Captain Morgan got me riled up this morning.
Not the rum, but the blog.
Oh, Captain Morgan didn't do anything wrong. As a matter of fact, I always enjoy reading his blog. This morning, I was reading a blog of his entitled "This Is Big! Really Big!". I suggest you read it, since he does a great job in writing his blogs. Anyway, in the blog he writes about professionals and skilled laborers, and becoming a master craftsman. He points out that the professional has an education basically obtained from a university, whereas a skilled laborer or master craftsman has learned their trade through years of learning while on the job.
Later, he goes on about the satisfaction of working with your hands. Getting dirt under your nails while fixing something.
I always get satisfaction whenever I repair something either at work or at home and get whatever I was working on functioning properly again. Although I am college educated, my occupation requires me to do a lot of work with my hands. I have learned to operate various equipment and tools, how to use them properly, and how to install or repair items for the use in public recreation.
I can create a softball/baseball diamond, or even a tennis court. I can make sure the water you are swimming in at the public pool is safe to be in. And I can make sure the weight machines you are pumping iron on are operating properly.
At home, I like to work on my truck. Change the oil or flush the radiator. Wash and wax the exterior, and clean the interior. Check any fluids and replace any filters or bulbs as needed.
Hey, I even got some oil under the finger nails.
As for the apartment, I do any cleaning necessary.
Which leads me to were I got riled up. I was thinking about some of the people I have gotten to know over the years. Some of these people have a career in a profession. Other people I know from work are in administrative positions. One thing I find that they have in common is that they think working with their hands is beneath them. And that they look down upon anyone who works in manual labor.
A man or woman can be a master craftsperson, having achieved that status through years of hard work and education, and some person who never did a hard day of work in their life is judging them? That they somehow think they are better because of the suit and tie they wear?
Don't get me wrong. I know a lot of professional people who work hard. And at times they will get their hands dirty. And I know people who work in an office, putting in long days dealing with dozens of clients. And I know teachers who have their hands full, trying to teach children while dealing with a pupil who is disorderly. Or the nurse that has pulled a double shift and has to worry about coming in contact with bodily fluids. Or the manager having to deal with several employees' problems all at once while one is calling in because it's a great day for the beach.
As I said earlier, I work for a local municipality. I work hard, and I know I have put in a day's work when I leave. Some co-workers, however, feel that they should be paid for doing nothing. That they should be paid for playing on the computer. And if you ask them to do some physical work, they tell you that it is not part of their job and that they don't get paid to do that.
"Excuse me, but how about getting off your sorry ass and doing something!"
I have seen managers sit in their office all day and talk to friends on the phone, or even have friends come in to work to visit. And then, after hours of talking, they leave to go to lunch. And then you are cutting down someone because they work with their hands?
PLEASE!
I have seen some people do more work in one day than what some of these professionals have done in a week.
In my response to the Captain about his post, I told him that in the future I am going to write some blogs about the government workers I have had to deal with over the years.
Do I hear circus music?
If you want clowns, I can write about some real winners I have worked with.
But that will be later. Tomorrow I am going out of town to visit a friend of mine from work. He has since retired and moved to Ocala. I am going to visit him for the weekend. This is a friend that I have learned a lot from. More than any textbook I had in college. We will have some laughs and a few beers (more than a few), and go out for dinner.
Since he has been retired, he has been remodeling his retirement home. I have a feeling that he may need some help with a project. But that's okay. I like getting dirt under the finger nails.
And now for my impersonation of Dick Cheney.
