Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

[Lady wore Black]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Good Morning, Lodge!

 

[goldy_331]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Good Morning Lodge, from work. Got stuff to do before Wednesday and not enough time to do it!

The whole point of all-night after graduation parties where the kids get locked in is to try to reduce the number of drunk driving deaths that spring from kids bouncing from house party to house party while drinking. Admittedly, it may just delay the inevitable as those parties just happen the night after, but as a father, if it saves even one kid/family from it, it's worth it.

 

[Twitch Boy]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Looking back, if I had to do it all over again, I would do my freshman year at Oakland U or OCC and then consider transferring. It would've allowed me to have a transition year where I still lived at home, thus saving my parents money on room & board, and perhaps I wouldn't have burned out on my computer science major like I did. But, it's all water under the bridge at this point.

This.

The idea of a transition year or two at a community college (or hell, a full-fledged gap year) needs to take hold in America. It is just too much of a leap to ask a kid who's barely seen the outside of a high school what he wants to put himself five figures into debt studying and make a career out of with the rest of his life. It was okay back in the day when you could walk out of the gymnasium and into a comfortable middle class existence, but not in today's world.

Problem is a lot of student loans and scholarships are predicated on being a full-time student - if that status stops, so does the money.

 

[leswp1]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

This.

The idea of a transition year or two at a community college (or hell, a full-fledged gap year) needs to take hold in America. It is just too much of a leap to ask a kid who's barely seen the outside of a high school what he wants to put himself five figures into debt studying and make a career out of with the rest of his life. It was okay back in the day when you could walk out of the gymnasium and into a comfortable middle class existence, but not in today's world.

Problem is a lot of student loans and scholarships are predicated on being a full-time student - if that status stops, so does the money.

Problem 2- the parents have bought into the idea their kid has to a) go to college, whether that is a good choice for them or not b)they fall hook, line, and sinker for the crap of prestige schools, touring many colleges, spending oodles on applications and spout crap about reach schools etc without ever considering what the point of the thing is. In my area this is akin to having the right brand of pocketbook. Lots of bragging about all this doodah but very little thought to what the kid is going to get out of it other than fabulous campus, great food and make sure to mention the school name a bunch of times. Oh, and how much it costs. Forgot that. I appear to be very cynical today.

 

[goldy_331]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

I appear to be very cynical today.

Today???

 

[leswp1]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Today???

Hey, I have been disgustingly cheerful the last few weeks.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Problem 2- the parents have bought into the idea their kid has to a) go to college, whether that is a good choice for them or not b)they fall hook, line, and sinker for the crap of prestige schools, touring many colleges, spending oodles on applications and spout crap about reach schools etc without ever considering what the point of the thing is. In my area this is akin to having the right brand of pocketbook. Lots of bragging about all this doodah but very little thought to what the kid is going to get out of it other than fabulous campus, great food and make sure to mention the school name a bunch of times. Oh, and how much it costs. Forgot that. I appear to be very cynical today.

This. Thankfully, my parents paid for my first 2 years of college (tUMD, I wanted a smaller school away from home), after that, I was on my own. While I graduated in the top 5% of my class, I found that I didn't like school, and didn't want to do what I originally wanted to do for a career (accountant/CPA). I found that I loved blue-collar work, and got into warehousing. Sure, the pay isn't as much, but I love what I do and have made a living out of it. My brother was similar, as he went to a technical college to become a mechanic, and found success there.

Even now, blue collar jobs are almost looked down upon as a career goal. It's quite sad.

 

[leswp1]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

This. Thankfully, my parents paid for my first 2 years of college (tUMD, I wanted a smaller school away from home), after that, I was on my own. While I graduated in the top 5% of my class, I found that I didn't like school, and didn't want to do what I originally wanted to do for a career (accountant/CPA). I found that I loved blue-collar work, and got into warehousing. Sure, the pay isn't as much, but I love what I do and have made a living out of it. My brother was similar, as he went to a technical college to become a mechanic, and found success there.

Even now, blue collar jobs are almost looked down upon as a career goal. It's quite sad.

Sad and rather stupid. In past times you learned your father's trade or apprenticed out, went into said trade/profession. People respected tradespeople just as much as other professions because it takes a skill to get good. The skill is even more complex now for a lot of things. Pretty sure an electrician in this state has to put in more hours than most Bachelors degrees. They also make bank. Not sure why they don't get more respect.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Sad and rather stupid. In past times you learned your father's trade or apprenticed out, went into said trade/profession. People respected tradespeople just as much as other professions because it takes a skill to get good. The skill is even more complex now for a lot of things. Pretty sure an electrician in this state has to put in more hours than most Bachelors degrees. They also make bank. Not sure why they don't get more respect.

Electricians, HVAC, plumbers, they all make major bank.

 

[Hammer]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Electricians, HVAC, plumbers, they all make major bank.

This.

The old "work in a factory, just like Grandpa Slackjaw did back in 1957" is out the window. It's been gone for 30 years. I saw it first hand when the local factories in my hometown closed up shop in the mid-80's, taking my uncles' jobs with them. It was made crystal-clear to me, in no uncertain terms and in a matter where words were not minced, by my father, who was at the tail end of the generation that could get easily hired into a Big 3 factory (he graduated in 1968). I drive by what was the largest manufacturer (and the largest employer) within a 40-mile radius every morning. I'll give you one good guess as to what condition that place is in now.

The game has changed. You need to be able to communicate to a potential employer that you have a skill that they have a need for, and that is why they should hire you. Whether that involves college, apprenticeship, trade school, whatever. The days of having a high school education and walking right out into the real world and making a decent living is out the window, and it has been for a while. THAT is what needs to be communicated in the high schools.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

This.

The old "work in a factory, just like Grandpa Slackjaw did back in 1957" is out the window. It's been gone for 30 years. I saw it first hand when the local factories in my hometown closed up shop in the mid-80's, taking my uncles' jobs with them. It was made crystal-clear to me, in no uncertain terms and in a matter where words were not minced, by my father, who was at the tail end of the generation that could get easily hired into a Big 3 factory (he graduated in 1968). I drive by what was the largest manufacturer (and the largest employer) within a 40-mile radius every morning. I'll give you one good guess as to what condition that place is in now.

The game has changed. You need to be able to communicate to a potential employer that you have a skill that they have a need for, and that is why they should hire you. Whether that involves college, apprenticeship, trade school, whatever. The days of having a high school education and walking right out into the real world and making a decent living is out the window, and it has been for a while. THAT is what needs to be communicated in the high schools.

For the most part, agreed. BUT, you don't need a *cough* "real" college degree. For example, I don't think being a mechanic from Harvard would get you bonus points. Your local tech school would suffice.

 

[Hammer]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

For the most part, agreed. BUT, you don't need a *cough* "real" college degree. For example, I don't think being a mechanic from Harvard would get you bonus points. Your local tech school would suffice.

Exactly why I wrote the sentence directly preceding the one you bolded. It doesn't need to be college. But by God, you'd better have something.

 

[MarkEagleUSA]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Even now, blue collar jobs are almost looked down upon as a career goal. It's quite sad.

The old "work in a factory, just like Grandpa Slackjaw did back in 1957" is out the window.

Sad but true. I've been at my place going on 37 years. That's unheard of anymore. And it gets tougher and tougher to find people who want to work in a factory. We've resorted to temp-to-hire for most of our open positions. The problem with that is most people are temps for a reason. We're lucky if we get decent people at 20% (1 in 5). Not to mention the younger generation (18-24) has no inkling to do manual labor. They're all looking to make big money doing nothing. I'm not sure what that means for the future but if we don't start cultivating a blue collar work force again the results will be catastrophic.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Sad but true. I've been at my place going on 37 years. That's unheard of anymore. And it gets tougher and tougher to find people who want to work in a factory. We've resorted to temp-to-hire for most of our open positions. The problem with that is most people are temps for a reason. We're lucky if we get decent people at 20% (1 in 5). Not to mention the younger generation (18-24) has no inkling to do manual labor. They're all looking to make big money doing nothing. I'm not sure what that means for the future but if we don't start cultivating a blue collar work force again the results will be catastrophic.

I'm in my 15th year at my job (Labor Day is my anniv date). We have about 4-5 people that have been here as long/longer than I have (I'm 3rd on the seniority list). After that? The longest vet is at about 5 years, then a big drop, and a ton of 2 year people.

 

[Jimjamesak]

I'm in my 15th year at my job (Labor Day is my anniv date). We have about 4-5 people that have been here as long/longer than I have (I'm 3rd on the seniority list). After that? The longest vet is at about 5 years, then a big drop, and a ton of 2 year people.

I hit 10 years next week and I'm barely top half of the seniority list.

 

[leswp1]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

For the most part, agreed. BUT, you don't need a *cough* "real" college degree. For example, I don't think being a mechanic from Harvard would get you bonus points. Your local tech school would suffice.

Scroll by bb_dl
Car Talk on NPR- MIT grads, opened a garage and had a hilarious call in talk show that is now in re-runs.

One of the biggest things is a lack of respect for work ethic or down in the trenches smarts/problem solving. We respect people who brag about screwing the system as long as they are wealthy but we do not respect the people who make the world go round. The most bizarre thing is the people who are blue collar who respect the scumbags and want to be like them.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Scroll by bb_dl
Car Talk on NPR- MIT grads, opened a garage and had a hilarious call in talk show that is now in re-runs.

One of the biggest things is a lack of respect for work ethic or down in the trenches smarts/problem solving. We respect people who brag about screwing the system as long as they are wealthy but we do not respect the people who make the world go round. The most bizarre thing is the people who are blue collar who respect the scumbags and want to be like them.

Not trying to be political, but what I find funny is that blue collar people are mainly liberal. "Should" be liberal. I am not. Even though the "rich white conservative" policies hurt people like me, I am conservative. Odd place to be in.

 

[bigblue_dl]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

I have nothing against blue collar. ****, I grew up on a dairy farm, that is as blue collar as you get. That experience is what told me it wasn't for me. What made me decide to make a living using my brain instead of my hands.

Now, things have changed. The farming I grew up with is mostly dead, and even farming is mostly a white collar job (not dairy farming, but we have transitioned to only crops). Which is one of the reasons why going back to the farm is on the table.

 

[bigblue_dl]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Not trying to be political, but what I find funny is that blue collar people are mainly liberal. "Should" be liberal. I am not. Even though the "rich white conservative" policies hurt people like me, I am conservative. Odd place to be in.

Liberals are not good for people that actually work. Which is why you wouldn't go that way. This is why most farmers have now shifted to conservative beliefs.

Also, not a universal thing. Obviously not all people that are liberal are not hard workers. Many are.

 

[The Rube]

Re: Rep Retirement Lodge #185: Summer Activities

Liberals are not good for people that actually work. Which is why you wouldn't go that way. This is why most farmers have now shifted to conservative beliefs.

Also, not a universal thing. Obviously not all people that are liberal are not hard workers. Many are.

Traditionally, liberals were the blue collars, and conservatives were the white collars. The lines are getting more blurred every day. That is all that I was saying.

Anyway, I just find it interesting in seeing the shifts.