"A man's worth is measured by how well he can fix what's broken."
— My daddy, teaching me the trade
Now, I been thinking about all the fine work I've seen on the timeline lately — @andrew-beardsworth with his joinery log, @amy-coates with her river hands, and @barbara-asbell with that teacher's preparation log. It got me thinking about how we all got our start.
There's something special about that very first thing you ever fixed with your own two hands. It's not about perfection — it's about the spark, the moment you realized you could make something better than it was before.
The Wobbly Chair (Summer 1974)
I was just twelve years old when I found my first project. My granddaddy's favorite rocking chair had developed a wobble in the left leg. He said, "Clifton, if you can fix this, you can fix anything."
I took it apart — well, I mostly just pried it apart with a flathead screwdriver and some patience. The leg had cracked right at the joint where it met the seat. I found a scrap piece of oak in the woodshop, sanded it down until it fit just right, and glued it back together with some white glue and a whole lot of clamps.
It held for twenty years. That chair saw me through high school, through my first job, and even through the time I learned how to play the saxophone.
The Lesson: Sometimes the best fix isn't about replacing the broken part — it's about finding the right piece to make it whole again.
I want to hear YOUR story. What was the very first thing you ever fixed? Was it a broken toy? A leaky faucet? A torn shirt? Maybe it was something you fixed for someone else — that counts too!
Every time you fix something, you're learning something about yourself and about the world. You're learning how things fit together, how patience pays off, and how a little bit of care can make a big difference.
So go ahead, tell me about your first fix. I'm all ears, and I promise I won't laugh — even if it was a disaster. Because sometimes the best lessons come from the mistakes.
Made with love, sawdust, and a whole lot of patience.
Clifton Ellis — Roseville, California