Bob the Builder (No, Not That One)
I’m not actually talking about the kid’s show here. I’m just being cute (figuratively speaking, of course, and even that’s a stretch) with the title of this entry.
My dad’s a brilliant engineer, but even before he got into his current line of work, he demonstrated immense talent for a wide variety of crafts. Architect, carpenter, auto mechanic, electrician, plumber… To my untrained eye, I’d say he has at least a journeyman’s proficiency in all these areas.
As for me… Well, not so much. Indeed, not at all. Between my somewhat frail constitution and my parents not wanting me to get a taste for the blue-collar lifestyle, I never had the inclination to acquire those skills and so I’ve become a squishy scholar to put it charitably. However, there is a notable aversion to the profile of the worthless pseudo-intellectual: I like to build stuff.
Now, building with Legos go without saying, but as I started to enter my teens, I was increasingly entrusted with the assembly of prefab furniture (bookshelves and stuff like that). I know that’s nothing compared to real carpentry, but I nevertheless find it a very fulfilling exercise. Honestly, I could probably do it as a job and be fairly content. In the absence of that, having the occasional thing to put together will have to suffice.
Ramblings | James Carmack | 25 August 2013 |
