What to do??

[khan]

Working with glass is totally absorbing. Ive never done anything in my life (and im old) that takes my mind so completely. The problem is when im totally and utterly into the process of doing the hardest part of a project without fail someone (girlfriend, parents, neighbor, phone, mailman) will call my name and expect me to stop and answer or at least break my concentration and go see what they want. I would just like to hear from you experienced glass guys how you handle the interuptions... you cant just stop... you cant just let your glass cool completely and have to start over Sllllooowwwly heating it. The kiln is a blessing but still it is almost impossible to turn your mind off and on again that fast... or at least for me it is.
Do you guys have any pointers for this constant frustration. Ive gone so far as to warn everyone that if im in my shop DO NOT yell my name,,... worse even is blowing the car horn for me to come do whatever. But they do it anyway. And if i dont answer they just keep yelling and figure ive killed myself somehow. It is of course at the very worst time they could possibly interupt.
im a little frustrated to say the least.

Khan

[themoch]

when you walk over to someone with a glob of hot as hell glass and put it near their face they stop bugging the shit out of you.

turn the music up loud and do your thing.

it also doesn't hurt to learn to multi task.... learn from the best:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/386022_227437900662143_211257835613483_585720_1353 317360_n.jpg

[Tkglass]

I try to bring the People that are bothering me into the shop so they can c for themselves why I am ignoring them . Dosent work great on gfs trust me .

[Julian]

I don't really require concentration for most glass tasks these days, other than critical moments like doing a seal, or opening a cup. As far as how to deal with your friends and family, though - I don't really have any advice other than get more practice and it won't seem so intense any longer, as Moch's photo illustrates.

[menty666]

You can garage your work though, it doesn't have to be a full stop like you said. That buys you enough time to yell STFU out the door.

Other than that, locks on the door and noise cancelling headphones.

[Amorphous]

I feel your pain. My DH brings baby grandson in for me to kiss goodnight while I've got molten glass in the flame. At least he has learned to stay a few feet away, but won't leave until I get up and kiss the boy. And I cannot complain without feeling like a total shit.

[mer]

headphones are great, even if you don't like them just put them in and leave them turned off. i have never returned a phone call and had somebody miffed that i made them wait for my piece. s.o. seems to be the hardest to me but she is precious and i will stop the world if she casts a sigh... lol, i can't hear shit when i work. concentration deafness.

unless you guys are being a handful. i get an alert. i will call your mothers. and still finish my piece.

[Aaron Ellis]

I use to hate people being around when I was working I'd get nervous and Fuck shit up every time. Now I just deal with it. If my concentration is all focused on the glass at a critical moment I ignore them. Other wise I continue with the project and the conversation at the same time. If it is a real bother kickem the Fuck out.

[hngntuf]

Khan, I feel your pain even as a noob. It is absolutely consuming. I am a very dedicated cigarette smoker for now, but I can't even stop to smoke a whole one and that has never been me. Luckily...or not... I have no life, few friends, and my wife doesn't miss me when I'm at the shop. My dog wanders in from time to time, but she doesn't talk that much. May things get better for you.

Stephen

[Shatner]

I wrote on my vent hood, with a sharpie, in big, bold letters "Don't fucking talk to me while I'm working".

[Julian]

Easy to do, I never saw you working Shatner! :2faced:

[Shatner]

Easy to do, I never saw you working Shatner! :2faced:

Touche! I just need a break from glass and am on a hiatus. Not to mention, there's an asshole in the shop right now. I won't name names. But I'm sure you can figure it out if you look around a bit. Shit, he even posts on FB about how awesome he is and that he's at Bomdiggity.

[mark206nj]

I ran into the same thing when I was married. My ex used to always bother me while I was on the torch. Because I was (and still mostly am) a "hobbist", she thought of my glass working as "play". The most common thing was to hear "Stop playing with your glass and help me in the yard".

It took a while to get it through her skull that what I was doing was NOT playing (even though it is fun) and that even though I was not doing glass for a living, I DO sell some of my glass art and that makes what I do in the studio WORK. I wouldn't call you at work and ask you to come home and do some laundry cause I'm out of shirts. Also, as a noob, one could consider each session at the torch as being at school and "in class". Afterall, every time you work glass, you teach your hands and mind to either do something new, do it better, do it faster or do it cleaner.......that is learning! Don't bother me while I'm learning!

[Dirty]

when I'm working, everyone can fuck off!!! I don't bother them in there cubicle or come to their place of work and look over their shoulder and say "sweetie will you __________?". My wife will give me a not so happy, please come hang with me look, but it's my time when I'm on the torch. I try my best not to be rude, BUT. I used to feel that it was a complete lack of respect for what i do when people would try to pull me away but i had to quickly get over that. Just take a deep breath, smile, and say "I'll get with you when i'm done!"

[aREa541]

I have set up an elaborate booby trap system in the entryways of my shop to thwart any would be interrupters. I just watched all the home alone movies and took thorough notes on how to effectively set up snares and traps. Funny how I now find myself home alone most nights, my woman always "has to work late" which makes me suspicious because she doesn't have a job...

Anyway, good luck and remember to always ask yourself - What would Kevin do?

[Julian]

I solved this by moving to Duluth.