9 ms·

I worked in a daycare for a while when I was young; I really liked being a scout leader and figured I might want to do something like this for a living. I didn'

I worked in a daycare for a while when I was young; I really liked being a scout leader and figured I might want to do something like this for a living. I didn't like it very much: turns out that a few hours on saturday is not quite the same thing as 8 hours every day. I think in general "doing this for a hobby and fun" and "doing this for a living" are two entirely different things. Many people love to cook as a hobby, but being a chef in a restaurant is a completely different thing. Years ago I had a friend who loved to drive trucks as a hobby; I never understood the appeal myself, but he just loved the feeling of driving a truck. He left his teaching career to become a truck driver and in a matter of months ended up hating it (and he ended up going back to being a teacher).

PaulDavisThe1st 5y ago
Some years ago I had a friend who agreed to do some tile work for some other mutual friends. Midway through, I was at the "client's" house talking with them, and they were complaining (not bitterly, but perplexedly): "We just don't get it, Steve finishes and says he'll be back in the morning but then he doesn't show up for 5-10 days". I shared in their amazement - it seemed so rude, so unnecessary. Why would you do that? A few years rolled by and I found myself doing construction stuff for friends. "See you in the morning" I would say as I left, and then find myself returning a week later. There's even a situation now where I've left an absurdly simple final task helping one of my neighbors with some minor repairs ... I think I told her 3-4 months ago that I'd be back in 2 days. I don't really understand why this happens, but it did give me some insight into a whole extra layer that is required from you when doing work for other people: you have to go back, tomorrow, even, over and over until it is done. Now this certainly applies to any regular (well, contract?) employment too, but there is something different about construction that I think requires a different kind of personal character to enable you to fulfill the implicit obligations.
- Beltalowda 5y ago
  Ah yes, the infamous builders. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0QxQoOInV0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0QxQoOInV0

PaulDavisThe1st 5y ago

Some years ago I had a friend who agreed to do some tile work for some other mutual friends. Midway through, I was at the "client's" house talking with them, and they were complaining (not bitterly, but perplexedly): "We just don't get it, Steve finishes and says he'll be back in the morning but then he doesn't show up for 5-10 days". I shared in their amazement - it seemed so rude, so unnecessary. Why would you do that? A few years rolled by and I found myself doing construction stuff for friends. "See you in the morning" I would say as I left, and then find myself returning a week later. There's even a situation now where I've left an absurdly simple final task helping one of my neighbors with some minor repairs ... I think I told her 3-4 months ago that I'd be back in 2 days. I don't really understand why this happens, but it did give me some insight into a whole extra layer that is required from you when doing work for other people: you have to go back, tomorrow, even, over and over until it is done. Now this certainly applies to any regular (well, contract?) employment too, but there is something different about construction that I think requires a different kind of personal character to enable you to fulfill the implicit obligations.

Beltalowda 5y ago
Ah yes, the infamous builders. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0QxQoOInV0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0QxQoOInV0