I am a carpenter. Love what I do. Been doing it full-time for 40 years.
For the past 20 years I have intentionally hired young men (and in two cases women) with whom I could teach for a year or three with the understanding they would probably find another job and move on. I’ve enjoyed the process immensely…until the past couple of months. Today I said to my wife, I am finished.
Done.
Nada mas.
When I finish the two large projects I am currently on, I am not sure what happens next but for sure I am letting go both of the guys I am currently dealing with.
Freud and Fashion had a blog post yesterday where she used the technique of “free association” on a topic…here is what she said about it:
Free association is a psychotherapy technique where a patient talks or writes freely about whatever comes to mind in relation to a specific topic, with the goal of bringing unconscious thoughts to the forefront or the emergence of repressed memories, which can provide valuable insight of a patient’s problems.
So, with this exercise in mind, here goes my attempt at free associating by typing nonstop for 5 minutes on the topic of: “My help”
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I am done . I am done coddling adults with whom I have had an agreement to work with. Whether they are employee’s or other sub contractors.
Proverbs talks about hiring a drunk, and ending up with one heart ache after another. That has been my experience since the beginning of April, in fact, most of last year with one guy in particular, and 3 others this spring/ summer.
While none of them have been drinkers (as far as I know) they have all proved undependable. Showing up late, not showing up at all, and a host of other issues besides.
I used to love to mentor and pour myself into someone who was teachable and willing to learn…but as of this week, the fire is out.
Coddle. That is the word that comes to mind.
I am weary of coddling
Weary of taking the heat. One incident last week finally tipped the scales with my latest hire. The homeowner with whom I am working for on an hourly basis, caught my guy, sitting on the ground texting, while I was on the other side of the project.
Stop.
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Hummm..I’ll need to reread this one in the morning and see what insights I may have uncovered (feel free to chime in, if you have any thoughts after reading that rough draft of a bleep 🙂 DM