What's goin' on with everybody

[dogooder]

You can become a machinist without any schooling but you have to find the right places. You can earn while you learn, don't have to join a union
or be certified for anything, if you show the potential they might even pay for classes for you if you wish. It will take some brains to be more than a machine operator, but the opportunities are there for the taking. Once the robots and A.I. take over though, those jobs will be gone.

 

[ez_willis]

I'm just...whatever. Shooting the shit? Old guy ranting?

I think I was just making a simple statement saluting you for going your way and doing well. Perhaps a model or an example of what can be achieved if motivated with the knowledge that life is a ladder of achievement, rung by rung(is that the way you spell rung?). Unlike it seemingly being beneath much of the younger generation, sometimes the most important rung is that very first one at the bottom.

It was praise, you grumpy bastard. I'll quit, you're much too modest to handle it with grace.

I see. I'm old. When I graduated High School, college wasn't assumed. I didn't want to go to college. I wanted to play music, so I did. When that stopped I went into construction, then worked my way up and into water treatment. I think what I was saying is, if I were in high school today and was basically required by society to get a college degree, I would be less inclined to want to flip burgers or dig trenches after I graduated.

But you're right. For sure. I keep ranting about skilled trades work because those of us doing it are aging out and society doesn't seem to be interested in filling these positions.

 

[ez_willis]

Oh please, it is not. Cold water is still on the right, hot on the left, and shit flows down hill.

Wait, maybe you do have a point. How much was a college education in '77? Hm, good thing the government has done the right thing in handling a practically guaranteed loan. It's important to follow your dreams, something you couldnt do in '77 at less than half the price.

College and housing was affordable in the 70's.

 

[ez_willis]

There is a HVAC and Plumbing company here in Denver that will pay employees with no experience through their apprenticeship program that includes their own financed classroom education to become certified and licensed. The need for quality people with the drive to work is the only prerequisite. Well, one maybe s houldn't have a man bun or purple hair... Though it shouldn't, it may cause a flag...

THIS! This is what I have been saying. A SKILLED trade. The problem is all of the young people are being forced into college and promised a lucrative career if the go that route. And it's a pipe dream. Skip fucking college and get into an apprenticeship program like this.

Also, I had a purple mohawk when I first met the owner of the first construction company I worked for. He dgaf. I was a smart, hard worker that made him money.

 

[ez_willis]

This has been a major factor for me. I own and operate an HVAC/R contracting business in an area with long term freakishly low unemployment. I've been at this a long time, I do good work, and my business has done well. Very fortunate that way. But it has been excruciatingly difficult for me to find entry level people that want to work. The pay is good. It's the keep-your-face-out-of-your-fucking-phone and get after it between the hours of 8am-5pm that's the difficulty. There's money to be made in the line of work that I offer - but it requires a type of centered-ness, a work ethic, an initiative level that I'm just not finding/seeing out there. It's a lot different now than it was when I started doing this kind of work 33 years ago.

Again, if I was forced into going to college for four years after high school and I graduated with college debt, I'm not going to want to go do HVAC. If we get these kids trained up in high school LIKE I WAS then they are more inclined to enter an apprenticeship program.

 

[Slouching Raymond]

Doing a lowly manual job gives you a perspective, and motivation.
If you can get a degree in a useful subject, opportunities open up to sell yourself in a different market.
Either path can be lucrative.

 

[ez_willis]

Doing a lowly manual job gives you a perspective, and motivation.
If you can get a degree in a useful subject, opportunities open up to sell yourself in a different market.
Either path can be lucrative.

It's 110° here today. I'm in my office watching the construction crew across the street through my window. They look like they have great perspective and motivation. And the money they are carrying around looks like it's real heavy because they are all moving slowly and look lethargic.

 

[Ed Fones]

From someone who has done a variety of manual jobs. Give me something else any day. The average age of a Roman was I read somewhere 25-30 years old. Your body can only take so much for so long.

 

[TAE]

I was a tile setter for 20+ years and my Hero was a guy in his 80's who was still doing tile and working 6 days a week...He died with a trowel in his hand...

I was in my mid 40's when I had a moment of pause for reflection. It'd been a long, hard ass day of tile tear out. I was exhausted, sitting on a bucket making a punch list for the next day. I had a discussion with the big guy saying it was cool., I'd do tile ( suit up and show up) for the rest of my life if that was REALLY what I was supposed to do. At the time I was thinking I should be making a living doing music...but Noooooooo two days later in that same room , on that same job site where I had had that little discussion I am being offered a once in lifetime opportunity to leave contracting and get into sales...Sales? WTF I want to do music! Oh well ..I took the job offer and the rest is misery...Actually it has been pretty dang cool... and I still think I should be making a living doing music...some kids NEVER grow up....

 

[TAE]

I once had that tar splash over both bare forearms.. not just a few splotches.. pretty much cover the whole top surfaces of both forearms. After I finished jumping around and screaming bloody murder, I finished the job and returned to base. When I got there my arms were twice their size due to all the skin blistering up 1-2 inches.

Dude as a tile setter here in Cali they sometimes do what is a called a hot mop showerpan... I knew a hot mopper who accidentally stepped back and his whole foot and leg when into that bucket...capital F U C K! He was screwed up for a half a year healing up and was never quite the same...damn!

 

[spantini]

Dude as a tile setter here in Cali they sometimes do what is a called a hot mop showerpan... I knew a hot mopper who accidentally stepped back and his whole foot and leg when into that bucket...capital F U C K! He was screwed up for a half a year healing up and was never quite the same...damn!

I feel as if I know what it was like to have been burned at the stake. Only that would have come on gradually, not in an instant. I feel that mopper's pain.

 

[60's guy]

I am being offered a once in lifetime opportunity to leave contracting and get into sales...Sales? WTF I want to do music! Oh well ..I took the job offer and the rest is misery...Actually it has been pretty dang cool... and I still think I should be making a living doing music...some kids NEVER grow up....

TAE, as far as I know, you're still working the sales job and you're also playing keys in an awesome band. Making a living doing two things you love to do at the same time is a rarity but you're doing it!

 

[Ed Fones]

Making things, manual work, growing own food etc is always a romantic dream by others who have never had to get up every day and work at such.

There is no satisfaction at making something when you do it day in day out. The truth is it is 'Thank f**k that's done. Now where's my money!'

I fail to see the romantism or job satisfaction in yet another wall or another table etc.

 

[ez_willis]

Making things, manual work, growing own food etc is always a romantic dream by others who have never had to get up every day and work at such.

There is no satisfaction at making something when you do it day in day out. The truth is it is 'Thank f**k that's done. Now where's my money!'

I fail to see the romantism or job satisfaction in yet another wall or another table etc.

Amen to that.

 

[dogooder]

Working as a CNC programmer/machinist in job shops, it was something different almost every day, sometimes hour by hour, with many different
types of machines. I was proud of the fact that I made something with my hands and brains. As I worked my way up
I had control over departments, ran the inspection departments, did the programming, did the scheduling, inventory control, tool procurement, data
storage and file management, stock procurement. It finally got to the point where I was doing more paperwork than machine work. I had the best of two worlds
kind of. If I got bored I could walk out on the shop floor and pick a job and run it, or I could go back in the office and do a myriad of other chores. It never became
very boring and it eventually got me to the point where I own everything I have and don't owe a dime to anyone, so I guess it all worked out. Sometimes coworkers
would ask me why I didn't open my own shop and my answer always was, I don't want to count on me for a paycheck.

 

[TAE]

TAE, as far as I know, you're still working the sales job and you're also playing keys in an awesome band. Making a living doing two things you love to do at the same time is a rarity but you're doing it!

Brother I am BLESSED! all in capitals! Yeah I have a very busy FULL life at soon to be 69 years old. I would not mind touring / playing keys with Gilmour or Alice Cooper ( yeah and golfing every morning with AC while we're touring)...hey a guy can dream.... or spending some quality studio time with Alan Parsons writing songs that will pass the test of time ..... but for now I'll just take the shabby clothes I'm wearing and be frickin happy as a hog in slop. I'm going to be doing some music for a friend of mine son's celebration of life Saturday in the old Catholic Church I grew up in....and then performing with some friends in the school auditorium at the Catholic school next door where I went to as a kid...and had my wedding reception in 41 years ago...the circle of life going round and round....
Gonna sing this one below solo me n my piano... I'll be very surprised if any of ya's is familiar with it....Jerry Lynn Williams...quite a songwriter...check out the people who played on this album...bums I tell ya!

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

..yall have reached the bro' loft.

The world changed. I am too old to understand it from a objective perspective .

 

[60's guy]

While I couldn't ever imagine myself being on stage with Gilmore or Parsons.....I would definitely enjoy playing a round of golf with AC!

Here's a true golf story:

A few years ago, my son in law was a rep for McGregor golf. I was visiting my daughter and son in law in Florida. Son in law had connections.

One morning he informed me that we would be playing golf at Isleworth. I had zero clue that Isleworth was the private golf course and community where Tiger Woods, Mark O'Meara, Shaquille O'Neal and other celebrities resided.

My son in law and his dad rode in one golf cart together. I rode in my golf cart with a woman (whose name I won't mention) who had played in the U.S. Women's Open earlier that year. She was very pleasant for the first few holes until she made an approach shot to a green from 150 yards out and her approach shot ended up 30 yards short. And then all hell broke loose with profinaties rarely ever heard on a golf course, or out of the mouth of a professional player.

Other than that....I enjoyed my round of golf at Isleworth.

Shortly thereafter, we played a round of golf with Brian Hammond (Golf Channel announcer). Really nice guy.

 

[60's guy]

..yall have reached the bro' loft.

It's never a bad thing for people to let go of their animosity toward other people.
The bro' loft is a good place!

 

[LazerBeakShiek]

The bro' loft is a good place!

Its all thats left...

Chill'n in the Bro' loft..cruising at 1,312,335.958 feet...if the ride gets rough please fasten your seatbelts and place your tray tables in thy full upright position..your music will remain excellent throughout your journey..