Ponderings.....It may just be ME, but.....

[Stanley Steamer]

I'm having my doubts about a lot of the youth of today.....the Wife and I went out to dinner with Scooter and Violet last night at O'Charley's by the Mall of GA......the service we got was less than stellar.....the waitress appeared to be over worked and in a big hurry...no time to see if we needed anything else before she ran off....took a lot longer to get the bread out than normal even though it was busy......it looked like they were understaffed.....that is most likely the manager's fault......with as many folks as there are out of work right now, it'd seem they would have plenty of folks looking for a job, even if it were part-time work?.......

But then I thought about some of the Family on my Wife's side....she has a cousin who's 35 and still lives at home with his Mom.....only works at piddly little "jobs" that barely allow him to put gas in his beat up truck and have a few bucks left over for snacks and smokes....I don't think he helps with any of the bills either....

Her Nephew is 21-22 yrs old and mainly plays the Gameboy or X-Box or whatever type of games kids play these days....he still lives at home....isn't really interested in getting a car.....nor a job.....WTH??....

I had my first "real" job at age 15.....worked during the summer at the Dillard House Restaurant/Hotel taking care of their flower beds and such for minimum wage......it gave me spending $$ and I enjoyed the work.....

Started working at age 16 at the Winn-Dixie in the evenings after school and on the weekends/summers....and didn't get to buy my first car until my 17th birthday....cost me $550....1973 Dodge Dart Swinger 318 V8.....my Dad picked it out with my oldest Sister's help and she picked me up at school early to show me what it was......

Daddy wanted me to start building up my credit, so I borrowed $500 from First Franklin Financial and he had to put another $50 with that(which I had to pay him back) to buy the car.....I was responsible for my own gas,insurance, maintenance, and car payment.....and I appreciated it more than if it had just been given to me like so many kids who had cars bought for them.....I worked hard and never took the school bus to school again.....

I worked at Winn-Dixie on two different occasions......with work as a stock boy at the Piggly Wiggly thrown in between.....my first full time job was as a janitor at a brand new elementary school my Freshman year of college.....I worked 6pm-2am....went home and got up at 5am to eat and get ready to drive 35 miles one way to Piedmont College....stay there all day, come home and eat supper and do it all over again....that schedule had me to where I couldn't go to bed before 2am in the morning for years afterwards...it was the hardest time in my life, but being 18 made it bearable.....and I survived....it was sink or swim....got no help from my Family to pay for College....except $300 one quarter from my Mother for books.....

I entered UGA my Sophomore year........I worked for some of my Horticulture professors all through school....and always worked in the summers to help pay my way through school.....never was able to take  Spring Break trips..... .......but I made it on my own and have worked hard all these years from the bottom and moved up over the years....I'm really grateful that my Folks taught me to be self reliant....it's made me appreciate what it takes to have a good life......some of the younger folks I see these days seem to want it ALL and right NOW and really don't want to have to work hard to get it.....I'm not saying all of them, but it seems like more are content to have things given to them than those of us in my generation........ .....

One thing that has always pissed me off is seeing service ppl looked down upon by the more affluent.....I respect anyone who gives a job their best, no matter what that job is....it's not shameful to take pride in any job as long as you try your best.....an honest days work for an honest days pay.....it just seems that not as many of this new generation believes in that work ethic......but then, I could be wrong?......

[KY,Dave (AKA Misunderstood)]

Couldn't agree more Stanley. I had a very similar raising as yours and appreciated that I was taught a work ethic and earned my way through life instead of having things handed to me. 

[solo1]

Same here Stanley.  I worked part time in the GE defense plant while still going to high school.  First car a 1929 Chevy at $75.00.  After high school, production line at IH. Various other factory jobs.
drafted into the Service during the Korean War, came back, worked in the skilled professions.

Nothing was given to me, I earned it.  I brought my kids up the same way.

Todays laziness and rudeness on the part of some of the younger generation amazes me.

[ptgb]

Oh yeah, the work ethic, especially amongst the 16-25 year old crowd is pretty much gone.

As a cop, I am in many peoples homes, day in and day out. There are so many 20 year olds living with their parents, not going to school, not working... just sitting around doing nothing. It's sad. Even worse, their parents have no problem with this... most make excuses for them.

I have asked many why they aren't working or going to school. Most just shrug their shoulders. Even scarier is the young men out there, who are fathers, who watch their baby's mama go off to work, while they sit around doing bupkis! Sad

** p.s. - I was typing my "ponderings" thread at the same time you were. Funny how we used the same noun without knowing.

[hubcapsc]

Started working at age 16 at the Winn-Dixie in the evenings after school and on the weekends/summers...

I worked at Winn Dixie too when I was 16... I remember going out in the parking lot and doing
wheelies on my 185 during break... I'm sure the older folks thought I was an obnoxious moron,
but look how I turned out!

-Mike "...er... nevermind... "

[Stanley Steamer]

Oh yeah, the work ethic, especially amongst the 16-25 year old crowd is pretty much gone.

As a cop, I am in many peoples homes, day in and day out. There are so many 20 year olds living with their parents, not going to school, not working... just sitting around doing nothing. It's sad. Even worse, their parents have no problem with this... most make excuses for them.

I have asked many why they aren't working or going to school. Most just shrug their shoulders. Even scarier is the young men out there, who are fathers, who watch their baby's mama go off to work, while they sit around doing bupkis! Sad

** p.s. - I was typing my "ponderings" thread at the same time you were. Funny how we used the same noun without knowing.

It truly is sad ......I've seen that a lot around here too.....so I'm not just imagining it then??.... .......they say great minds think alike....

[Stanley Steamer]

Started working at age 16 at the Winn-Dixie in the evenings after school and on the weekends/summers...

I worked at Winn Dixie too when I was 16... I remember going out in the parking lot and doing
wheelies on my 185 during break... I'm sure the older folks thought I was an obnoxious moron,
but look how I turned out!

-Mike "...er... nevermind... "

We used to cut "donuts" in the parking lot after work(after midnight many times on the weekends) if there was no one around....it was all harmless until the night my best friend was doing that....he had also had a Dodge Dart....a year older than mine, but with the 225 slant six in it.....it would only bark the wheels in reverse and he'd get it going fast and whip it around after he built some speed up.....one night he totaled it when he swung around and hit one of the steel with conrete encased "Return carts here" poles dead on the middle of the hood...it pushed the radiator fan through the radiator and into the engine.... ....I wasn't there that night, but  was told there were only a couple of other cars in the parking lot.....wonder how he explained that to his Dad at 1am in the morning??......

[Chrome]

Hey SS You said it right there.

my Folks taught me

Like pets,I think kids are a reflection on their parents. I passed on the values my parents gave me to my sons. Proud of both them.
Chrome

[art]

Pretty much the same here I grew up in the Boston area go my first job pumping gas at 16 [$.16 a gal] got my first car ,a 50 chevy for $50 paid for the ins an reg. myself.My first good job was a apprentice machinist with the GE in Lynn ,Ma river works 1962. My son did the same thing ,worked to get what he wanted an earned a living and now owns his own motorcycle shop.

[alph]

you can't blame it on the "younger" generation.  when they see their parents collecting welfare, and they see the "why work" mantality of their parents, why bother?  then there's the government that rewards people for living a "devil may care" life style, got a kid when you're 16, no problem, her's $800 a month, go pop out another for a raise!!

  my 18 year old daughter has been working at KFC for the last two years, has never called in sick, and has never been late.  what's her reward?  nothing, she's still making $7.25 an hour (minimum wage)even though she's been a excellent employee, there's no chance in hell she'll ever get a raise.  where's the incentive to do better? 

my parents had a restuaraunt, we had this one waitres that quit on her 18th birthday.  she told my mother "i make more on welfare" then she walked out.  my wife and i saw her several years ago, she had 5 kids, from at least 4 different guys, same crabby bitch that she was 15 years earlier.  i tell my daughter that most of her paycheck goes to people like that. 

[T.P.]

HEY ALPH!   pm sent.    T.P.

[sugerbear]

my wife and i got really lucky. all three kids are doing good and not living at home.

all hard workers, and know the value of a dollar.

they all play video games and have the gee whizz phones, but know when to put them down and go to work.

 

[GreenLantern57]

I have 3 younger brothers, the one under me is lazy and wants to be paid to sit a home and think while everyone else does his bidding. Next up works his butt off. Youngest is living in Mom's rental, but never seems to have a steady job or rent money. He always has money for beer, cigs, and going to concerts.

I am 54 and have only been out of work twice since high school, once due to contractor losing his business, and the other due to buyout and I did not make cut.
Can't blame my brothers behavior on my Mother, she worked hard all her life raising us mostly by herself.

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

  she's still making $7.25 an hour (minimum wage)even though she's been a excellent employee, there's no chance in hell she'll ever get a raise.    

All the Union basher on here should be so proud to hear this.

[Jess from VA]

I started working at what anyone in the neighborhood would pay me to do around 12-13; mowing, weeding, leaves, landscape, digging holes, cleaning, stand-in paper boy, washing windows (a very well off local MD had a near mansion with multiple stories of french windows....and at $1.00-1.25 hr, he was pretty much willing to pay me to wash the 10,000 8" square windows, inside and out, every waking hour I had available to work..... forever.  All I had to do was show up and go to work, and keep my time.  I made good money for a kid, but man did I grow to hate washing windows.  And a boatload of babysitting for rowdy (possibly psychotic) children (which is probably why I never wanted any).

And you know what?  When a kid makes a reputation for doing hard, honest, conscientious work, he discovers that lots of other folks will also offer him work.  This is not rocket science.  And I had to compete against other boys who were also out there hustling work.

I have seen no children do any visible outdoor work in my neighborhood for many years, and we have numbers of old folks who cannot find anyone to mow their grass but the local lawn services.

At 15 I drew my first W-2 withholding paycheck at 1.25hr for a Mobil Station (40 hours = $50 gross a week, less tax, required uniform cleaning, and any shortage in your cash drawer) (I thumbed to/from work until the day I hit 16; same day I got my dr license, first car and my first loan - a 90-day note for $600, with peanuts for interest). I later got a raise to $1.50hr. At 18, I went in the steel mills as a painter (20-200+ feet), usually on 2-man scaffolds (block and tackle) to 80-100 feet (and elevated pipelines and lake freighter ore docks).  Paid for 9 years of school, and everything else.

It's learned at home from the people that bore you, not on TV.        

[MNBill]

I sat in court the other day, 36 year old guy on his way to Prison (when he was found guilty of beating and sexually assulting his current GF). Said he had 15 kids with 8 women, 2 grandkids. We are paying for all of them, it is a way of life for alot of people, that needs to change.

My Dad knew a guy that got me in to the local Holiday Inn as a dishwasher at 14, to pay for my Purple Yamaha 100 (I don't remeber the year but Purple??). Had help from a scholarship through college (not for my grades tho) and have always worked for what I wanted. Now at 53 I am retired and working Part time at several places to pay for bling, pension pays the bills.

[hubcapsc]

Purple Yamaha 100 (I don't remeber the year but Purple??).

73, I think... my green one was 72... 

-Mike "paper route"

[MNBill]

Your memory is better than mine, purple was the year after green.

[sugerbear]

my first job was cleaning out cattle trailers for 75 cents hr.
graduated to a mobil station for i think $1.00 hr.

been without work for a total of 2 months, when my wife and i decided to try the stay at home dad thing.  didn't work out.

[old2soon]

My oldest girl from this marriage was asked at her place of employment where she got her work ethic. She was 20 years old at the time. She didn't even have to think about it. She told them i received my work ethics from mom and dad. So sounds to me like something good rubbed off where it was needed.   I had a paper route when i was younger. Dad took me around on Sundays when the papers were huge but i paid for his gas. Cut grass in the summer(my lawn mower that i bought) shoveled snow in the winter(bought my own shovel) raked leaves in the fall(my rake). Dad traded in his 1954 ford on a brand new 1962 Rambler American and i bought that Ford the same Saturday he picked up his new car. I paid my own gas oil insurance tires and like that. My children from my first marriage are all responsible young adults with their own famalies. So it's all good here. Forgot to mention-i had that paper route 3 or 4 years. All 4 seasons being involved. I went summer winter cold or hot-did not matter folks expected their papers. When i finally got rid of that paper route they broke it up into 5 different routes. None of the kids wanted what i had built up. RIDE SAFE.

[Jess Tolbirt]

  she's still making $7.25 an hour (minimum wage)even though she's been a excellent employee, there's no chance in hell she'll ever get a raise.   

All the Union basher on here should be so proud to hear this.

she gets a raise and cost of chicken goes up..
neither side will win,,,

[Thespian]

 Remember, every generation says this about the next one coming down the line. The old folks said the same thing about your's, no mater what age you are. ???

[Oss]

The usual
Mowed lawns for people who didnt want to
paper route
worked for the school district doing whatever the custodian didnt want
to do
worked a loading dock making less than 100 a week in 73  man it was hot as hell with the ac units venting into the loading area

all those jobs before graduating HS  They taught me the value of honest work and that I didnt
want to do any and so I became a lawyer  (  not really but I can see someone would say it)

during summer always had a day and a night job but the night job was
at a drive in movie  talk about fringe benefits  we would lock up and us and
our girls would have a huge space to do whatever, including race our cars


my 57 would take out a speaker pole or 2 once in a while,

your parents can only teach you so much  you need the fire in the belly and the
desire to be someone. otherwise you are just drifting along

Cant imagine not doing anything, some have given up looking these day
and that is a shame but jobs are scarce

But if you can do something you enjoy then life is better if you have to
do something you dont enjoy well if you are taking care of your
family you have my respect but do keep looking out for better

Alph I agree that welfare was a program that meant well and has harmed many

When I retire I can start drifting in the meantime I work and I ride a Valkyrie as many places as I can
at my own pace  Its a good life so far

[RDAbull]

I’m like most of you guys.  61 going on 41 or 81, take your pick.  I started getting up at 4:30 and milking the cows with my Dad when I was 7.  Dad and my Uncle split up and we moved to town when I was 10.  Started a lawn mowing business that summer and kept it until I started at the grocery store when I was 14.  After high school I went to the Big City (Ft Wayne) where I worked at the same GE plant as Solo1 for a while as I went to school.  Spent the next 7 years working/school, both full time and part time depending on the year.  I’ve spent 50-70 hours a week working or getting an education for the last 45 years.  Both of my Sons went to work for a friend at the local McDonalds when they were 14.  Yes, they made minimum wage, but that wasn’t their ultimate job goal either.  They learned discipline, respect and the value of hard work from both their parents and their bosses.  Now my oldest is my business partner and a Captain (soon to be Major) in the Ohio National Guard.  I teach part time in the Accounting Department at Miami University and I can tell you for sure that the B/S attitude of a lot of the GenY kids does not apply to all of them.  There are a bunch of them working their butts off to make something happen just like we did.  The kids we see on the street and the kids I see in my classes are all a reflection of their Parents.  The Government has allowed ¼ of the last generation to raise ½ of the next generation to be useless.  Shame on us for letting it happen.
I still work 50-60 hours a week and get up at 4:30, but I don’t have to milk the cursed cows any more.