So, I stumbled across this name, Lucas England, a while back. Not sure where, maybe some forum or a random blog comment. Wasn’t about anything high-tech or fancy, just seemed like a down-to-earth kind of mention, maybe connected to making simple stuff, working with your hands.
It got me thinking. This was around the time I’d just finished up a really draining project at my old place. You know the type, endless meetings, changing requirements, felt like running in circles. Honestly, I was feeling pretty burnt out, kinda useless. Seeing that name, Lucas England, just stuck in my head. Made me want to do something… real. Something solid.
Trying it Out
I decided I’d try making a small wooden box. Nothing complicated, just four sides and a bottom. Found some old pine boards lying around in the garage. Didn’t have many tools, just a handsaw, some sandpaper, nails, and a hammer. Proper basic stuff.
- First, I tried measuring and cutting the pieces. My lines were wobbly, the saw kept sticking. Took me ages just to get four roughly square sides.
- Then nailing them together. Hit my thumb more times than the nails, I swear. One side split because I hammered too hard. Had to toss it and cut another one. More sawing, more frustration.
- Sanding the thing down took forever. Dust everywhere. But slowly, very slowly, it started to look less like scrap wood and more like an actual box.
It sounds simple, right? But doing it, actually doing it, was harder than I thought. My back hurt, my hands were sore. There were moments I just wanted to chuck the whole thing across the garage.
Why Bother?
Funny thing is, this whole frustrating process felt… good? It reminded me of this period a few years back. I was unexpectedly let go from a job. One day you’re planning projects, the next your access card doesn’t work. Total shock. Emails ignored, calls unreturned. Found out later through the grapevine it was just “restructuring”, but it felt personal, you know? Like being erased. I spent weeks just drifting, feeling angry and lost.
During that time, I started fixing things around the house. A leaky faucet, a squeaky door hinge, patching some drywall. Stuff I’d normally put off or pay someone else to do. It was slow, sometimes messy work. I made mistakes, had to redo things. But finishing each small task, seeing something fixed by me, it gave me this little anchor. Something tangible in a world that suddenly felt very unstable.
Making that simple wooden box felt similar. It wasn’t about Lucas England, whoever that is or was. It was about the process. Taking raw stuff and turning it into something. Dealing with problems (like the split wood) right there, with my own hands, not waiting for an email reply or a committee decision.
The final box wasn’t perfect. The corners weren’t quite square, there were hammer marks, some scratches. It looked rough, handmade. But I put my phone and keys in it on the hallway table. It works. I made it. And somehow, that felt more satisfying than anything I’d achieved in that draining project at work.
It’s weird how these simple, practical things can ground you when the bigger stuff feels out of control. Just doing something, anything, from start to finish. Maybe that’s the real takeaway here.
