Life happens: Rantings and ravings of Insanity

[Cree]

If I may just vent, I do not have another place to do it. 
   This past month has been a slap in the face for a almost 63 year old man. Lots of insanity if you will. Back in 1974 I got a job with a dealer of a specialized product. This product was used everywhere, but very few knew how or wanted to learn how to fix the darn things. My training in this field was OJT  I mean no, schooling or specialized training none, just OJT.  By 1978 I was being considered for a Factory Rep. position, but when asked about college and my answer was, none, well that was that, dropped like a hot potato.  Back to the life of being just a dirty “mechanic”.  I did my trouble shooting with my knowledge guided by experience. No google back then buddy. In 1982, I got another chance at a Factory job, they tried to push me through without the required Degree but foiled again. The company I worked for could not find a place for me so they stuck me in a back room to loose touch with the newer equipment. By 1996, I was considered a Dinosaur and was told, “you will have to start over, we are putting you back on the floor”, back where I started, 22 years ago. I was just given a get with it or get out order. So, I said, “if I have to start over, I will go elsewhere and start over”.  I lucked up and found a small Co. that needed my old career skills.   
Here we go. So after 42 years experience I get stepped over.
They hire this guy that has a college degree, had access to intensive training from the Factory, (family ties). Has all the right cert's. plus the afor mentioned college degree. He is in his mid twenty's. Comes in the door making more money than many of us here and why?  I'll have to work till the day I stop, drop, and roll over. But, when asking for a raise I am told, maybe next year.
   New guys college degree is the slap. I had to train new guy in some hands on stuff, as has the others here at the job. So I had to ask new guy, “what degree do you have?” Thinking, I'm in the presence of a very smart young man trained in maybe, Business, accounting, mathematics, physics, sociology, engineering etc, NOPE. New guy has an Associate Degree in Culinary arts. He went to school to learn how to cook pastry's.  “how to cook pastry's”.  Now this is the stuff nightmares are made of, being passed over by new young whipper snappers than can cook a doughnut. You just can't make this stuff up. Only in our new world order can his happen. A cook, given a brand new truck, decked out with all new stuff and it's all because of the COLLEGE DEGREE. Then this national survey company ask me how I feel about the state of our economy and the current political satiation. Why in the heck did they pick me today of all days.
   Please for give me if any of this offends you. If you worked hard for your degree in what ever field you have. Even if it is, Culinary arts. That's fine and I'm sorry. If I could have gotten a degree in Culinary arts back in the day. I could have had me a real Factory Rep. job, making great money with great benefits. Back then nobody offered a 22 month coarse in cooking that could have earned an Associate Degree. Those who earned degrees in the late 60's and early 70's came out with real degrees. ie. In Business Management, accounting, mathematics, physics, sociology, engineering etc, etc.... Culinary arts, give me a break, if you want to be a cook o.k. Then that's the ticket.
   Your family has ties to the Factory, you get the cert's and training needed and then this degree in cooking jelly doughnuts with sprinkles.  Oh the insanity of it all. I laugh at how upset I am. o.k. If I could have I would have, yes, I admit it I would have done the same and used it to my advantage yes, yes, yes.
   Now as I am at my slide into retirement days, not really retirement, but I am “running out of days” as the song goes. I take a back seat to a young man who I can work circles around, who will at some future day come and ask me how to do this or that. I am shaking my head with my hands over my ears because I am screaming so loud.  jelly doughnuts with sprinkles!! Wake up now you've had a bad dream. 
   As a side note, I'm on call out duty this weekend. One has to stay close to the house in case we get called to go to work. So I have some time on my hands, can't really start on anything, just in case one has to leave it, jump and run, never know how long you may be out. Plus, it's raining a bit and nothing better to do. Please forgive my rant. I know this is not the place for this, but like I said, I have no other place to drop this off. I will delete it once I get over it all. Just has not been a good month.  jelly doughnuts with sprinkles, Oh the insanity.

[shooter]

after 34yr servicing hi-end medical systems, I got downsized and outsourced so "everybody" can have a medical plan, 90% paycut, )I now make less/yr than I used to pay in federal taxes ) but I'm now sellin beer bait n gas to my neighbors,  think Cheers X 150 ppl    Gotta love God's plan!

[Cree]

Well i'm over that now, new rant for today. Went to the dds.gov site to renew my drivers license. You can make a account if you want to call it that. . Anyway put in my user ID and the password. Get the incorrect password and or user ID alert. OK. I go and put in my e-mail address to send for a new password, I get the no such account alert. O.K. go and create a new account, I get the, E-mail you used already has an account.  Go back put in my user ID and my password, I get locked out for 24 hours. What is going on there???? I must have jelly doughnut on my fingers or something. ughhhh

[sluckey]

What would Frank Barone say?

[shooter]

What, do you live in a freakin' fairyland or something?

 

[sluckey]

Yep. That sounds like Frank. He might also say "Get off your pity pot Nancy! Suck it up."

[Ed_Chambley]

What would Frank Barone say?

Make me a sandwich.  That is what Frank would say.


I no longer care what higher level education brings.  Seems to me it only brings work to people over 40 and "devices" harboring games, anti-social media and the complete inability to work with ones hands to those under 40.  If you are under 40 I do not care.  If you can do continue your train of thought when you "device" makes a noise, notification or text alert, you are of the rare breed.  Even though I do have more degrees than a thermometer, I can assure you everywhere I hear those who cannot say hang a ceiling fan, they use cannot find anyone dependable to do handyman work.


Which brings me to my friend Jimmy.  Jummy was a drop out.  He runs a company that repairs everything that takes no license, which is a lot in Georgia.  They do some plumbing, some air conditioning, some electrical, pressure washing, tree trimming.  You name it, they do it.  Jimmy made 470,000.00 dollars last year.  Not his company, HE did.  He was stabbed on a school bus in the 10th grade and refused to go back.  Now he is not as smart as someone who can make a jelly doughnut, but we did build hotrods when we were younger.  When I installed a Water Heater for his dad, that day he learned to sweat copper.  Come to think of it, ole' Jimmy quickly will quickly ask you to show him how to do something he doesn't know how to do.  All of these things he does know, he offers them as a service.


The reason it works is because he does what he says he is going to do.  He is never seen when he is not handing out a card and is all you want is some branches cut and hauled off, he will give you a price.  Jimmy is 60 years old and will be 61 next month.  The only reason I mention this is he has made much more money than I have, not kept, but made.  And even though he is a phonetic speller, he spells Dead as Ded, you get the idea.


What is crazy is the more time passes the more customers he has.  I guess at culinary school you do not learn to mix concrete or sharpen a chain saw blade.  The biggest problem I believe I see is when opportunity knocks is is usually dressed in overalls and looks like work!


Something I have noticed.  When you leave college today, you still have no toolbox.  Next time you are near a college that has Frat houses, notice the condition.  The Frat guys used to keep them up.  Now they move out during the Summer for repairs and the Alumni pay contractors.  This is true.  Hell, they may make jelly doughnuts while waiting.

[shooter]

Which brings me to my friend Jimmy

with my new job came the opportunity to know many Jimmy's, hell, I'm a Dave version of Jim, spelling n all!
 
I've had to show College folk where the dip stick is and WHY it's important to check it!, why they have steam coming from under the hood and which "Jim" is best at fixing it, even showed  one where the spare tire was and how to use it

It won't be long before Siri will call in a droneBOT to adjust the Rabbit-ears so you can continue watching west side story, until then, I'll keep the rolodex stocked with numbers for the various Jim's

[Willabe]

I no longer care what higher level education brings.  Seems to me it only brings work to people over 40 and "devices" harboring games, anti-social media and the complete inability to work with ones hands to those under 40.  If you are under 40 I do not care.  If you can do continue your train of thought when you "device" makes a noise, notification or text alert, you are of the rare breed.  Even though I do have more degrees than a thermometer, I can assure you everywhere I hear those who cannot say hang a ceiling fan, they use cannot find anyone dependable to do handyman work.


Which brings me to my friend Jimmy.  Jummy was a drop out.  ..........

Yeah that about sums it up. 

Which reminds me I need to install the new humidistat downstairs today. 
 

[shooter]

If you can do continue your train of thought when you "device" makes a noise,

I've worked with addicts over the years, this new group is screwed!  I have watched ppl in line start twitching when MY phone makes a noise and I ignore it, even had ppl comment "It's ok, you can check it"
I smile, tell them I'm not an addict and I have a line of real customers that are WAY more important

[Ed_Chambley]

I no longer care what higher level education brings.  Seems to me it only brings work to people over 40 and "devices" harboring games, anti-social media and the complete inability to work with ones hands to those under 40.  If you are under 40 I do not care.  If you can do continue your train of thought when you "device" makes a noise, notification or text alert, you are of the rare breed.  Even though I do have more degrees than a thermometer, I can assure you everywhere I hear those who cannot say hang a ceiling fan, they use cannot find anyone dependable to do handyman work.


Which brings me to my friend Jimmy.  Jummy was a drop out.  ..........

Yeah that about sums it up. 

Which reminds me I need to install the new humidistat downstairs today.

Well, I didn't mean to make remind you of work, but if you need to get it done, get at it.


The spelling of Jummy is a joke BTW.  There used to be a neighbor who called him that behind his back.  Sort of a take off on Dummy.


I would never say education is not important, but I will say it has nothing to do with making money.  Evil was a dropout too.  Care to get a motorcycle and jump something?

[Ed_Chambley]

If you can do continue your train of thought when you "device" makes a noise,

I've worked with addicts over the years, this new group is screwed!  I have watched ppl in line start twitching when MY phone makes a noise and I ignore it, even had ppl comment "It's ok, you can check it"
I smile, tell them I'm not an addict and I have a line of real customers that are WAY more important

Sometimes it is really funny.  I have  a friend who I ride Motorcycles with and he had just gotten a new iPad.  Outside a Waffle House in Ducktown Tennessee he was trying to get a cell signal.  Not going to happen, but I did not say anything.  He/were were wanting to know which way to go to get to 64 west.  He walked all around the place and tried for about 15 minutes when finally everyone was ready to ride.


I asked a guy who just parked if he would direct me to 64 west and he said turn right out of the parking lot.  Go to the light and turn left and I would see the sign on the right about 1/2 mile.  Sure enough, there it was.  Soon enough they too will have fast service even in Ducktown, but not yet, but if you want directions just ask one of the locals.