... I make an excellent report writer. So why do I try to weld?
These days I am spending an inordinate amount of time building. There is a shed to build - foundations are almost there and the rest will be easy. There is 2.5km of fencing to put up - I now have most of the material and just need to weld up the strainer assembly. Job is straight forward. Just bloody hard work.
I have never really learnt how to build things. Have worked it out as I have been going along. Trial and error really. Nothing I put up falls down but it does seem that I often build somewhat over-engineered structures. Standard practice is to look at the plans and the increase the strength by between 33 and 50% - maybe more.
One problem, or challenge if you like, is welding. I am well aware that this is a taks that requires a level of skill and knowledge. Training takes a while and I shouldn't really expect to fire up a welder and get stuck into it. But of course that is what I am doing. Mistakes abound. There is frequent cursing and not a little frustration. It takes a lot of time to get it right. Considerably more I suspect than it would if I was competent.
Welding is just one of the tasks where I leap in and have a go at something when I don't have the skills . Why do I do this?
I have written reports, managed organisations, run projects, analysed policy and developed proposals for over 30 years. There are those who say I am, or was, pretty good at it. Why then am I not doing the things I am good at and battling away instead at doing things I am not? Is life about always doing the things that you are comfortable with or about having a go at something else? Where does satisfaction come from?
For me these days a well welded joint is every bit as fullfilling as a well crafted Cabinet Submission and, when that shed is up and the fence is holding the cattle in, well that will be a cause for celebration.
5 comments:
I think I also need to know how to weld, although k may disagree. Then i would be able to build stuff.
Because I need to.
I would also be able to reattach the exhaust to my car, enabling me to drive it without deafening the neighbourhood.
As it is, that will have to wait until we get back from abroad and I can get someone whose job it is to do these things to sort it out.
Esta hora, proximo semana, seramos en Santiago de Chile! Adios!
As a welder you also make a pretty good dad, and that's why we think you're tops!
Plus who else had such solidly constructed/huge/enviro-conscious-before-it-was-cool recycled door desks? Hey? No-one, that's who.
So does that mean that you leave next hour or next week at this hour? Couldnt find seranmos in my little phrase book.
Trust you are all organised.
Will you be too lonely daughter?
I may have made up 'seramos'. I took a punt - it is supposed to be the first person plural conjugation of 'ser' (will be) (i.e., this time next week we will be in Chile).
All pretty organised. And it was 7 degrees here this morning, so the climate is helping us get used to the Andean winter.
Sort of.
nah, I'll be too busy running over there to feed the fish to be lonely.
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