Work with your hands.

[giverdada]

Just came across this article. Not sure if it's been shared here before, but it's very well-written and full of all of the things I can reach in my own understanding as far as loving to write and work on bicycles. A gem of an article here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/magazine/24labor-t.html?_r=1

Probably some of you know this guy. I'd love an afternoon in the shop...

[guido]

Thank you! I hadn't seen that. Nice writing indeed.

[redir]

I am friends with two mechanics. One has a BS in Electrical engineering and the other in Biology. They are by far the best mechanics around town. Reminds me also of Tom Magliozzi from Car Talk who had an MBA and other degrees that he set aside to fix cars.

[likebikes]

The author of that piece has written a book on that subject as well: https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=shop%20class%20as%20soulcraft

[bikinchris]

Working with your hands is far more satisfying. You finish and look at the thing you completed. It is done.

[giverdada]

yeah. interesting times. and then this afternoon i was hanging out with the youth for back to back periods and there was a distinct lack of tangibility about it all. however, if i had any tangibility beyond salt stains on my jersey after a ride, it'd likely be blood or flats or chain explosions or something, and i'm okay to forgo that.

i was remembering also that i used to idolize the photographers for national geographic. turns out most of them were not photographers, but professors and scientists and researchers and whatnot, then they had to pick up cameras to help tell the stories they were working on. amazing. i love the crossovers of academia and craft/trade/craftsmanship. we read an essay in university called Mud, Brawn, and Brains wherein the author likened bricklaying to earning his masters and purported the bricklaying to be more challenging in all fields, including intellectual. i dig both, for sure, and probably wouldn't be able to do without either one for too long. wrenched with my lady in the kitchen the other night (not a euphemism but that woulda been awesome too), going over her commuter and her cross bike. the grease is still under my nails in black stains. i love it.

[Cicli]

I am a trainer for technicians in many large truck dealerships. Its a rewarding career.

[choke]

I can't begin to imagine being stuck behind a desk day in and day out....I would go crazy in short order.

[cadence90]

This guy (starting at 1:20) sums it all up perfectly.

https://vimeo.com/13935357

http://podia.cc/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/1__MG_5684_2014-10-24-920x650.jpg

[2LeftCleats]

I'm in a university town. The first plumber we hired after moving here to look at our septic had a doctorate in English lit. My auto mechanic came here for a PhD in mathematics. He worked on the side fixing cars and realized there was a need for foreign car repair. Gave up academics and now has a "green " shop with passive solar and other innovations.

[Ronsonic]

"A society that lauds philosophy as a higher calling and sneers at plumbing for being lowly will have pipes and ideas that don't hold water." My dad.

As a technician working on music electronics I really feel like I'm in a sweet spot. At the end of the day I've had a couple of physics lessons, an IQ test and a pile of stuff that sounds great.

[Black Dog]

Well, being a biologist and a licensed carpenter I can certainly agree with this. :)

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac209/BlackDogryka/Wine%20Cellar/file_zps6031a6e9.jpg (http://s900.photobucket.com/user/BlackDogryka/media/Wine%20Cellar/file_zps6031a6e9.jpg.html)

http://i900.photobucket.com/albums/ac209/BlackDogryka/2014-01/IMG_1963_zps5xidaixj.jpg (http://s900.photobucket.com/user/BlackDogryka/media/2014-01/IMG_1963_zps5xidaixj.jpg.html)

[ultraman6970]

Wonder how many here have glasses :D

[txcid05]

Really a super article. My father is a renaissance man of sorts and he always has a massive project of some sort going on, and I love being there to help. It's quite rewarding. He's a dentist who refuses to hire people to do most things, he'd rather just read a book about it and "DIY". Haha

[mvrider]

I'm surprised the author didn't offer Germany as an example of a society in which people are offered a viable, alternative path in trade schools.

[DFABob]

I'm surprised the author didn't offer Germany as an example of a society in which people are offered a viable, alternative path in trade schools.

Truth. I thought the same thing when I read this article.

As a mechanical engineering student I was endlessly frustrated by my inability to produce anything I designed. I ended up studying machining at a community college and it was a grizzly path indeed.

I ended up working as a repair machinist, operating vertical boring lathes, and horizontal milling machines making $15hr. Words can't describe the disparity between talent and wage in that arrangement.

[vav]

Excellent piece! Where is the like button? :beer:

[sonnyhooper]

Thank you! I hadn't seen that.