Profound Statement

[DIGGER]

My older brother and I were discussing a friend who whose son inherited the family business when the father died.  The son never liked the family business but it provided a pretty comfortable living.  My brother made this statement….very profound.


When I was younger I used to read Henry David Thoreau's book, Walden Pond.  There were two things in it I remember.
1. It is bad luck to inherit tools of a trade or a business from your father.  He said when that happened your destiny was cast and you would never know what you were really meant to do.

[Jess from VA]

I got my dad's sextant and complex engineering slide rule.

I have no idea how to use either (except as paperweights), and it didn't stop me from doing what I wanted.  What I wanted was a mistake, but it took some years to figure that out.

Turns out I should have been a used car salesman.  Either that or a Playboy photographer. 

Retirement is the best job I ever had, though the pay is low. 

[J.Mencalice]

My father told me that if I ever became a milkman, he'd kill me.
He started taking me out on the milk truck summers starting at age five, worked me summers, Saturdays, and when school was on vacations.  Then I got a daily paper route at age 10.
He valued education for all of us as he never graduated elementary school.
He always reminded me that making a living with my mind would be better over the decades than making a living with my back.
He convinced me of that with his example of coming home after a day in stifling heat or freezing weather, sweaty exhaustion and sore calves from running up and down many flights of stairs.
Thanks Dad, the lesson was received and learned.

[Oss]

and I thought from our talks that you were a lesbian Jess  

Apparently I was wrong

Photography has gotten more than one post of mine pulled

[John Schmidt]

I got my dad's sextant and complex engineering slide rule.

I have no idea how to use either (except as paperweights), and it didn't stop me from doing what I wanted.  What I wanted was a mistake, but it took some years to figure that out.

Turns out I should have been a used car salesman.  Either that or a Playboy photographer. 

Retirement is the best job I ever had, though the pay is low. 

Not so interesting behind the scenes Jess.  When I got out of the USAF on 8Jan63, I went to work for Xerox in Chicago. I covered the Loop among other locales, the Playboy Club was one of our clients and the Xerox techs fought to take a repair call from there. Since it was my territory I always had dibs but just to show my big heart, if I was swamped with calls I'd let someone else take a Playboy Club call. Some of those beauties were real skanks in appearance when not dolled up for the camera. Hugh was fairly strict but if he wasn't around the language often would melt the paint off the wall. Thankfully I was finally given a restricted territory, Argonne Nat'l. Labs s/w of Chicago. The ladies there were quite personable, very professional...until 5 o'clock. I didn't take part but some of the stories that came back the next day were not to be shared with your mother! 

[Jess from VA]

I was just trying to introduce humor John (as usual).   I never had much interest in photography.

My pocket digi cam is broke (the dang lens door won't open), no cell phone ever, and my 35mm Cannon AE1 Program has been in the safe without batteries for over 20 years.  I may have an old pocket Instamatic around here somewhere too.  

In today's digital age, top quality photos of anything or anyplace under the sun are all on line, and better quality than a novice could ever do.

My remaining interest in photography is the large collection of historical family photos I have, like my dad in boot camp and my parents wedding which line the walls of my stairwell and hallway.  (and in boxes)