Open Up The Wall

 The name's Geoff.

Not Geoffrey anymore. That was the old me...

Back when I was afraid of power tools, and intimidated by the pros who used them.

OPEN UP THE WALL is the story of Geoffrey, an award winning actor , and new owner of a run down 'starter home'. An urge to singlehandedly renovate the dump consumes him, ultimately changing his life.
Geoffrey pushes himself to take on increasingly ambitious renovations to each new house he buys, challenging himself to examine his low self esteem, and his fear of failure. BUT - the huge sense of accomplishment that comes from working with his hands, and actually doing something useful is an exhilarating motivator. Around the time that Geoffrey finishes renovating his third home, he is asked to join a construction crew...on a trial basis. He hides his past from his new co -workers, and never looks back on his career as an actor, finding more excitement and personal satisfaction as a carpenter.
A life in the theatre does not prepare him for the intensity of the construction business, physically or mentally. He works with men who are defined by their tools. Some have university degrees, some are illiterate, but they are all encouraging as Geoffrey struggles to keep up with their professional pace. He moves with this crew from job to job, living a life free of soul destroying auditions, and empty backstage praise.
When the time is right, Geoff (not Geoffrey anymore) writes the exam, gets a licence, and incorporates his own construction company. His client base expands to include the rational and irrational, the pushy and the passive, the bi-polar and the buck naked. Now supported by a crew of his own, Geoff takes on more demanding projects... and more demanding people.
After two decades of heavy lifting, Geoff realizes that his body will be the deciding factor in when his career will come to an end. A bloody accident tips the scales in favour of retirement, and by the time Geoff completes the physiotherapy, he has made the decision to walk away from the heavy duty career that changed his life , and gave it real purpose.

OPEN UP THE WALL is a deep look into the lives of tradespeople, and their clients. Their voices are always compelling.Even if you don't own a single tool, you will love this book.