bolido_sentimental
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User ID: 205
bolido_sentimental
9mo ago
I didn't really appreciate what he did when I was a young adult. I was a real whiz kid in school, and it seemed a shame not to use the scholarships and get out into the world that way. In hindsight I might have chosen differently, and now I have a whole mid-level career's worth of sunk cost that would make it probably too challenging to switch.
I think he'd be more than happy to sell all his stuff and his book of business in a few years for a nominal cost, if he knew the right person to take it over; but he's quite solitary and prefers to work alone, so it's unfortunately possible that his knowledge will die with him. Maybe I'll talk to him about trying to find an apprentice.
My father has been a glazier for 40 years, and I've worked with him on occasional jobs here and there. He is self-employed, and primarily does storefront windows and doors for restaurants, banks, retail, offices, etc.
Pros:
- Nothing gross about it really. All metal and glass. Sawdust, metal shavings, etc., but nothing unsanitary.
- In growing areas the demand is tremendous. It's a somewhat uncommon trade skill, but required in damn near every building everywhere. For many corporate clients, if you can get on their approved vendor list you can basically name your price, and they'll pay it without blinking.
- Pretty high-precision/high-craft. Not mindless at all. Lots of practical problem-solving. Your work may be beautiful. You can drive around your city and point at all kinds of buildings and say, "I did part of that."
- You go all over town or your region each day - no being chained to a desk. But your range wouldn't typically be more than a couple hours from home.
- Don't have to work for a company or with anyone else if you don't want to. The most he does is occasionally hire laborers to help move very large things.
Cons:
- Glass and metal are sharp and can be dangerous. You really have to take safety seriously. People do get seriously injured or die in this line of work, but it doesn't have to be you.
- Shit is heavy. Glass is just very heavy. Finished units are heavier still. A lot is mitigated by various simple machines, carts, dollies, and so on, but there will be times when you must shift some big thing around a corner with muscle force, and you'll feel it the next day. Having said that, my dad is in his 60s and still has all his functions, and tells me he has no unusual daily pain.
- There is often work at heights, potentially extreme ones, usually on scaffolding. Wear the safety harness. And of course you'll certainly be outside in the heat and cold.
- It's a potentially hard skill to pick up, in that you either have to get someone to teach it to you, or work for a company doing the scut work for a couple of years while you learn. No legible credentials (in non-union states anyway), which may be good or bad depending on your perspective.
I can say I would be quite happy if children of mine went into it. It's honest work and actually quite deep and interesting.
bolido_sentimental
9mo ago
I would commend to you El Astillero (The Shipyard) by Juan Carlos Onetti. One of my personal favorite books.
bolido_sentimental
10mo ago
I just started The Warden by Anthony Trollope. Hits some of the same humorous notes as e.g. Dickens, but in an attractively smaller package that I can realistically finish in a week.
Prior to this I read The White Nile by Alan Moorehead, which describes the hunt for the source of the Nile River and the subsequent efforts of Europeans to open up the region to trade and civilization. Really enjoyable to read, and now I understand who Dr. Livingstone from the famous quote was, what he was up to, etc.
bolido_sentimental
11mo ago
There are many implications to each of these questions.
1.) Honestly, "the transmission is the weak point" is something I've heard about nearly every make of vehicle. They just seem to break more than other components of the drivetrain. Ironically, the only transmission I have direct personal knowledge of failure in was that of my mom's Toyota Camry back in the 2000s. Anyway, the only vehicles I'd specifically avoid for that reason are Nissans. Bear in mind though, this is just my anecdata. You could find hard facts about failure rates if you went looking. My impression was always that Honda made some of the best automatic transmissions around.
I have always gone out of my way to proactively drain + fill automatic transmissions with fresh fluid every 50k miles or so, and have never had a transmission-related problem. On my old Volvos, it was almost exactly the same procedure as replacing the oil, so not a big deal.
2.) I think knowing how to drive stick is a skill worth having. It doesn't take that long to pick that skill up - maybe just one day if you have someone to show you and plenty of time to practice. Additionally - manual transmissions are much more repairable and durable than auto-transmissions, and some people get them just for that reason. You'll be able to drive any vehicle you encounter, and honestly, it's just kind of badass.
I don't like them that much for city driving, though. It's kind of a pain in stop and go traffic.
I have driven a mid-2010s Buick sedan for four years. It's been the best car I've owned in terms of reliability and cost of ownership. And I appreciate that it's more plushy than the most basic transportation appliances. I was a Volvo enthusiast for many years, but I no longer have the spare time or patience to do the maintenance that went into that.
I admit that I find Hondas and Toyotas too common/boring to be worth their sterling reliability rating; most modern cars are so much more reliable than what we used to have that it's not nearly as big a deal as it used to be. (I drove a Honda Accord for many years, and got my fill.) I also have potentially irrational biases against Nissans, Jeeps, and most German makes. I like the looks and features of Stellantis products, but I just can't bring myself to trust them.
The wife and I are actually looking at getting her some kind of crossover in the next few months. Budget is 20k, seeking something certified pre-owned of about 3 to 5 years old. Most common brands are on the table. Something cheap and cheerful like a Mitsubishi would be fine with us, or indeed another Buick like an Encore. If we wanted to spend more money on it, we'd probably go for a Mazda. There's also nothing wrong with Ford Escapes and Edges etc.; but I've driven those and just wasn't very impressed by them. (I also drove a jellybean-type Ford Taurus for some years, and honestly I liked it a lot. I have the opinion that Ford has lost its way.)
I am not closed off to hybrids, but I have a local mechanic who I really like and trust, and he only knows ICE technology. I don't drive long enough distances that the gas mileage benefit of the hybrid is meaningful to me.
bolido_sentimental
11mo ago
Are you a Number Girl enjoyer?
bolido_sentimental
11mo ago
Welcome back @SkookumTree. A lot of us unironically hoped for the best for you in your absence.
I didn't know you had a blog. Where can we read it?
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