Maine Cabin Masters

I have watched a hell of a lot of HGTV over the years, thanks to Carol.

I have learned a lot about backsplashes, crown molding, color combinations that pop, and shiplap.

Generally I am not impressed. But Carol came across a show called Maine Cabin Masters. These are people who specialize in refurbishing vacation cabins in the woods of Maine. Often in the deep woods of Maine.

I love these people. Because they are real. 100% authentic. They are who they are and they don't pretend otherwise. I so respect them for that. Because I don't know how to do it.

They work hard, really hard, and they have fun.

Most of the people I see on other HGTV shows are pretentious. Condescending. Full of themselves.

I enjoy the show because family history is such a big part of it. The people who own these cabins have had them in their family for many decades, even hundreds of years; they are run down, neglected, and in serious need of work. But they are loaded with family history.

When the cabins are refurbished, the owners are deeply moved. Invariably they talk about grandpa or great grandpa who bought or built the place, they reminisce about family gatherings, and they talk proudly of how good they feel about being able to pass the cabin down to future generations.

It is so meaningful.

Then there are the cabin masters. I watch the show wide-eyed because I am so tightly wound and they are so natural. I think about how much fun I could have if I could just learn to be me. 

They work their asses off and they laugh and joke as they do it. They are a bunch of family and close friends who all dig each other; it comes across so obviously. They enjoy life. All of it. Work and play.

That's the way it is supposed to be.

I continue to be royally fucked up. I am working with a therapist, but lately I have wondered how deep I should go. We have covered my life from start to now in detail, but I have not gotten into the emotional shit that really holds me back. We talk again Thursday. I need to get into just how restrictive my self-doubt and fear and hatred of my life can be. See what happens.

In the meantime, every time I watch Maine Cabin Masters, I laugh. Fucking therapy, man. I marvel at how naturally they approach life, how they overcome obstacles, keep moving forward and don't create obstacles for themselves by worrying too much.

They take life as it comes. And they enjoy it.

I know if I sat down and had a beer and a little whiskey with them, it would be a blast. 

Might even fix my brain.