gonna vent

Any home repair, whether it be carpentry, masonry, plumbing, electrical, you name it, that needs taken care of, I have to do myself. There just isn't anybody outside the Omaha area on the Iowa side of the river that will come to your rescue. You quickly become jack of all trades. Only for a major renovation involving thousands of dollars, will a contractor look your way.

I've noticed a lot of folks will shy away from home ownership. They would much rather rent. Why? Because maintaining home is a lot like your car. Its a pain in the azz. It's much easier to just write a check every month. (if they feel like it.)  I know, I have 3 of those check collector boxes. They figure it will take the majority of their working years to pay for one so why have the headache? Some even write the monthly check for groundskeeping and/or snow removal. They want to work their 8 hours and not a minute more.

That is no kidding. Every DECENT employer here is crying the blues trying to collect decent employees and cannot get them. I have gotten to that age I do not want to or am capable to work like was thirty anymore, time to look to really retiring from all but my own stuff. Been tried to be recruited by five people so far but still say NO as they ask for Part Time and will undoubtedly end up as Thad's employer calling for LOADS of Extra time. cannot do it.

I quit Stelco(was biggest steel plant in Canada) back in 1986 after I found out the kid 6 years junior was making $5K MORE than me. AMoung other things I could fix the spectrometers, build them,code the NEW PCs  and fix teletypes. NOT blowing my horn but I had 6 years of real 'on the job' training. Stress was say 13 outta 10 for a ot of reasons...
I have NOT had a paycheck since then and have to admit the STRESS level is at maybe a 0 or 1 most days.  don't live high off the hog, drive a nice 1997 F150 and will FINALLY get a pension( the guv one) on May 26th.
You best go see your dad ASAP,  h-e= dbl toothpicks with the employer, I lost my dad in 85,mom in 86 , HALF my life ago, would give anything to have one more chat with them.

Y’all my brother left Thursday night. I didn’t get to go. I know y’all are right and I should have went. I will make the June trip if at all possible. I did finish my deadline on time and getting some work done on our house this weekend.

Thad, there are several businesses around here that are going INTO the high schools and BEGGING kids to come to work and forgo college.  They will train them for what ever and if at a latter time want to go back to college, the company will help with the tuition.
What good is a BA or an MD when you work for McDonald's.....
The PROBLEM with today's kids is THEY DO NOT WANT TO WORK.  Heck, they can continue to live off Mom & Dad.
You have a skill that cannot be matched!!  Others have said it and pointed it out......in todays world, it means more than anything.  EXPERIENCE.  And as a leader of a crew, you have more than enough to go to work for anyone.  This much I'd bet the family jewels on!