onwards and upwards

To my readers and blog followers:
Please note that I am no longer connected in any way with the entity calling itself "Men's Shed North Shore".

Earlier this year I informed the board of trustees that:
(1) in my opinion the point-blank refusal of the Chairman to hold any meetings with the members to discuss Shed issues was surely undemocratic
(2) the further refusal of the Chairman to discuss health and safety matters at the Shed was at best irresponsible, as I and many other members regard health and safety measures at MSNS to be totally inadequate and have repeatedly informed the board of our concerns. One member has already lost a thumb while using the table saw at the Shed, and it is only a matter of time before someone else is either seriously maimed or killed in this facility.

The response of the board was to terminate my membership.


Thankfully this will mean that I will not be held liable when legal proceedings are taken against the Shed when the next serious accident, or a fatality, occurs.

I continue to be interested in the trials and tribulations of retirement as it affects men, and will continue to research and write about the subject, as well as visit well-managed Men's Sheds in New Zealand.

Martin Adlington

shed members help local school

For the last few days MSNS members have been helping with urgent renovation work at the Northcote Maori school Hato Pereta.
The school trust is hoping to complete repairs to a section of the boarding house so that boarders are able to move in at the beginning of the next school term.
Any help is welcome (skilled or unskilled) and much appreciated.
Lunch and dinner are provided, as well as ongoing tea, coffee and scones.
Plenty of parking onsite at 103 College Road - the site is beside the distinctive Maori meeting house on the city-side of College Road near the intersection with Akoranga Drive..
Hours 10am-6pm.
Just turn up and tell them you are from the Shed.

tauranga shed video

I spent a day wandering around the Tauranga Shed with my camera and talking with the members.

See the video at:
https://youtu.be/0MyGM05lzKE

kawerau shed video

I enjoyed a day with the boys at the Kawerau Shed, during which a stray tomcat visited as he does on days the Shed opens. The cat's name is "Spray' as in "Spray and walk away"!

See the video at:
https://youtu.be/SxWO2qUPIJU

a visit to the keri keri shed

I am currently on a road trip north of Auckland.
During the week I visited the Keri Keri Men's Shed. Here is a video of my visit.

https://youtu.be/6qk36Pn8QBQ

august video online

The August video for the Men's Shed North Shore, Auckland, NZ, is now online on my Shed youtube channel
www.youtube.com/menssheds2000

Chris & Sephen troubleshooting

northcote library

On Monday a crew from the Shed spent the morning breaking out bricks to create spaces for two community garden planter-boxes at Northcote Library - it was hard yakka as they were well and truely cemented in!:

Winston

Len

Winston takes a break

Roger

Dave W

Martin

Well-done all!

making boewurst

John S, Waghi and Martin made some boewurst sausages for the Mens' Shed North Shore September BBQ. Watch the youtube video:

http://youtu.be/CaZUNJpYrJA

digging in the rain

We had good turn-out today at the Men's Shed North Shore, despite the rain, of volunteers to dig the trench for the underground electrical cabling - part of our engineering extension project.
Follow MSNS on facebook:
www.facebook.com/pages/Mens-Shed-North-Shore/214684608553333

Martin & Brian

Frank swings a pick

Dave digs in

John, Roger, Dave, Ross, Len, Matthew, Brian

msns july video

Watch Men's Shed North Shore members at work thru July at a variety of personal and community projects in our shed in Glenfield, Auckland, New Zealand.

on sheds and health

In Australia there has been a considerable amount of research done into the health benefits of Men’s Sheds for members. Unfortunately to date little enquiry has been done in NZ relating to this field.
However, in my discussions with MSNS members several of them have told me of some of  their observations and positive experiences at our facility.

AT the Men's Shed North Shore we have some 100 members with a broad range of backgrounds, political views, worldviews, and ways of doing things. We all realize that to make the Shed work it is best for us to be tolerant of others and non-judgemental. This does not inhibit freedom of expression on issues, but conflict is not an issue - unlike in the workplace where egos and pressures can lead to strains which may incite aggression or even bullying.
“At the Shed I have found a  band of brothers” is how AB put it.

Jeff keeps mum!

 Not all Sheds are this harmonious. On my 2013 Lower North Island Shed Tour several Shed bosses told me that members had come to blows on occasion!
(see www.youtube.com/menssheds2000 for videos of the 13 Sheds I visited).

On Shed time - we are all now freed from the tyranny of the clock, which for many of us has ruled our lives: “Time is money” after-all, and profit is king. Members have said that they can now enjoy slowly and carefully working at a project, often learning as they go, instead of feeling stressed, cutting corners, and rushing things. For some, routines are hard to let go of, but at the Shed no-one watches the clock at lunch-break or smoko any longer.
“At work the pressures made time fly past. When at home alone after retirement, the days dragged and the nights were never-ending.” MN

Members agree that the Shed gives them something to look forward to and even the motivation to get out of bed for (especially on cold mornings), whilst being there amongst the sawdust and the iron filings is a most welcome relief from daytime TV or being dragged around the mall.
For many, the Shed is a welcome change from the family routine or tensions, while those who live alone can find company, and thus respite, from the isolation and even loneliness which can have such a negative effect on one’s mental health.
“Before joining the Shed I felt as if I was staring down the barrel of a gun” - CB

More wisdom from the Shed later....

capitalist society dehumanizes people

“Capitalist society can dehumanize people, as it only has an interest in their patterns of consumption”. In the modern world, people may increasingly be seen as commodities with production [& consumption] as the primary objectives of society”.

 Read more in my latest post on my retirement blog:

www.work-buy-consume-die.blogspot.co.nz

As always, Men's Sheds provide an opportunity for retired men to re-engage in a purposeful way with society and their community.

AT the Men's Shed North Shore, AK, NZ

art from trash!

Bobby Hansson's Book "The Fine Art of the Tin Can" (in the Auckland library system) has some fantastic ideas for many fun and useful projects to make from old tin cans - with a minimum of tools.
Let me know how you go if you should be inspired to make anything!!

men at work no. 3 - roadworks, video

Last weekend the countractors resurfaced he roundabout in Browns Bay.
I was impressed by the "dance" of the machines.
Here is a short clip of the action:

http://youtu.be/JKPqHk2cenE

cope with retirement to survive

Derek Milne (“The Psychology of Retirement,”) discusses coping strategies in retirement - finding success or failure, hope...or hopelessness.
Read more on my retirement blog:

@ Men's Shed North Shore, Auckland NZ

 www.work-buy-consume-die.blogspot.co.nz

june video for men's shed north shore

Here is the June video of NSMS members at work on community and personal projects:

a simple bird-feeder

Tony made some bird feeders for his back garden out of a few pieces of wood and some wire mesh.

Tony kindly supplied me with the details:

Materials for constructing a simple bird-feeder:

3-x 17mm x 17mm x 135 mm wood

2-x 125mm x 165mm galvanized 10mm square mesh

2-x 40mm galvanised jolt head nails

8-x 20mm staples

2-x 500mm x 6mm rope

1–x 120mm x 8mm doweling

shared food

The boys at the Shed shared some food with me on Saturday -  Ben brought in a bootload of puha, Robin gave me a slice of his home-made fruit cake, and William gave me some curry and rice - courtesy of the Hare Krishnas next door to him.