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Just Your Handyman

plough.com

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Re: Just Your Handyman

#71

Post by dajtxx »

spenczar5 wrote: post #23
neverartful wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mostly agree with you. I've been a full-time software engineer for the past 28 years and a part-time handyman for the past 5 months. One of the biggest differences that you don't mention is the use of your body. Software engineering is purely intellectual -- often to the detriment of your body (or mine, anyways) since it's often the case where I sit at the keyboard for hours on end, day after day. As a handyman, yo…

Those are good distinctions. I'm a 13-year software engineer, and a 4-year part time finish carpenter. An important distinction that comes up for me a lot is that it's much harder to fix mistakes with physical stuff. I can rapidly iterate on software, try stuff, see what works, play with a concept. But if I do that with wood and nails, I'm going to be in for trouble. Each idea costs material, and if it's a repair, th…

My hobby is model engineering and it's quite stressful when you're hours or days into a part and every new operation risks ruining it. Not only have you wasted that time and effort but also the material, and if you stuff it up you get to do it all again for no benefit at all - it's all cost and loss. Read a drawing wrong? Another chunk of time & metal wasted. It's a frustrating and expensive hobby.

That's what I think is so great about software - almost nothing is irretrievable and even if it is it's not that big a deal to redo, other than for whoever paid you to make those mistakes!

But software is also ephemeral and for all but a few of us it's hard to point to something and say 'I made that, it's works, and it's really cool' and have other people get it. When you drive off on the steam loco you just finished it has a bit more impact! Even my teenage son said "it's pretty cool to build something that moves under its own power".

Re: Just Your Handyman

#72

Post by globalnode »

I loved this article, we need more people like this on planet earth. Also, I've got to say, those paintings are AMAZING!... is that oil or acrylic or what? I would die to be able to paint like that.

Re: Just Your Handyman

#74

Post by Libcat99 »

whartung wrote: post #43
neverartful wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mostly agree with you. I've been a full-time software engineer for the past 28 years and a part-time handyman for the past 5 months. One of the biggest differences that you don't mention is the use of your body. Software engineering is purely intellectual -- often to the detriment of your body (or mine, anyways) since it's often the case where I sit at the keyboard for hours on end, day after day. As a handyman, yo…

For me the biggest difference is that handyman mistakes tend to tangible, and potentially worse to repair than the original problem. Software is easy to reset back and clean the slate for another go. It's this kind of thing that deters me from taking on tasks, fear of making things worse, digging the hole deeper, etc. Then there's the whole losing focus, leaving it half done, etc. issue.

This is a big one for me. I have lots of household projects I believe I'm capable of completing, however many of them require taking something out of commission until the project is done, and if I screw up that could be longer than I actually have before I need it.

Re: Just Your Handyman

#75

Post by notyofriend »

leipert wrote: post #61
notyofriend wrote: post #54

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No it’s not good. The lower the barrier to every the better. More ability to choose the level of quality work you desire. A handyman for bill gates is going to be a complete different class than one for the roach motel but it’s still good if the roach motel can get one.

Mhm. Here in Germany plumber, electrician, etc. are all “protected” jobs. You can’t call yourself a plumber or electrician if you haven’t learned the proper trade. I’d argue it’s good for safety, standards and liability. Now when it comes to stuff like building a kitchen, you could go with proper carpenters or furniture folks or a handyman. It’s good to have those different categories and know what you would be getti…

Germany takes it too far. Every industry is regulated and licensed. It takes 2 years to call yourself a baker. It’s not a good system.

If you have to regulate industries institute a proficiency test and allow different levels of expertise. A plumber or electrician for home repair is a totally different level of complexity to one in industrial applications but it’s the same certification. The guy doing wiring in my house just does not need that level of education and I don’t really want to pay for it.

Re: Just Your Handyman

#76

Post by moneywoes »

karaterobot wrote: post #25
neverartful wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mostly agree with you. I've been a full-time software engineer for the past 28 years and a part-time handyman for the past 5 months. One of the biggest differences that you don't mention is the use of your body. Software engineering is purely intellectual -- often to the detriment of your body (or mine, anyways) since it's often the case where I sit at the keyboard for hours on end, day after day. As a handyman, yo…

> One of the biggest differences that you don't mention is the use of your body. Oh, for sure. I was a dev for many years, then switched to product design. What I left out of my first comment was that my older brother is a maintenance guy for a hospital—basically a handyman with an office in the basement. Growing up, it was clear that he was at least as smart as me, but at a certain point he went one direction and I…

knowing trade wages would go down, what occupation would you target?

Re: Just Your Handyman

#77

Post by moneywoes »

akoboldfrying wrote: post #58
chrisweekly wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"... smart for being programmers just because we get paid too much for it" I wish people would stop propagating this idea. The opposite is true.

Where I live, tradespeople make much less than software developers for comparable levels of experience, but in my opinion, they are just as skilful and more useful to society. Is it different in your area? Or do you think tradespeople are less skilful/valuable than programmers to society? You could argue that they aren't paid enough, rather than that we're paid too much, but I certainly feel there's an imbalance.

interesting, where i live, a bit city in Canada, trades make more

Re: Just Your Handyman

#78

Post by moneywoes »

raintrees wrote: post #32

I run my IT business this way, and it feels very similar. Many times I say "yes" then I have to figure out how to make yes true. Integrity is one of my targets. And I mostly sleep well at night.

is it a consulting business? interested in how you got started

Re: Just Your Handyman

#79

Post by jrm4 »

cwalv wrote: post #29
jrm4 wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean, best done as a gradient no? In first grade, you 100% tell them they can be whatever they want, by the end of 12th (or however it works where you are) they should be honestly looking at what sort of things make money to handle that part of life. But also, you know, how to be happy and such.

Is this just because they can't yet grasp the complexity of "whatever you want", so it's pointless to get into the details?

Essentially yes.

In the beginning it's more "cheerleading" than "logic?"

Re: Just Your Handyman

#80

Post by joshuanapoli »

cwalv wrote: post #36
joshuanapoli wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m always driven to reach for more, in my career. I don’t think that’s ideal for happiness. Maybe it’s not always even ideal for my career. Through COVID, I’ve had a lot of obvious gains. I used to commute four hours a day, and now I work from home. I’m paid more. I’m working with more interesting technology. Despite all of that, I still alternate between putting a lot of effort into finding my next step to a bigger…

> The handyman must be less restless. Why? They may not have the next step as clearly "defined", but there are endless ways to "level up"

In the article, it seems like the handyman didn’t really see himself as leveling up. Obviously he learned more skills across the trades over time. But it didn’t sound very intentional or purposeful.
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