I was stumbling this morning and I came upon Mike Rowe's website. Unbeknownst to me Mike has been trying to raise awareness about the decline of the skilled trades. You should really visit his sight and spend some time poking around, there really seems to be a lot more to this guy than the goofy guy on Dirty Jobs.
I have known for years that the skilled trades are going to Hell in a Handbasket. Society has decided that success for young adults is based on going to college, that a degree is the only road to a good paying job.
I beg to differ.
Not one single person ever suggested learning a trade while I was in high school.
The Industrial Arts/Shop class was for the Special Ed kids. We did small engines and welding in Ag for 6 weeks, but no one EVER suggested making a living at it.
I never intended to go to college, I hated school and only wanted it to be over with.
I took the ACT on a whim (with a hangover no less), because there was cute brunette with a penchant for wickedly short mini-skirts that was sure to ride with me and Brad.......
Scored higher than anyone else in the whole school. (Twice actually because of one teachers smart ass remark)
So I was college bound....
1.7 GPA, Full paid free ride to USL....in the Honor's Program no less.
No study skills, totally unprepared, with a total lack of respect for authority.
Didn't quite pan out.
Well, I needed a Job and Construction always needs helpers.
Fast forward 18 years and here I am.
A highly skilled Millwright. Not even the smartest of the bunch.
Happy, Successful......just generally content.
But....most of the time it is Filthy,Greasy,Physically Demanding work. The hours are long, the conditions are brutal.....and I get my hands dirty.......all the while dealing with some of the most detail oriented tediously technical work that there is.
Because of the above symptoms society says I'm a failure.
Here are a few of the symptoms........
As a whole, we are well Respected, Very well paid, and enjoy more freedom than should be allowed at work..
My Craft will never be outsourced or shipped overseas....someone has to know how to keep this stuff running, since Millwrights are pretty much responsible for everything that has moving parts and turns,stirs,shakes or makes something, the sheer amount of knowledge we are expected to possess prohibits this.
Generally speaking...Skilled Craftsman are retiring faster than new guys are learning, so wages have literally doubled in the last 10 years. I look for them to go up another 25% in the next 5.
I'll bet there are lots of College Grads that would like to Fail that Epically.
(Maybe more-so when their Student loan payments are due)
This is another good site, their view of the lack of respect for those of us who get our hands dirty is more eloquent......
Kelly Walker, Decorative Painter and documentary interview subject of the film, The Tradesmen: Making an Art of Work, summarizes art as “anything done without haste”. That is a description that coincides with the pride in ones work philosophy–a philosophy that is pervasive in modern society, but is sadly ignored for its artistic underpinning. When an individual immerses him or herself into the moment and focuses on achieving the highest possible value of the action or work being performed, this is, at its core, true art. We are teleological creatures with the fortunate ability to create purpose and meaning in our work, hobbies, and relationships. As long as there is pride and genuine enjoyment in the processes of one’s actions, that individual is involved in an act of artistry.
I am lucky, I love what I do, and more and more everyday, I'm proud of the choices I made.
Words can't explain the pride you feel when you can show your children the things that DAD builds with his brain,back,and hands........
Anyone can buy a diploma, If you can check the right ethnic box,Uncle Obama will GIVE you one for free. Those of us that keep the gears turning and the lights burning EARN ours, except we pay for it with sweat and blood.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Monkey See,Monkey Do.....
As long as I can remember I've seemed to have lots and lots of problems with "Authority".
I was well into my adult years before I figured this out, even though it has literally shaped the person that I am today.
Which brings us to today's post.
Ahhhhh, the "permanent" Job.
It has been the holy grail for lots and lots of people like me as long as I can remember.
As if somehow selling our hard-earned knowledge and skills to the highest bidder for a short amount of time just wasn't good enough.
Even though some of us were very successful had a freedom almost unheard of to most people.
With life being what it is, (mostly only getting to see Lil 4 days a month if im lucky) I decided to give up on Construction/Shutdowns for a while and "settle down".
Normally on a short term job, there is no time for any political bullshit, or just plain old suck-assing to take place.
We come in, get started, it doesn't take long for the best of us to stand out, we generally end up doing the majority of the work while the rest of them either a.) watch, or b.) do what we tell them to/fetch tools. When we are done, supervision takes note of this and remembers to call us for the next job.
I like the way this works, I am intelligent and knowledgeable about my craft, I've spent 18 years learning how to do this, I also have a VERY strong work ethic. This all adds up to EARNED RESPECT.
Literally all we need is someone to tell us a few simple things.
A.) What the customer wants done.
B.) Where the parts/prints we need are located.
C.) How much time have we got to do it in.
We can take it from there, if we need anything else we will let you know,otherwise get out of our way and we will make it happen.
Fast forward to the world of the permanent job.
A lot of the guys you work with in these scenarios can be intimidated by the attitude that we tend to develop......a lot of us have a total lack of respect for Authority, because we don't need any supervision, we have craftsmanship and knowledge.
Then a supervisor with no idea enters the picture and instantly gets offended/abraded by some of us, especially if his ignorance shows a time or two. (How can you expect us to listen to you if we know more about it than you do??)
Add to that the moronic helper that he "likes" and it can make days pretty miserable.
I literally have to chew the end of my tongue off several times a just to keep from speaking my mind.
When the Monkey's run the Zoo, the Tigers had better play nice if they want to eat..........
I was well into my adult years before I figured this out, even though it has literally shaped the person that I am today.
Which brings us to today's post.
Ahhhhh, the "permanent" Job.
It has been the holy grail for lots and lots of people like me as long as I can remember.
As if somehow selling our hard-earned knowledge and skills to the highest bidder for a short amount of time just wasn't good enough.
Even though some of us were very successful had a freedom almost unheard of to most people.
With life being what it is, (mostly only getting to see Lil 4 days a month if im lucky) I decided to give up on Construction/Shutdowns for a while and "settle down".
Normally on a short term job, there is no time for any political bullshit, or just plain old suck-assing to take place.
We come in, get started, it doesn't take long for the best of us to stand out, we generally end up doing the majority of the work while the rest of them either a.) watch, or b.) do what we tell them to/fetch tools. When we are done, supervision takes note of this and remembers to call us for the next job.
I like the way this works, I am intelligent and knowledgeable about my craft, I've spent 18 years learning how to do this, I also have a VERY strong work ethic. This all adds up to EARNED RESPECT.
Literally all we need is someone to tell us a few simple things.
A.) What the customer wants done.
B.) Where the parts/prints we need are located.
C.) How much time have we got to do it in.
We can take it from there, if we need anything else we will let you know,otherwise get out of our way and we will make it happen.
Fast forward to the world of the permanent job.
A lot of the guys you work with in these scenarios can be intimidated by the attitude that we tend to develop......a lot of us have a total lack of respect for Authority, because we don't need any supervision, we have craftsmanship and knowledge.
Then a supervisor with no idea enters the picture and instantly gets offended/abraded by some of us, especially if his ignorance shows a time or two. (How can you expect us to listen to you if we know more about it than you do??)
Add to that the moronic helper that he "likes" and it can make days pretty miserable.
I literally have to chew the end of my tongue off several times a just to keep from speaking my mind.
When the Monkey's run the Zoo, the Tigers had better play nice if they want to eat..........
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
I came upon THIS today......and it made me wonder.
Today's society seems to abhor labels in any shape or form,that is,unless it is politically correct.
I ask you this though,
where is the website dedicated to embarrassing deadbeat moms? Maybe the one listing the numbers/websites for Parent's who's custodial rights are frustrated on a regular basis?
Trust your good friend Luap when he tells you that they don't exist. Why you ask? I haven't the slightest idea, I guess it's just cool to hate on dear old DAD.
I wonder how many people truly know the underbelly of the beast that is Child Support/Child Custody.
Here is how it works.
YOU will pay your child support!!!!
It doesn't matter if it's spent on your child. It doesn't matter what is done with it........just PAY it, because you are court ordered to.
If you don't you will be RAILROADED into court and coerced into pleading guilty to a "contempt of court" charge, never being told that our Constitution says that any court proceeding that could result in Jail time gives you the right to a trial by jury, nope, they act as if you ought to be glad they don't throw your sorry ass in jail that very day, how dare you thumb your nose at a court order.
What about my Custody rights? You ask, they are court ordered too!!!!!........well, son, that's a CIVIL matter, you need to hire you one of them there Lawyers.......
Surely not Luap!!!! Our courts are fair and everyone has equal rights.........I really hope you don't believe that.
IT ALL REALLY BOILS DOWN TO THIS.
All most divorced Fathers want is to be just that, FATHERS.
Some of us truly try to be in every way we can, it's not our fault we were forcefully removed from our children's lives without any thought or input. But time and time again we are shown that we will never be allowed those rights again.
The way the deck is stacked is staggering. Courts grant restraining and or protective orders on a whim without any grounds whatsoever. These enable Father's to be further alienated because they can be jailed on a whim......
(email me if you want and I will tell you those stories lmao.)
If you have read this far, I urge you to read this. It puts how some of us feel into words more eloquent than I can produce. I have read it a thousand times and it always hits home.
I'll get off my soapbox now.
Just remember, if ever you get divorced or are even part of a conversation where
"deadbeat dads" come up.
All most of us ask is to be a FATHER, but society turns us into "twice removed uncles who see our children 4 days a month IF we are lucky."
Today's society seems to abhor labels in any shape or form,that is,unless it is politically correct.
I ask you this though,
where is the website dedicated to embarrassing deadbeat moms? Maybe the one listing the numbers/websites for Parent's who's custodial rights are frustrated on a regular basis?
Trust your good friend Luap when he tells you that they don't exist. Why you ask? I haven't the slightest idea, I guess it's just cool to hate on dear old DAD.
I wonder how many people truly know the underbelly of the beast that is Child Support/Child Custody.
Here is how it works.
YOU will pay your child support!!!!
It doesn't matter if it's spent on your child. It doesn't matter what is done with it........just PAY it, because you are court ordered to.
If you don't you will be RAILROADED into court and coerced into pleading guilty to a "contempt of court" charge, never being told that our Constitution says that any court proceeding that could result in Jail time gives you the right to a trial by jury, nope, they act as if you ought to be glad they don't throw your sorry ass in jail that very day, how dare you thumb your nose at a court order.
What about my Custody rights? You ask, they are court ordered too!!!!!........well, son, that's a CIVIL matter, you need to hire you one of them there Lawyers.......
Surely not Luap!!!! Our courts are fair and everyone has equal rights.........I really hope you don't believe that.
IT ALL REALLY BOILS DOWN TO THIS.
All most divorced Fathers want is to be just that, FATHERS.
Some of us truly try to be in every way we can, it's not our fault we were forcefully removed from our children's lives without any thought or input. But time and time again we are shown that we will never be allowed those rights again.
The way the deck is stacked is staggering. Courts grant restraining and or protective orders on a whim without any grounds whatsoever. These enable Father's to be further alienated because they can be jailed on a whim......
(email me if you want and I will tell you those stories lmao.)
If you have read this far, I urge you to read this. It puts how some of us feel into words more eloquent than I can produce. I have read it a thousand times and it always hits home.
I'll get off my soapbox now.
Just remember, if ever you get divorced or are even part of a conversation where
"deadbeat dads" come up.
All most of us ask is to be a FATHER, but society turns us into "twice removed uncles who see our children 4 days a month IF we are lucky."
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