I'm one of those young adults

by Paul Brown
(Central Florida)

I'm in my late 20s. Growing up I was always pushed into science club and mathletes when all I wanted to do was build hot rods with my uncles, which i was never allowed to do and rarely ever saw them after mentioning it.

After college I went to work at a race track and have been building cars and bikes for a few years now but my background in science and math has enabled me to stay, generally, way ahead of the pack in qualifications. Employers now also seem to be looking for computer programmers with at least basic trade knowledge that are teachable, that's me.

I hated it growing up but now I consider the education a huge bonus, it's alot easier to learn the science as a kid and the mechanics as an adult but,

Think about all the knowledge and skill needed to build a vehicle from scratch and I mean scratch. Draw a blueprint, jig and weld a frame. design, fabricate, and mount a suspension with brake system. build a motor then mount it with the tranny, fab and mount the drivetrain, make and run the electrical harnesses, fab and fit body panels, interior(one part I don't do but am learning), then electronics (could be as simple as a radio or as complicated as a full engine management system, megasquirt, all I'm saying).

I can do all of it, not the best but as good or better than factory and until i stopped listening to them completely and we had some very harsh words, it still wasn't enough for my family cause I don't work in an office, i have facial hair, and haven't worn a collared short in over a year. Oh yeah, i may be able to retire fully by the time I'm 37, but that didnt matter either.

They judged people more by their low point than the high, meaning, you make 60k base salary and your average yearly bring home, after overtime, is over 100k for 5 years in a row, you still only make 60k to them.
If you drink only on saturday then you're an alcoholic because it's every saturday. If you went bankrupt or failed then you're a loser even if you came back and made millions.

It's a sickness, wantitallitus. My parents weren't poor but they are lower middle class and all they ever wanted was for me to make money without having to really work for it, since white collar guys aren't sweating they aren't working, that's the mentality. And people wonder why we are failing as a country, kids are raised to be lazy and to crave it all for the least amount of effort. Personally I would much rather be dirty, hot and tired than to come home with eye strain and carpal tunnel.

If I ever have a child I will tell them: a good spouse is more valuable than all the money in the world, education and experience are mutually important-get as much of both as you can, work your ass off and hope you get somewhere because nothing is guaranteed, pick one thing and specialize or one industry and become a jack of all trades, failure is a part of this world-everyone does it at least once so suck it up-it's the step after failure that determines your future options, lastly, ethic is more important than personality which is more important than skill which is more important than education-

what's your weak link?


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This is a good post...

kind of hits you right between the eyes and makes you do a gut check..I like it.

jody