Oh, my. I hope the overpriced degree my son is getting next year will get him a non-laborious position. I don't think the little weed could shovel gravel. My hat's off to you.

Good writeup, Josh. I spent a few post high-school years bouncing from hard-labor job to assembly lines to forklift driving, gas station attendant (back when they had those), house construction, roofer, an so on, always taking orders from relatively unfriendly people who wanted me to work faster.

Looking back, I'm glad I had those experiences. About half-way through my menial labor career, I gave myself an attitude adjustment, and started working to the very best of my ability, you know, instead of doing the bare minimum just to get through the day. I started to get noticed and complimented by the higher-ups (a raise would have been out of the question, because of union restrictions). That did wonders for my sense of worth.

There was something satisfying about it: there were a lot of on-the-job buddies to BS with, at the end of the day, you can forget the job and blow off some steam, there's plenty of intellectual energy left over to pursue other interests, and I was in top shape and looking good. The only real downside is the low pay. It's usually just enough to make ends meet. No expensive European vacations, etc.

Eventually, I found something I wanted to do, and I went back to school (for a long time). Now I make in a month what I used to make in a year, I have my own office with a tinted window view of trees and grass, air conditioning, secretaries, benefits, free travel, and so forth. I've gone soft compared to the old days. My work is intellecually consuming, and it is ever-present in my head. I'm still tired at the end of the day because thinking sucks up energy every bit as efficiently as lifting boxes. I have deadlines, progress reports, presentations, meetings, and serious competition.

I love it.

But I still value what I had when life was simpler. It's trading one thing for another. The choice is not always obvious. I would rather nail boards together than sit in a cubicle and fill out forms eight hours a day. Choose wisely.

thanks for the comments, joanne. I will hope for the same so long as he always remains in touch with the more primal urges to dig, destroy and build.

duane,
i did hold down an office job for five years, hopefully i failed to mention this in my missive. Because this means I left out a vital point I was hoping to make.
Even if i did, well, during those five years I couldn't believe I made from 26k a year to eventually 52k a year for sitting in front of a computer all day. I felt guilty in a way. Somewhere someone is busting their ass for $9 an hour or less while i was exploring every corner of the internet i could get away with without Websense blocking me.
It feels pretty good to actually get out there and dig a ditch. Despite the pain. My dad might actually get some quality yard work out of me this summer.
I've got a whole other story to tell about the various heavy equipment i have to use and their luscious perks.