Dear Good Hours.
… ok, quick-like, I know I promised this Substack would always be just a conversation between the two of us, me being me, and you being the platonic dream of living and expressing a creative life, but there’s an elephant in the room, several hundred of them (oops there’s another email notification!) and I have to take a second and talk to them. BRB!
*****
In the last, as of writing this post, 16 to 20 hours… the subscriber numbers have more than doubled and are on pace to triple. (There’s another notification!) I chalk the phenomenon up to the storied Chris Schwarz of Lost Art Press and The American Peasant Substack participating in starting 2 new Substacks (that I will spend $ to subscribe to at least 1 of those 2, I love everything Chris does.) I think this has driven a good number of you to his “recommended” page, where you found me.
I’m honored to call him a friend I haven’t gotten nearly enough time to hang out with. (There’s another notification!) I also consider him a very influential figure in my growth. Why else wouldn’t the younger, larger me, get this very prominent tattoo!
I might have the largest supply of these tattoos on the planet. Chris sent me an envelope packed FULL of them after I made this post. I’ve only used one once, what does a fat old white man do with temp tattoo’s to top rubbing one out on his own forehead? The trip is downhill from there.
(There’s another notification!)
After all art bullshit, I just want to introduce myself to all the new eyeballs here.
Hi. I’m Derek Olson. I used to spend my energy writing on the oldwolfworkshop.com blog. But that started to feel, I don’t know, like I fenced myself into a too small pasture and over time I ran out of clover, so I started pushing against the electric fence until I started to enjoy the tingly sensations.
Eventually the fence broke. And here I am on Substack, writing about whatever crosses my damn mind and censoring very little of it. That means swear words. That means the occasional discussion about my (there’s another subscriber!) about my state of mind, my CPTSD from years of working in surgery, at trauma centers and working for dick head surgeons. About my chronic depression. And about everything I get the chance to build, to repair, to create, and to write about.
When I started this newsletter, or Substack, or whatever the best term is, I decided there would be no holds or veils as I tried to have a frank conversation between myself and one of my three salvations in this short life. ( the first is my wife of 10,406 days, the second is my adult children, whom I’d walk on flames for - pulling up for the bronze is the good hours I get to spend in my shop and in my studio.)
What you get here will be me unvarnished. You’ve been warned. This is a threat.
But real quick, before I ignore you forever. Thank you for subscribing and taking a chance on me. It’s humbling to get so much attention in a day. Thank you.
I also feel compelled to say, though almost all of my content here is free, just because I want it to remain that way, paid subscriptions help the shop, help buy the things I need and the things I use. I just ask you to consider this moving forward. If you find some real value or inspiration here, consider rewarding it.
Thank you….
This may be the last time we speak directly! Good Hours is a jealous entity. (there’s another subscriber notification! Christ!)
D
*****
Ok. Ok. I’m back.
But holy crap the night has gotten away from me. (There another notification!)
The car is dead.
I built a thing to sooth myself after losing of the car.
I have an upcoming class I’ve done a shit job of promoting.
and more in a little bit.
In the meantime I’ll leave you with this. (Holy shit! Another subscribe notification! Thank you!)
Love Derek
Ratione et Passionis
I know a person that would get one or 7 of those temp tattoos :)