Posted by seahunt on June 26, 2001 at 13:38:29:
In Reply to: OK I won't try to teach a pig to sing. I HAVE spent 20 on construction posted by JohnB on June 26, 2001 at 09:58:13:
If conventional wisdom is all you need in your life, you are lucky.
You know, there is a lot of stuff they do in the Bay Area that
is unheard of in LA and vica versa. That's really true when you
talk about cross country differences. Just tell me you don't like
it, but I listen to and learn from people that do, not talk.
Go off if you like. Tell me I'm dumb if you must, but
I have witnessed that method used in LA and the Bay Area repeatedly
by senior plumbers. Sorry... I've also seen electricians that test
voltage by touch, though I never liked the idea.
In the past 15 years, I don't remember doing that gas test myself.
If you don't like it, I'm sorry, but I've seen it done and it worked
where soap would have been difficult or was unavailable.
But what is your complaint. If you are doing remodeling old houses,
think I can figure that you do some unconventional stuff. I'm more
familiar with 1930's to 1950's (Hollywood). A typical thing there
is to run wires through old black gas pipes to electrical soffets. It
sounds pretty off the wall, but I bet you've done it. If not, it
could be some unconventional wisdom that you could use.
Any electrician can run rope. I'm useful when things get tougher
than that. I made a lot of money for who I work for, cuz I knew how
to do what others couldn't safely do. I'm the hot guy that changes
440 breakers in a hot panel. I don't waste time trying to figure
out where a circuit can be turned off. It's all hot as far as I'm
concerned... and the overheads with all the insulation eaten off
by squirrels, can't be turned off. I deal with it.
It sounds like you would find working on seriously hot electrical
to be unspeakably dumb, but that's just how a lot of people get
the job done. And I never had an accident in near 25 years of
doing the tough dirty jobs that others didn't like.
You can talk talk all you want, but if I worked for you, you'd
make money off the weird crud I learned to do that others never
learn. That's with safety and ongoing cleanup. Then you, like
many others before, would think that what I do is just fine.
When the other guys fail is when I take over.
Ya know, I never got a contractor license for various reasons,
but I had no problem getting contracts. I'm that good.
I ain't a pig and I sing pretty good to.
I dive alone because I like to. A good buddy is like a dive light.
If it lasts for more than a few years, it's a really good one.
You call me inflexable. Just reading about something I saw seems to
have freaked you out.
I hate to tell you, but given the success of my experiences diving,
skiing, electrical, etc., without accidents or even failures, maybe,
just maybe, you're missing something.
And that's just what I make money at. If you had any idea what
my real skills are. I can teach people to use skills they never
knew they had. I can teach people how to understand what they
know inside, but can't put into words. I give themn the words
that no one else ever thought of and then years later, they
tell me 'that was all true'.
Careful judging me. You might find out you don't know enough to
do it. Oh yah! Prove it! Go to the other side of my website and
it's full of stuff you never heard of before, but you will know
it's true. Read the summary and tell me you've ever seen anyone come
up with those answers. People are just starting to ask the genetic
questions I've worked on for 30 years.
You aren't the first person I've freaked out, but I've always been
vindicated after the years it took for people to figure it out. I
stopped worrying about other peoples opinions long ago. I don't even
try not to annoy people really. It's an easy way to get them to think
if they have any potential for it and that's my goal.
Enjoy, seahunt