What My Father Instilled in Me

Growing up as a Mechanic's son we fixed everything. Wasn't much we discarded unless it was beyond the realm. That base found me in Trade School while I was still in High School. In the Electrical Program I went to the VICA skills Olympics in 93. Made I all the way to Louisville Kentucky where I tool 3rd Place in the Nation. Big Times for a small town kid from Alabama. I did electrical work until a Machine Shop hired me to build purpose built machines to run production parts. Along the way I learned to weld and Machine. Next leg of the journey found me as Multi-craft Plant Maintenance. I am still here making machines run to produce parts that supply the world. Last Sunday one of the air conditioners got hit by lightning during a thunderstorm. I ordered one Monday. With some shipping delays I made it here Friday Morning. I left work long enough to install it and then back to the factory to finish the day. Attachment 463359. I said all of that to say that while my friends were playing video games and such I was learning life skills, work ethic, and the ability to fix almost anything. Every day I am thankful for what my parents gave me.

That is absolutely great. I'm not sure millennials, or whatever the current generation of "non-mechanicals" can do at all to help themselves. They just call someone to fix stuff. As a kid (and now too) I loved to take "stuff that broke" apart to see how it was made, and sometimes I was able to fix it. My folks always said we took stuff apart to "find the magnet". I guess there was some truth to that too. lol

Great stuff, great job, thanks for sharing.

One thing I regret terribly is not paying more attention to my dad when he was working. He was an electrician and Mr. FixItAll too. I just took it for granted and now could kick my butt for it.

Great accomplishments. Not all duct tape and baling wire schooling there. :HandsClapping

That's great. My son just graduated high school and instead of college he is going to Carpenters Trade school. He does play video games but not non-stop, all day. He DID NOT want to go in debt from college. He will be getting paid while learning a trade instead. And not be like me and learn how to do things for myself on YouTube. I was lucky enough to have very little debt because the company I worked for compensated me for my education.

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Good stuff. I’m like Ed…I am always into something. Lil D just scratches her head

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Originally Posted by jbird68

That's great. My son just graduated high school and instead of college he is going to Carpenters Trade school. He does play video games but not non-stop, all day. He DID NOT want to go in debt from college. He will be getting paid while learning a trade instead. And not be like me and learn how to do things for myself on YouTube. I was lucky enough to have very little debt because the company I worked for compensated me for my education.

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Skilled Trades now pay better than most 4 year degrees

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Originally Posted by SuperDave336

One thing I regret terribly is not paying more attention to my dad when he was working. He was an electrician and Mr. FixItAll too. I just took it for granted and now could kick my butt for it.

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Dad says that his dad went and looked at a wrecker /tow truck bed. Went to the shop and built one. I have the same gift. All I need to do is see it

A lot of us grew up learning if we didn't fix fix it would not get fixed. Junk drawers were our hardware store. If you need something well then make it.
:highfive to all the do'ers and fixers out there

Now if I could just get my spiders to make more silk I could make some really light fishing line! :Rofl

Seeing the kids entering the workforce you can really see how far away from this we have went

Kids now days don't know the meaning of work, heck around most households that's a 4 letter word and the worst one. I own a small business, we do specialized construction. My last hire is 43 and is doing great. He shows up everyday and early to boot. Never questions any direction and best part his phone stays in the truck or on his pocket. I went through dozens of 19 to 25s and they just ain't got it. What momma didn't spoil the internet and video games did. I'm not complaining, like you said trade work pays premium now. I figure my top guys make better than any pencil pusher any day and no competition for their positions. Good read Jack, you were very fortunate to have the guidance of a good father.

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I will not say nothin' bad about my dad. 32yrs in the marines, 5 tours of Nam...wasn't around much in my real young days, not till he retired in 1972. He was a mil. radio repairman. All of them, from the pric 77 to the ones in the aircrafts...I remember from real young , long before transistors, if the TV, or radio quit working or wasn't exactly right, he had it fixed in real short order. After he retired, It was back supporting the troops in special services. Still wasn't around a lot, but was when really needed.
I will say this though, He had a few rules...Do it right the first time, and you wont have to do it again...Never question anything an adult tells you...If you take a second helping at the table, better eat all of it...
When it came to discipline, first he cut his eyes at you, if it kept on, it was a snap of the fingers...IF that didn't get your attention, your rear got warmed up but good.
He never just threw something away, It got fixed...or repaired, how ever you looked at it.

Got a jack of all trades education from mine , right intelligent he was , could carve wood beyond belief, won several medals in shooting competitions with a army issue leftover 03 he customized to use in shooting matches himself , could fabricate things out of junk , made me a go cart with old bed rails and a lawn mower one time . Was a sonar repair technician in the navy . Taught me a great deal about stuff no one seems to know about anymore .He built me my first rifle when I was 4 , took a full sized rifle and reduced it to lil kid size himself. He was a quite talented guy .
He was most Certainly instrumental in my how to be a useful man education.:highfive

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Originally Posted by DockShootinJack

Skilled Trades now pay better than most 4 year degrees

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Unless you have both. I have never have paid a mortgage, truck payments, etc.