Internal Server Error
what the voices in my head tell me to write
Thursday, June 29, 2006
sometimes I miss my Grandfathers advice
I have been digging the garden tonight again. As its hasn't been dug in about 20 years or so its pretty hard work. The only real tool for the job is a pick axe.
If my grandfather was here he would have showed me the best way to do it. How to get a good rhythm going, how much to dig out at each swing, the best way to swing the pick. How not to hurt yourself and keep going all day basically.
My father is good with such stuff as well but only as a keen amateur like me. My grandfather dug ditches and wells for a living along with lots of other things. He could chop wood one handed far better than me or Dad can do swinging the axe as hard as we can. Its all about knowing the best way to do things.
Its how things have progressed in our familly. My grandfather and his ancestors were labourers, breaking their backs for little return. My father was a highly skilled engineer making things on basic lathes and milling machines that the most expensive CAD/CAM machine tools find hard to reproduce. I sit her and type code that turns itself into websites.
My grandfather knew the best way to do phyisical labour. Its how he could keep doing it day in day out all his working life. My father knew all there is to know about machining metal from years of experience. Perhaps I know a lot of my little world of codeing from experience. I like to think so but I don't think I will measure up to my father's or grandfather's respective skills.
Also my own hard phyical graft makes me appreciate how my ancestors had to work to survive. And not just people in the past. There are plenty of people in the world working far harder every day than I do in the garden for "fun" just to stay alive.
Permanent link and Comments posted by Rob Cornelius @ Thursday, June 29, 2006
