In a few weeks Gary Rogowski of The Northwest Woodworking Studio will return the Modern Woodworkers Association Podcast to talk about the expansion of his Online Mastery Program. I wasn't around for the first interview, so I'm pretty excited to be a part of this one.
In doing some research for the show I was pleased to discover his podcast, "Splinters". If you subscribe to his blog, you'll recognize the topics. After he composes an essay for the blog he records a reading of it for the podcast. If you haven't heard it yet, I'll try to give you an idea of what it's like.
Gary half-jokingly refers to each episode as a sermon. Depending on your feelings about religion, that description could be good or bad. But the backdrop for these messages is the Church of Woodworking.
Like any really good minister, Gary manages to pull from his own personal experience both in and out of the shop to get his message across. He speaks with a mellowness that brings calm, even as he retells the story of nearly losing his finger to a poorly stacked truck bed full of scaffolding. His message is one of thoughtfulness, patience, self-forgiveness and commitment to the practice of doing the work. It's a welcome addition to my collection of podcasts and its worth your time to give it a listen.
How to listen
The early episodes are good, especially those that feature interviews of other woodworkers and tool makers. But the more recent episodes, starting sometime during the pandemic, are where his literary background and his love for writing really start to shine through. I think you'll get the most enjoyment if you start with the newest episodes first.
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