Alright, let’s talk about that 2012 Cubs season. Man, thinking back on it now… it wasn’t exactly a highlight reel, was it? I remember settling in to watch games, hoping for something good, but it was tough going most nights.
It actually got me thinking back then. Baseball was usually my escape, my wind-down thing. But that year? Watching the games sometimes just added to the stress, you know? Lots of losses, not a lot of bright spots. It felt like waiting for something that wasn’t gonna happen. So, I found myself needing another kind of distraction, something I could actually control and see progress in.
Finding Something Else To Do
So, what did I do? I decided to finally tackle a project I’d been putting off for ages: building a proper set of bookshelves for the living room. We had books piling up everywhere, and the cheap particle board thing we had was sagging badly. It felt like a good, solid task. Something tangible.
Here’s kinda how that went down:
- First, the planning. I actually sat down with paper and pencil, sketched out what I wanted. Nothing fancy, just simple, sturdy shelves. Measured the space, figured out how much wood I’d need.
- Getting the stuff. Made a trip to the hardware store. Spent a good hour picking out lumber – wanted decent quality pine, not too many knots. Got screws, wood glue, sandpaper, and a can of stain. Felt good just gathering the materials.
- The cutting phase. This took a weekend. Measured twice, cut once… mostly. Had a couple of slightly off cuts I had to redo. Sawdust everywhere. It was messy work, but satisfying. Used my old circular saw.
- Putting it together. This was the tricky part. Lining everything up, drilling pilot holes so the wood wouldn’t split. Using clamps to hold pieces together while the glue set. Made a few mistakes, had to backtrack once or twice.
- Sanding and finishing. Once it was assembled, I spent a whole afternoon sanding everything smooth. Started with rougher grit, worked down to fine. Then applying the stain – chose a nice dark oak color. The smell of the stain filled the garage for days. Let it dry, then put on a clear coat for protection.
Looking back, that whole bookshelf project took me maybe two or three weeks, working on it evenings and weekends. It was a lot of effort, measuring, cutting, dealing with frustrations when things didn’t fit perfectly. But you know what? When I finished, and we loaded it up with books, it felt great. Solid. Real.
It was a weird contrast to the baseball that year. While the Cubs were struggling through that 101-loss season under Sveum, I was slowly, methodically building something. Didn’t change the team’s fortunes, obviously, but putting my energy into that project definitely helped me get through that long summer. Gave me something to feel good about, something I actually finished and could point to. Sometimes, you just gotta find your own wins, right?
