Yeah, Bill Maher gets it

This is my plunger. There are many more like it, but this one is mine.

As a teen, I spent a summer as a plumber's helper. I learned that shit rolls downhill, Payday's on Friday, boss is an SOB, don't bite your fingernails.

 

Didn't we have a thread similar to this in General not long ago?

 

You're obsessed with the thread title, not the least bit interested in the subject? You're really JONESING for that dungeon, aren't you?

 

I wear 'Work smarter, not harder' shirts every day but that doesn't apply so much with my profession. I'm a 24yr. exp. concrete worker dude. Far far far cry from a white collar worker.

Heavy highway, bridges, train tunnels, geo-grid walls,...anything concrete...even concrete bird baths, you name it.

I guess sometimes we try to work 'smart' but gawd damn it's all hard-ass work no matter how smart you try to make it.

 

Winner ^^^^^^

 

Shop Class As Soulcraft. It's a book. I'd link it, but I dunno what is and isn't a bannable offense around here anymore.

 

I like what I do now but I never get the same sense of satisfaction as when I could look back at the end of the day and see what I had just created. I can work all week now and there's nothing to show anyone to indicate what I actually do.

It's hard work but very gratifying when you get to say "I built that." or "I made that".

 

Who are you talking to, and what are you talking about?

 

And then I grab my plunger.

 

+1. Fantastic book on this very topic.

The school where I work has a robotics team, which is the closest thing to a shop class we have (Catholic school). I wish there was an AutoCad class or machine shop class for these kids too, as I think it would get more kids involved in producing real things and learning real problem solving skills. I don't think their parents would go for it, though. I think they'd see it as a direct attack to the "you must go to college" party line.

It's a shame too, because those robotics kids really blossomed this year. They got rookie team of the year at some regional tournament and got an invite to the nationals. They were on cloud nine and gained a lot of self confidence.

 

I get that. I still drive by and look at the physical things I built back in the day. They're still there, still standing and look good.

-jim

 

Well, you can take pride in the height of your penis plant.

 

as much fun as what i do (club shit) is, its really nice knowing i have a trade skill (body/paint) that i am very good at to always fall back on. and ive always gotten a sense of satisfaction and that feeling like i actually produced something worthwhile whenever i finish that last coat of clear on something and look at it thinking "damn thats chiny meng!" so what i use get dirty as all hell and bust my ass to the point of passing out on the couch before i even ate dinner when i got home, i felt good about it.

 

You sure did paint those lips purdy boy.

 

When I was a kid it was a skill. Now we don't teach people how to do things right in the commercial roofing industry . It is all about how fast you can get it done so the President is happy. We have 6 commercial roofs leaking now and the president doesn't understand why . It seems it isn't a skill trade anymore.

I worked my way from the field to the shop and now the office.

I've learned that in the office it's more politics and finger pointing then actual work. Ugh.

 

Duh. Posters like that are produced by the educational system. If they don't portray education as The Solution, they cease to be needed. Same reason all these personal imjury lawyers claim to care about your rights.

 

But they hit you both ways, with professional licensure requirements to work in skilled trades, *plus* hit you with continuing ed requirements.

Private sector training is a cash cow for milking poor working schlubs trying to earn an honest living. :down:

 

I just slip over and use the one in Chaotic's RV.

 

What I ususally say when I see a conversion vehicle (mainly suburbans/tahoes/expedititons/ford & GM pickups) made by Geneva (and Fontana before they just stareted going by Geneva SVS). Or if by chance I see one of the 56 1998 Nieman Marcus Sony Suburbans floating around. I isntalled the whole stereo/av systems in each one.