Trade vs. edjumication

[storytimewithjoe]

 

Inspired by the unfolding pages of a collection of For Better or for Worse cartoons, I lost myself, as I used to do daily in the lives of the fictional Canadian characters laid out before me in black and white pencil sketch. Despite being dubbed as “the most boring family in North America,” I have enjoyed strolling alongside the Pattersons on the roads that they travelled, grunting with the jarring bump of each pothole. Some days, I have been rather frustrated with some of their decisions or indecisions. But at other times, I have taken inspiration from the innocent grace displayed by one of the characters simply doing the right thing.

 

In reviewing the choices and the growth of some of the personalities, I have had to wonder about the life decisions and the differences in success between people who follow the road of a tradesman vs. that of higher education. I do not believe that there is any one clear winner here. One is not better than the other. Is one more likely to be a success as a writer with a degree in journalism, or by applying oneself as a mechanic? Journalism, one could argue, calls for more creative thinking. But is not a mechanic an analytical thinker? Will people necessarily want to read the writing of a journalist? Maybe. Will people need their cars worked on? Um… yep.

 

In my life, I chose the route of higher education. Well… that’s only sorta true. I think the decision was made for me by everyone around me, and I was too young/too naïve/too clueless to understand or recognize that other options existed, much less able to face such choices. Spending more than a decade in the IT industry, every day felt like the Sword of Damocles was hanging over my head. “Today will be the day they tell me that I have been downsized/laid off, or whatever the term du jour”, I thought to myself. While oddly enough I managed to escape that fate, the stress probably managed to take a couple of years off of my life. What would my life have been like, I have to wonder, if I had instead pursued the road of a tradesman? Do hair stylists worry about being downsized? Let’s face it – people need their hair cut. I recognize that the life of a tradesman is not easy. The butcher, the baker, and the candlestick maker all must work hard to master their craft. Add on that they typically exhaust themselves throughout the course of the day. But do they fear the corporate flux like cube-dwellers do?

 

Well, all things for a reason, I guess. It is fun occasionally to daydream about being in some other reality where I am in some other career, in some other role. But a daydream is all that it is. What would I be? An artist? A cook? A mechanic?

 

Then again, I really can’t picture myself in overalls, covered in grease.

Comments

[the-celestia.livejournal.com]

Having been both an IT professional (17 years) and a tradesman (9 years) I can attest it is equally easy to be laid off from either profession.

[aliskye.livejournal.com]

I imagine tradesmen have to worry more about being downsized and the economy and health insurance and bounced checks and no vacations or weekends off (depending on the trade.) I have friends who ran their own businesses and they rarely had time off. And friends who struggle to make a living through their art. It's tough all over.

[starzinked.livejournal.com]

i can picture you in overalls and covered in grease... in fact i think i have.

more to the point, i have education and am an airline hostess. went back to the 'snob job' market and hated it. i in fact do fear the corparate flux. of course, my occupation is not a skilled trade, either.

And I say this all after just deciding to apply to USC for a MFA in Educational Arts.

Did i confuse things appropriately?

[joeguppy.livejournal.com]

IN a way. But I think that is a good thing. So what do you find to be the biggest challenges in each universe?

[starzinked.livejournal.com]

the biggest challenge in the grey collar job (service sector) particularly airline, is dealing with the coworker's general sense of entitlement to everything; such a lack of gratitude for what we have (perks, salary, etc) it's so opposite of how I view life these days and so it's a challenge to be around people I know are basically good but annoying in their perspective.

in the brain drain jobs the biggest challenge is sincerity; so many games, posturing, etc. i'm so very direct and that is usually not the best way to approach cubicle conundrum ... especially with the Dilbert principle (the most ineffective being the supervisors) and i'm always sincere in my statements: good or bad. the amount of time whittled away at games frustrates me. especially since i don't know the game plans!

the best thing about being a stew is the amount of downtime, while on the clock, for writing, sewing, meditation, iphone video games!
the next best thing is I really do love my customers: so many are eager to have a conversation on a long flight and the conversations range from totally funny to sad as could be, to stimulating.. almost never are they a bore.

now that my personal life has seen some stability that has stuck, my creative impulses are off the charts. my stew schedule gives me so much time to nurture those impulses. the book is finally seeing pages being written, computer arts are seeing light of day and my cats are being photographed relentlessly. it just doesn't get better than that!

I really admire those who have a focused skill (baker, butcher,carpenter, artisan). The dedication is amazing. And the focus on the skill, it must be very Zen.

[joeguppy.livejournal.com]

So it is the coworkers who have the sense of entitlement, and not the customers? I find that unusual. I would think that in your position, sort of like a waiter or waitress, the problem would be the customer treating you badly simply because you are the servant to them as customer. So frequently, people forget common courtesy as they shift into these odd roles.

[slamson.livejournal.com]

I have to say that I have found things as starzinked says; the customers are not usually the problem! Even many in a hurry to get their supplies and get home are still pleasant enough even though they have worked a full day, picked up the kids, run errands and are now on their way home to fix dinner, get the kids onto homework and then to bed, all of this activity to be chased with housework before bed. And the unpleasant ones leave, to be replaced with the pleasant ones. You see the annoying coworker who doesn't pull their weight every day....

[starzinked.livejournal.com]

yes, it is the coworker's.
my principle is this: I am genuinely glad to have my customers on board; it means a pay check, my flying benefits and I like people. I think that comes across to the customers. I also believe they deserve (entitled to) good service when they are onboard. So I rarely get a fuss bucket or rude customer. Other FA's are always asking me why I don't get rude people. It just doesn't seem to happen. So it's a lot like the chicken/egg question.
I think if customer service folks would embody the gratitude and also see serving a fellow human as being honorable, they in turn would see less of the poor mannered customers.

[slamson.livejournal.com]

Absolutely true. People come into our store and get good treatment, then start expecting good treatment, and they are rarely disappointed. Shopping is a hassle any way you cut it, but we don't add to their issues.

I never have problems once on the plane. My apparently Middle Eastern sounding (and VERY ENGLISH) name gets me searched and re-searched and questioned every time I fly. I don't fly anymore except in extreme emergencies. Maybe someday Homeland Security will get over contractions of Thomasina.

[starzinked.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry about the TSA. Fortunately we are trained to be looking for behavior oddities and only extreme appearance oddities... like wearing five coats! And I am happy to say I don't see discrimination on the plane. The TSA, well they rub me wrong all the time.

I love going into a store where you can really feel the welcoming.

Customers respond to sincerity, and it's a nice feeling knowing I've put a smile on their face or helped them relax. And when I work at the Apple Store I feel like I'm tour guide at Disney.

Occasionally a 'rude' person crosses our paths, and most of the time, it is how you've said, they've been rushed, had a long day or are just grumpy. Not taking that personally and smiling at them and helping them is still the key!