward again.

 

Larry, it's OK to step back, take a break and regroup. That car isn't the most important thing in the world... you and your loved ones are! Don't beat yourself up, we all need to refocus occassionlly (damn I wish I'd paid attention in spelling class), and sometimes the best way to do that is just walk away for a while.
When you need a boost, just come back to the H.A.M.B. and look at swade41's avatar!
Hold your head up and keep on keepin' on.

 

My motivation is drowning in frustration that began 11 years ago when I went through a major spinal fusion that failed. Standing and walking results in burning pain in my lower back and legs. I fight every day not to go to a dark place. Frustration leads to depression, and depression kills motivation. In my 60's I did not see my 70's going like this.

 

I completely get it - diagnosed 8 years ago with a debilitating bladder condition at the exact same time I discovered infidelity in my marriage, spiraled into depression, lost my job and haven't been able to find work since. Have lived off of savings and what I can scrape up buying and selling parts and any odd jobs I can physically do. In the middle of all of this, trying to afford to finalize my divorce, lost my best friend to cancer and then Covid hit and I'm isolated like everyone else. It's hard to even get out of bed some days...

 

"Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light."

Take Dylan Thomas's guidance (not the whole drinking yourself to death part) and do some raging gentlemen!

 

And yet, that is the very first step each day. Just focus on that one task each morning, and let the rest take care of itself given time.................................

 

Good lord, @swade41 's avatar should be enough to get most of us outta bed...or at least turn your bed into a tent.