A Rare Topic

Glasshousebltr

Judy and I were talking, and happened across a good topic. Some years ago I read that 3 years on the job will cost you 1 year of your productive life. This would be figuring in job related deaths, injuries and the life span of a general maggot.

It got me to thinking. I haven't seen a whole lot fellas my age still beating down the nails and dragging the timber. Most have moved on up to the pen. I'm wondering if I'm still here due to those wonderful pen years, when maggots over flowed from the ceramic bowl of life.

Any thoughts?

Bob

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Bob

nailbanger138

ive noticed the same thing. i started when i was about sixteen and noticed thes guys that were 30 to 40, should be in prime of life but had aches like they were 90. didnt think much of it at the time, but im 28 now and definately like to work smarter than harder if you know what i mean.

Teetorbilt

I'm 54 now, have a number of successful businesses and hate office/paperwork. I have to be out there "hands on". I love the woodshop, I wish that I could be my employee.

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You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

MinConst

Just getting back in manual labor at 53 I love it. Yes the aches and pains are there but I have more fun. Live is a treat if you allow it to be. At any age.

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Paul
Minichillo's Construction
Website
I will never leave you hanging!

kenvest

i too seem to have this thing with hands on. at 44, i'm not as capable as i was 20 years ago from a physical standpoint but i get more done because i use what i have much better. at think at this point though, to keep growing and moving forward, the pen is my freind.

rservices

where do it start
my helper didnt show up last night (quarry tile re-grout)
I hooked up my vac wrong turned a kitchen white
spent 7 hours on my knee's
up and down countless times with water buckets
go home a 7:00 am

sure it love hand's on,
I think I'm going to disconect my knee caps and beat my helper with them

Glasshousebltr

See.......Thats why I call them maggots.

Bob

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Bob

noreast05

We use more subs. I am about 50/50 between hands on and pushing the pen. The bigger jobs takes more running around and planning, which does not leave much time for hands on. I deal with alot of subs..... older than me that just want to do the work and not deal with the clients. I have a great relationship with my clients and they want me to handle everything. We deal with alot of second h/o's. I did a roof only 8 sq. last month and quickly realized why I subed out 40 sq. this month.

GriffDecker

I was a bank manager (or mangler, as the case may be...) for 10 years, then an efficiency consultant in banking for 3 years. Then I switched to contracting and nothing could be better. No more piles of paper, no idiot bosses to deal with (except myself), and at the end of the day you can say you actually accomplished something. I worked by myself for the first year, but then realized hiring a young back was a much better idea.

nadonailer

Same.... 52 now, been working various trades since age 17. yeah the ole body hurts a lot more now, but I still love the feeling of finishing a job and looking back and thinking "I did that" ! I've gone through the phases of trying to go 'big time' and having employees and such, and now just want to do it all myself. (I have two teenage boys so I do get free slave labor ) Anyway, I wouldn't trade a thing for my current position, I just need to make more $$$ !!!

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"History does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid”.
Dwight D. Eisenhower

JustaFramer

You guys got your depends? Don't forget to drink some of this

Teetorbilt

Justa, If you're lucky, you may make it this far. I could list the ones that didn't. It's getting to be a pretty long list.

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You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

JustaFramer

are you threatening me.

Teetorbilt

Justa, not at all. It's just that the longer that you live, the more people that you get to see die.

As a kid it was older folks and kids who made mistakes. In my 20's it was mostly Vietnam, dopers and wannabe dealers. In my 30's It was older drug abusers. In my 40's cancer began to take a lot, including my first wife (she died 8 days before her 40th birthday). In my 50's cancer is leading the pack. Want the list?

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You can't solve you're problems with the same level of thinking that created the problems.

Albert Einstein

JustaFramer

no no I figured that is what you meant. I know a few childhood friends myself that have passed.

Crawdad

If I didn't work such a physical job, I'd probably never been able to drag that 8-pointer a mile across the ridge the other day, (though I'm still feeling it).
Crawdad

Glasshousebltr

As long as your not dragging your ex wife to the wood chipper.

Bob

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Bob

kenvest

we need to get this guy a microphone.......

shopdust

And a drummer for the rimshots!

ron schenker

I'm 49, and have been doing reno stuff for about 2yrs. now. Switched careers after 20 yrs. of working in the kiddie ride and arcade equipment business. I love what I'm doing now in my new business, but I do agree that jobs like flooring, roofing, drywalling, etc. take a toll on my poor body sometimes. The one thing that saved me all these years was going to the gym at least 4 mornings/week. Lifting weights, cardio exercizes, and stretching, all help to limber me up and get me started fresh every day. I hope to keep going strong at least untill my early 50's!