So many people think that working efficiently is somehow 'hurrying'. In fact, hurry is the opposite of efficient.
I saw a classic example of someone hurrying to get a job done a while ago. She was feeling under the deadline pressure gun and working as quickly as she possibly could in order to get the task she was doing finished.
Unfortunately when your approach to your activity is to 'hurry' you can wind up in more trouble than if you'd just slowed down, paid attention to what you were doing, and worked efficiently.
Working efficiently is to approach the task at hand with the attitude of minimizing the effort required to do something. You understand how your tools work and do not try to force them to work beyond their capacity. You methodically do each step in its order, not trying to take short cuts. Your concentration is on what you are doing, not on what you will be doing when you are done - hurry, hurry, hurry!
In the end, the person who was hurrying wound up making a mess, not once but twice. Instead of 'saving' 5 minutes by rushing through what she was doing, she 'wasted' 20 minutes (each time) trying to undo the mess that had been created.
People who have mastered their craft and can work efficiently should be admired. OTOH, I have seen comments made by people after a video clip was aired commenting in a negative way. Why disapprove of someone who obviously works well, knows their equipment, materials and honed their physical skills to the point where they can do the task with the least amount of wasted effort? How is their expertise any commentary on anyone else?
Our only job is to become a better person, a better weaver, than we were yesterday. We are not here to judge others for their expertise, or lack of it. It is of no consequence to me how anyone else works. If someone else wants to achieve my results, however, they might like to look at how I work, the processes I use, the tools I have obtained. I'm not saying everyone should weave as quickly as I can, just that if they want to improve their skills they should study how others they might admire do the things they do, find the processes that work for them and then work to improve their own skills.
You Tube - where I have a number of video clips showing various aspects of weaving
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4 comments:
I really like your videos, Laura. I've learned pretty much from you.
Laura... sounds like you are having some criticism coming your way. But why on earth would anyone do that. What is there to criticise. Just don't get some people. I am with Alicja. I have learnt so much from your videos and blog. In fact watching your videos is also a meditation in itself. After all in old Japan the pupil only watched the master for months, years, however long it took. Then one day he / she would be told it was time for them to start doing - the weaving or whatever - it was understood that people learn by memesis. A rather subtle concept but its about the way that babies learn. Not from books or lessons but just by being in close proximity and absorbing it. Anyway, I have picked up a lot from watching you work, even thought I am thousands of miles away. Good old You Tube!
Not at present, although I have had in the past. However the Big Project may open the doors to negative comments. Perhaps I'm just worrying needlessly...in the meantime the clips on You Tube show many of the techniques I use for anyone interested. :)
cheers,
Laura
I noticed the very same thing when I was a course marshal for various charity marathons - the really fast runners hardly look like they're moving. They have no wasted motion. The middlin' runners are all over the place. The back-of-the-packers (like me) are ambling. Thank you for the reminder.
Margaret O'Connor
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