Thanksgiving: Sitting here enjoying a cold beer. Celebrating buying a truck this morning. Contemplating a little. I’m starting to recognize , I have some really cool S#!t. !!! New...

Ben Bragg Loc: Dayton Ohio

Sitting here enjoying a cold beer. Celebrating buying a truck this morning.
Contemplating a little.
I’m starting to recognize , I have some really cool S#!t. !!!
New truck , nice boat , and more fishing stuff than anyone has a right to . And a wife that list up with my crap.
And 3 grown children who are all successful in their own right . Complete with 6 grandkids who have more potential tan I can imagine and a 7 th on the way.
For this I am truly thankful
I sure didn’t have this when I was a much younger man and didn’t have much of anything when I was a kid

Appreciate what you have worked so hard for.

charlykilo Loc: Garden Valley Ca

Quote
I sure didn’t have this when I was a much younger man

Because you were working hard to assemble it all.

Fish Dancer Loc: Guntersville, Alabama

Ben Bragg wrote:

Sitting here enjoying a cold beer. Celebrating buy... (show quote)

I’m sitting here with the woman of my dreams enjoying a cocktail. Got a nice car today. Working on getting a boat. Have a new home that I can see the lake from my mailbox without a mortgage! Great kids and grandkids and next year we’re hoping for great grandkids. And recently retired. Life is good Ben. Very thankful. Thanks for the reminder.

Gordon Loc: Charleston South Carolina

Thats good Ben. I have everything I have dreamed of. Worked hard to get it and enjoy it all . Kids, Grands, boats, nice truck and a house paid for. Dont have that Lake view Dancer. That would be nice. Good post Ben.

Fish Dancer Loc: Guntersville, Alabama

Gordon wrote:

Thats good Ben. I have everything I have dreamed of. Worked hard to get it and enjoy it all . Kids, Grands, boats, nice truck and a house paid for. Dont have that Lake view Dancer. That would be nice. Good post Ben.

Can’t see it from the house, just the mailbox. Lol. Didn’t even know I had that for a week until I approached the house from the other end of the street.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

I suggest we all thank God for his blessings and benovalence on our behalf. It is wrong to think we have done all this alone by ourselves. Just Sayin....RJS

Ben Bragg Loc: Dayton Ohio

I believe in God and all .
But in my late 20s and early 30s .
I think he was doing something else while I was working double shifts.

Kinda kidding but I see younger generation believing that having cool S#!t should just come automatically

Why show up on time for the job with my gear , deal with a deadline and a boss who is a dick . Sometimes 7 days a week. A lot of times you really had something else you really needed to be doing
I deserve everything
That’s the attitude that’s becoming more and more prevalent.

Worries me . Who is going to carry on America’s manufacturing strength.

Kids can play video games and make a living.
Video games don’t lay brick . Or erect steel, or excavate and build roads or pour iron and scores of other craftsmanship trades.
Craftsmanship is a dying breed.
I’m basing these observations on what I’ve experienced over a 30 year career in manufacturing engineering

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Ben: I follow your analysis of our youth! They may have to go through a recession to learn their lesson. Just sayin... RjS

Jeremy Loc: America

Ben Bragg wrote:

I believe in God and all . br But in my late 20s a... (show quote)

I agree wholeheartedly. The rotten thing that has transformed is the computer technology people have pushed to get rid of all of the trades and increase their ideas but forget that all the stuff that is computerized still has machines and fabrication involved. They don’t care about the people in the future that will be forced to buy everything as disposable items and things that are constantly obsolete due to their agendas.

The younger folks that do not have a diverse knowledge of how things work without an APP will be broke and not able to do anything about their cars .. their houses... their video game consoles etc when they need maintenance or repairs. Everything seems to be disposable and many live entitled lifestyles it really makes me wonder what they will see in the years they live after the older generations are gone and any of our advice was laughed at but later it will be far too late Ben.

I have seen this for definitely close to a few decades at this point.

Barnacles Loc: Northern California

I don't have it all, but I have way more than I deserve. For sure, I have more than I need!

I remember when my Wife and I were first starting out, it was pretty lean - we didn't have much of nothin'. That makes me appreciate what I have.
A lot of todays kids who are just starting out on their own want to start out at the level their folks are at NOW!

Jeremy Loc: America

Barnacles wrote:

I don't have it all, but I have way more than I deserve. For sure, I have more than I need!

I remember when my Wife and I were first starting out, it was pretty lean - we didn't have much of nothin'. That makes me appreciate what I have.
A lot of todays kids who are just starting out on their own want to start out at the level their folks are at NOW!

Same here buddy. Some young ones do. Many of them file bankruptcy like the crooks constantly do. Then the honest pay for their way by the end of the day

charlykilo Loc: Garden Valley Ca

Barnacles wrote:

I don't have it all, but I have way more than I deserve. For sure, I have more than I need!

I remember when my Wife and I were first starting out, it was pretty lean - we didn't have much of nothin'. That makes me appreciate what I have.
A lot of todays kids who are just starting out on their own want to start out at the level their folks are at NOW!

And they think they are mistreated if they can't.

woodNfish Loc: Laconia, New Hampshire

Now you're just Bragging! ;^)

E.pa.al Loc: Martin's Creek

good post Ben, wife & I worked for everything we have.Never felt i was entitled to anything, u want it,work for it.
Trying to get that point across to my almost grown boys

lipsticker Loc: Hartford Wisconsin

Reap what you sow, I didn't come up with it but most of the time it holds pretty true. Good for you Ben and everyone else that gives thanks for what they have because of what they have done. 43 years in the trade and business owner for 20, and yes we are in a world of hurt "Craftsman" wise.