I am Scott (a.k.a. DustyNewt), a stay-at-home Florida woodworker. Along with my wife, Julie, we bring you this Substack about our mission to work from home on our own terms, becoming more self-reliant and balancing time to suit us in our slice of sub-tropical paradise. Time permitting, I intend to publish posts a couple times a week.
We currently create and sell personalized wooden chopsticks, keychains and desk names online under the brand of DustyNewt (one word). We mail them worldwide from our home in Central Florida, U.S.A.
Although my talents lie primarily with woodworking, this blog is NOT a tutorial on working wood or navigating the internet. There are already an endless supply of these online, either in blog or video form. Rather, I intend to focus on how we came to this point in live our lives, pay our bills and choose to live without the stress of commuting and dealing with petty tyrants in our daily life. It may also help enlighten family and friends who don't quite "get" us.
I feel that by sharing our path along the way, there may be some experiences that could be helpful to many "would-be" or struggling home-based entrepreneurs. My meager workshop, a 100 year old shed of about 200 square feet, is just a 17 Step Commute from the back door of our home, hence the name of this blog.
I am beginning this at the end of the Chinese year of the Rabbit, which according to my Julie, is my year to start something new. It is my New Year's resolution to get this blog launched on January 1, 2024. Since I am now 60 years old, with no offspring or apprentice to pass my knowledge onto, my intentions for these writings are to help others to find their peace and earn a rewarding living with their hands and by their own wits. If you find my scribblings helpful or enjoyable, please subscribe and share the love.
DISCLAIMER: While AI (artificial intelligence) is rapidly gaining popularity throughout the web, I am choosing to write this blog the old school way.
WARNING: In this blog, I may wander onto subjects that stray from my original subject, but still need to get out of my head. I promise, they will at least be "safe for the office". Please bear with me...
Peace in Wood ~ Scott (a.k.a. DustyNewt)
