Failure And Timber Framing (Timberbee)

From the Quicksilver Metaweb.

At some point in your career, as a Timber Framer, you will have a Catastrophic failure, may this not involve the loss of life of others. From all I have seen, this appears to be unavoidable. The cliche is that there is something to be learned from every encounter, and I would agree with that.

Failure may come in many ways. My definition of failure is when one is unable to bring a job about to a successful conclusion.

I have been called upon, in three seperate instances, to complete a project which another had been forced to leave, for one reason or another. In once case Myself, and a partner, provided aid, allowing for the completion of a project which had gone on for years.

Most every job is a struggle, a near endless sequence of compromises and surprises, which we are hired to handle, and to overcome. Occasionaly, we will be unable to do so.

Dealing with failure is, probably, the most important aspect of being a builder. second only to the ability to adapt to, radical changes in schedules, sudden, unforseen events, changes in fortune, leadership, or damage resulting form theft, vandals, or Natural events. those are simply aspects of maintaing the most Ordinary of jobs.

Dealing with failure is going on. Doing what we are hired to do, Continuing in our profession without falling into worthless traps of self-pity, endless second guessing, shame, or blindness, and arogance caused by a wounded ego. Shit happens, life goes on, and not everything is under our control. One element which is never under our control is how we appear in the eyes of others.