"MaMa, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be Cowboys"
Let them grow up to be skilled tradesmen, such as painters, plumbers, glaziers, electricians, finish carpenters, cabinet makers, etc.
During my time off I have been doing a little of this and that around the house...redoing a bathroom and changing some electrical outlets & lighting fixtures, really pretty simple stuff. Of course it takes me much longer than it would a pro, but I tell myself that I am learning as I go. Sort of OJT. So far, I have had to call in the cavalry three times: (1) a plumber, because I did not want to break off a pipe behind a wall; (2) a glazier to fix and hang large bathroom mirrors; and (2) an electrician, because I did not want to be KILLED!
I have discovered why these skilled tradesmen cost so much. As my brother would say, "They, like a divorce, are expensive. But they are worth it".
posted by the doc at 9:53 PM
3 Comments:
You are braver than me, my friend. I learned to change my oil a few years ago and view it as a valuable skill. Being an eternal renter, I usually lack a garage to perform this. Maybe when I buy a tear down in California for $1 million, I'll quickly learn trades too. My mom's best friend's son is an electrician and he makes some serious coin. Maybe I can get a trade if writing doesn't pan out.
I told my cousin, who is an electrician, that I worked it out and he makes more money per hour than I do. He also did not have to pay that much for his expertise while I was over 150K in debt for mine.
I have all the admiration in the world for the "trades", the "skilled craftsmen" (and women), who perform very needed and worthwhile services for our society. As I inferred before, they earn their wages and are worth it. Imagine life without these people...it ain't pretty.
“ For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.”
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