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#38301 05/20/04 04:20 PM
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 172
G
Member
Alas i,m not educated ,therefore i will grind out the last of my stinkin workin years in this rotten trade!

#38302 05/20/04 04:30 PM
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 152
M
Member
Okay, now that you got that off your chest, tell us all what happened today.

#38303 05/20/04 04:51 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 73
C
Member
Humm,
GETELECTRIC?

Seems that the gracious "Trade" (I'm From your area also) has finally gotten to ya!!!!

I've been saying I want out for about 15 Years, but I'm a "Stubborn", been in buis. for 20 years this year. Never went bankrupt, always paid my bills, (except to myself sometimes).

Anyhow want to share your??????

#38304 05/20/04 05:01 PM
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 39
E
Member
Sometimes working in the electrical trade does make you wonder why you do it,overall I have to say it has treated me quiet well over the past 25 or so years, I always work on the premise that as long as there are more good days than bad days then it is worth it, sometimes I have to wait a while for the bad days to be overcome by the good days [Linked Image] [Linked Image]

#38305 05/20/04 08:11 PM
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 947
T
twh Offline
Member
What's a good day?

tim

#38306 05/20/04 08:25 PM
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,391
I
Moderator
FWIW here is how I look at it.

Very few people enjoy going to work every day, that is why we get paid to do it.

Most times I like my trade I have done OK for myself with it, of course many days I would rather be doing other things.

I go to work every day because my family needs me too, and they are more important than my enjoying every customer I have to be nice to.

I keep a picture of my family on the sun visor of my work truck, it provides the lift I need when I want to say take this job and .....

JMO, Bob


Bob Badger
Construction & Maintenance Electrician
Massachusetts
#38307 05/20/04 11:39 PM
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,438
Member
I'll echo Bobs vision here... [Linked Image] My familys picture rests in the center console of my workvan always readily visible..

I have a 4 year old son.. I've already had to blank off the receptacles in his room & put a couple at 5' because he seems to be showing too much interest in them for my comfort level... But as my mom tells me.. "That's where I started!"
Alas, if this is the road my son chooses to go.. I'll be more than proud to show him the ropes... But I want the option for other things to always be open... & college in 14 years will not be cheap!!
The company I'm with pays very well... & the benefits are pretty good as well. This also goes hand in hand with the fact that as a service technician, I handle everything from my own bidding, troubleshooting, client interactions & finally payments... I've come across people from every walk of life, every race, every religion... Some are easier to deal with than others for sure.. But it points out one certainty... The world will always need electricians! [Linked Image] As long as there are computers, as long as there are FPE & Zinsco panels still in existance, as long as people want to be able to see what they're doing past 6pm... IMO this is one of the best trades to have for job security... To me, this makes all the tightwads & other general idiots we deal with "water under the bridge".. If someone doesn't like what I want, to do what they want... C'est la vie! I walk away & on to the next.. This happens all of maybe 10% of the time at the most... for me at least..
What it boils down to is that I have the security of knowing that my trade will never in my lifetime, become unnecessary.. I'll have a paycheck at the end of the week, & for the most part, people I come across are good people! I certainly don't like everything about our trade, but there's more to like than not to like.. The best thing is there's ALWAYS something to be learned! Nobody ever knows everything about our trade.. This keeps me intrigued... Coming across all the cool old gear & equiptment keeps me entertained... Not to mention the "hack" wiring that I ponder wondering "What the *%@# was that guy thinking?!?!" While I'd LOVE to win the lottery & lay my toolbelt to rest, I can't imagine another job I'd rather be doing!

-Randy

PS... Being able to come to ECN & know what 95% of the people here are talking about is just a bonus! Not to mention having something as cool as ECN to say you're a part of! I kinda doubt the drywallers have anything NEAR this cool [Linked Image]

Besides... Chicks dig electricians! [Linked Image] [Linked Image] [Linked Image]


[This message has been edited by Lostazhell (edited 05-20-2004).]

#38308 05/21/04 06:50 AM
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 849
Y
Member
The man who had no shoes bitched till he saw the man who had no feet.

#38309 05/21/04 07:49 AM
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 4,294
Member
I agree with Bob & Randy.
Although there have been times when I've gone through doldrums and downright resentment, as a whole the trade has treated me well.
Sure, I'd rather be counting my money for a living, but I've known some very-wealthy-sour-attitude-trust-fund-babies that were miserable people.
I think it's all in how you feel within yourself.
I'm a "learning junkie" (coming up on my 34th year in electrical next month) and realize that I'll never run out of things to learn in this trade. ECN really has helped to satisfy my cravings.

I'll gladly grind out the last of my stinkin' workin' years in this rotten trade!

...S, a Happy Camper [Linked Image]

#38310 05/21/04 08:03 AM
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 172
G
Member
been in this trade for 20 yrs, what have i got to show for it, i crouch down my knees make it hard to get up, back has problems from carrying ladders, inow am an estimator because i can,t hack the physical demands of the trade. working in a big city like toronto means there,s always work but the pressure is relentless oh well,i guess at 43 yrs of age i,m just a bitter middle age man.
maybe after the long weekend things will be better.
cheers neil

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