From A Life in Four Movements: An Unfinished Symphony
Summer 2016 – When Power Tools Meet Inexperience
Gina and I were adding a porch to the open basement of what would become our main house. I was installing 2×10 joists to support it, using metal hurricane straps to hold everything together. I’d been drilling them in with screws—tedious as hell with so many connection points.
Then I had what seemed like a brilliant idea: use the nail gun instead. Much faster, more efficient. What could go wrong?
Here’s what happens when a middle-aged former creative arts pastor who’d never owned a drill suddenly thinks he’s Bob Vila: you stop thinking about physics. You stop considering what happens when a high-powered projectile misses its target.
I’d been nailing away, feeling pretty damn pleased with my newfound construction prowess, when I missed one of the tiny holes in the metal strap. The nail hit the metal, ricocheted off, and struck me in the side of my forehead—just inches from my temple.
Blood started spurting everywhere.
Gina screamed. We looked at each other with that clarity that comes when you realize you’ve just dodged death by about two inches. If that nail had hit my temple, I wouldn’t be here writing this story. I’d be a cautionary tale about what happens when stubborn artists try to build their own retreat centers.
We managed to patch me up, but both of us realized what a monumentally stupid thing I’d done. Lucky I was wearing safety goggles, or I might’ve lost an eye to go with the near-fatal head wound.
After we caught our breath and stopped the bleeding, we resumed work. With the drill and screws.
That incident gave me a healthy respect for how dangerous power tools can be—and how thin the line is between living your dream and becoming a statistic. Every tool after that got treated with the reverence it deserved.
Coming Friday: Conversation 4 of The Porn Conversations
We’ll talk about what to do with these arousal (paraphilia) interests – how to explore them safely, how to talk about them with partners, and how to distinguish between fantasy and reality without losing your mind. And thanks for all the emails. They have been fascinating and meaningful.
Have questions? Please comment or reply privately. I read every comment and try to reply to every email, and your stories help shape this series.
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