back to the important things

**NattyBumppo** · 07-20-2003, 10:21 PM

This last week of being on vacation really cleared my head and made me realize that something I love and have enjoyed so much as an escape, has morphed into more than what it should be for me. I am of course referring to detailing. For years detailing (more like washing and waxing) was an outlet and way for me to work with my hands and lose myself for a few hours with no critic or boss other than myself. In the last year or so I found Autopia and DC and was thrilled to find so many other people who shared my passion for automobiles and keeping them looking great. I learned so much from the forums and the many experienced members that it enabled me to take my work to a new level and I was as pleased as ever.

I began detailing for fee as a part time venture and things progressed well. I became more and more involved in the various forums and the passion grew to new heights. I was keeping busy, making a few extra dollars and using some great products while increasing the skill level at the expense of what would otherwise be free time. Well this past week of vacation made me realize that the time I`ve spent on forums, and more so detailing, is time I cannot ever recoup. Sure the few extra dollars may have helped buy some "stuff" but it is not worth the time I have lost with the family and the piece of mind that detailing previously had given me. Funny how that piece of mind seems to have been another casualty of being more involved in detailing. I recall a good friend and fellow truck enthusiast warning me about the possible pit falls of part time detailing. Turns out he was spot on and I wish I had listened more closely to him.

Most recently, a thread about a test done with a few products found me in the mix and into a heated dicussion. I responded with a rather sarcastic remark which lead to comments directed toward me (I missed them but someone who saw them forwarded the screen shots to me). I can`t believe that I let something which was an escape and way to clear my head become elevated to the point where I had to deal with foolish stuff like this. My mistake for the sarcasm in the post and more so for letting a hobby which I love become so important that I had to even worry about these things. Man, did I really screw the pooch.

I think I need to scale back and let go of this obsession a bit. I miss just detailing for the fun of it and even discussing detailing as an enthusiast and nothing more. I plan to severly scale back on detailing other than for my own enjoyment. I know I can put that time toward things that are more important to me. I want to make detailing a hobby and love again, not a second job and source of stress. I remember intervening in a heated detailing thread a while back on a truck forum I frequent. I said this is wax and polish and trucks, not life or death stuff and it should be treated as such. Funny how I didn`t take my own advice and instead let it become too much a part of me.

I`ll still be around though not as much (I know that`ll be a welcome change to some) but I`m just going to re-order my priorities to where they were and where they should be.

Natty

**AutopiaAdmin** · 07-20-2003, 10:30 PM

I really admire a person when they know where to put their priorities in life.

Spending some quality time with the family away from all this stuff has a way of doing it to you.

I have been learning to seperate career and personal quality time myself.

Detailing can be a great profession and a great hobby but when it takes priority over the more important things that life has to offer then it`s time to step back and take a look at the big picture.

You have realized that it shouldn`t cause stress but should be an enjoyable pass time.

**Tassadar** · 07-20-2003, 10:48 PM

I am barely into part-time detailing and I know what your talking about with the stress. Now weveryone wants me to do their cars, especially in the family. Of course, family wants free work, at my cost of the products. I cant turn them down, im only 17.

I remember the days when I looked forward to washing and waxing my car. The joy I got out of watching it transform into this beautiful machine as my hands caressed the paint. Like you said Natty, it was a time to let go of everything, and just enjoy myself. But now, I detail so many cars, I almost dread doing my own car. Its actually filthy right now, on the outside atleast.

I may only be 17, but I do hear where you are coming from. Spend time with your family, I have been praying since I was 15 to find a wife one day, and to have a family. I know I would be thinking the same thing as you if I had made such a distraction from my family time.

Enjoy life Natty, like you said, scale back some. Go back to the days when your wife would smile when she saw you cleaning your truck, because she knew you were happy, and at peace. When it comes down to it, I sure would rather spend my time with my arms around a wife, than PC or rotary.

God speed,
Dan

Boss_429 · 07-21-2003, 07:39 AM

At a boy Natty! Now, let`s go fishin!

**Poorboy** · 07-21-2003, 11:28 AM

Yes...I know how true it is...as many of you have called me know you have to deal with my twins and they often have to say hi during a business call...I say sorry for the distraction, but i couldn`t imagine someone else raising my girls. Detailing and business is a way to make some $$$, but money is useless without your family and friends.
My problem is everytime i have friends over all they want to do is work on their vehicle

....
I had a distributor over the other day and he said "wow are your cars and trucks dirty" ...I said i have more important ..things in my life than cleaning my own vehicle..

So Natty does that mean you are going to change your motto to be Swirl Free in 03 or have you already achieved that and now are ready to kick back and enjoy the shine