Go Ahead, Get Dirty
"When you grow up, you will work with your head", mom said with a smile of satisfaction on her face. "You won't have to struggle as much as we did."
As a child, I watched my parents go to work, dissatisfied with their jobs, but doing them because they needed money for the family. My grandfather spent a lot of time at work and then at his farm, and he always ached for some reason. Going to school, university or more, was the big plan for Johnny. He'll work, and come home clean and well dressed and well paid and satisfied. "Don't be like us; make something for yourself".
So that I did. I went to Waterloo and got myself a CS degree. I was interested in computers as a kid and I enjoyed problem solving. Computers seemed like fun and when I discovered I can get paid to work with them, I decided on it as a career path. It was fortunate that CS seems like a seemed safe, smart and solid career path - my parents were all over it.
I like my job. Amazon is a fantastic place to work, and my coworkers are awesome. But y'know, there's a piece of life that is missing.
I love to work with my hands on occasion. I like the to feel the grass and dirt on the farm. About 7 months ago I went to my grandfather's farm again... for the first time in what felt like eternity. It was actually 8 months. We had the unenviable task of moving a shack made of cinderblock about 280 metres. My grandfather had rented the land out to another farmer, and the location of the shack was making it impossible to process some land, which would cost the renting farmer about $200 worth of produce. To keep the deal at my grandfather's rate, we moved the shack.
It was an early 6am morning, followed by a one hour drive. When we got there, however, I felt like I was in the arms of God. There's something immensely beautiful about nature. I don't care how pretty Mac OSX is; it can't compete with nature. It was a bright morning, and the grass was about knee high.
The task at hand was a heavy one; we had to disassemble the shack block by block, load them onto the truck, and reassemble the whole structure. It was heavy work, and my hands were no longer accustomed to working with any material other than a plastic keyboard. It had been about 5 years since the good ol' days at the bleach factory. I have had all technical jobs since then.
We were done in about 6 hours. At that point, we stood back and enjoyed our accomplishment. I was quite pleased with myself. The end result was shoddy at best. We made no attempt to level the land under the shack, nor did we apply mortar.
I was dirty, aching and tired, but ohhh did it feel good to have some locomotion in my work. I don't actually move too much in my professional life. I sit at a desk, and try to tell the computer what to do. It's challenging and rewarding, and I love it, but it doesn't get the blood going. The connection with nature was phenomenal. I worked with concrete blocks, but was surrounded by life. My grandfather and I just walked around the farm for a while to appreciate the wonders of life. It was very therapeutic.
I encourage all of you who work in an office or some other location like that to at least try to get out and do something with your hands. Experience nature. Enjoy the sunset. Start a small garden. Stop outside and feel the sun shine on your face. Stop and smell the roses. Take a 10 second pause from the tasks of life, and enjoy life. At least try it when you can. It's a simple pleasure that just may get you a new hobby. The world is being covered in concrete, and concrete is forever.
My grandfather's (other) farm.
Me and the shack. A far cry from the Ford Probe, suit, and cubicle. Think different.
As a child, I watched my parents go to work, dissatisfied with their jobs, but doing them because they needed money for the family. My grandfather spent a lot of time at work and then at his farm, and he always ached for some reason. Going to school, university or more, was the big plan for Johnny. He'll work, and come home clean and well dressed and well paid and satisfied. "Don't be like us; make something for yourself".
So that I did. I went to Waterloo and got myself a CS degree. I was interested in computers as a kid and I enjoyed problem solving. Computers seemed like fun and when I discovered I can get paid to work with them, I decided on it as a career path. It was fortunate that CS seems like a seemed safe, smart and solid career path - my parents were all over it.
I like my job. Amazon is a fantastic place to work, and my coworkers are awesome. But y'know, there's a piece of life that is missing.
I love to work with my hands on occasion. I like the to feel the grass and dirt on the farm. About 7 months ago I went to my grandfather's farm again... for the first time in what felt like eternity. It was actually 8 months. We had the unenviable task of moving a shack made of cinderblock about 280 metres. My grandfather had rented the land out to another farmer, and the location of the shack was making it impossible to process some land, which would cost the renting farmer about $200 worth of produce. To keep the deal at my grandfather's rate, we moved the shack.
It was an early 6am morning, followed by a one hour drive. When we got there, however, I felt like I was in the arms of God. There's something immensely beautiful about nature. I don't care how pretty Mac OSX is; it can't compete with nature. It was a bright morning, and the grass was about knee high.
The task at hand was a heavy one; we had to disassemble the shack block by block, load them onto the truck, and reassemble the whole structure. It was heavy work, and my hands were no longer accustomed to working with any material other than a plastic keyboard. It had been about 5 years since the good ol' days at the bleach factory. I have had all technical jobs since then.
We were done in about 6 hours. At that point, we stood back and enjoyed our accomplishment. I was quite pleased with myself. The end result was shoddy at best. We made no attempt to level the land under the shack, nor did we apply mortar.
I was dirty, aching and tired, but ohhh did it feel good to have some locomotion in my work. I don't actually move too much in my professional life. I sit at a desk, and try to tell the computer what to do. It's challenging and rewarding, and I love it, but it doesn't get the blood going. The connection with nature was phenomenal. I worked with concrete blocks, but was surrounded by life. My grandfather and I just walked around the farm for a while to appreciate the wonders of life. It was very therapeutic.
I encourage all of you who work in an office or some other location like that to at least try to get out and do something with your hands. Experience nature. Enjoy the sunset. Start a small garden. Stop outside and feel the sun shine on your face. Stop and smell the roses. Take a 10 second pause from the tasks of life, and enjoy life. At least try it when you can. It's a simple pleasure that just may get you a new hobby. The world is being covered in concrete, and concrete is forever.
My grandfather's (other) farm.
Me and the shack. A far cry from the Ford Probe, suit, and cubicle. Think different.
posted by Johnny @ 1:27 AM
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