I understand the mindset, but I don’t think it’s endemic. My youngest is putting out resumes and applying for jobs daily now that he’s graduated. The worst part of all this is that the current industry climate in the environmental business, no matter where you are, is to circle the wagons and hunker down. He’s applying for really crappy public works jobs that will give him some broader experience to try and improve his potential for getting a “real” job. I have been using what favors I have to try and get him into the County so he might be able to get a start in the environmental business with them. In the meantime he works at a local golf course where rich white guys shove cash at him for taking care of their golf carts.
This is a real conundrum for him - it’s not uncommon for him to come home with a couple hundred bucks worth of tips for an 8-10 hour day. This is over and above what he makes in wages. He literally makes more than he would at an entry level job in his discipline - but he knows that he’s got to find something and get started in order to be successful in the long term. In the mean time he’s already paying what little student loans he has and he pays all of his own expenses, such as gas, insurance, etc., even though we don’t require it. He has bought some video games and a new computer, but it’s not like he’s blowing every penny he gets - far from it. I can only hope that he’s recognized the effort him Mom and I have made to be successful, and that we didn’t just fall into what we’ve got today. I’m pretty sure he has. So for now we’re 50-50. #1 boy - meh. #2 boy - doing OK and making an effort. -D > On Feb 19, 2017, at 9:07 PM, clay via Mercedes <mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: > > But, Dan, we understood that coming out of university that we were going to > be poor. Bottom of the rung in a career if not a job. That these would be > the good old days of struggle to get ahead that we would remember fondly just > how DAMN poor we were once we did get a few more rungs up the ladder. > > The kids of today think somebody will haul their bacon out of the fire. > <Political invective best suited to banned now> > > #1 boy knew when he got the SE three years ago that it needed a few issues > dealt with. He worked diligently to gather funding every week at his job. > Not a penny of this remuneration went to solving or repairing the problems in > the car. He did get lots of electronic toys. Many other kid goodies. When > he moved out of the home to get a better job, he made more cash. This went > to increasing his arsenal. Nothing was spent to make his car more reliable, > but he did get a BANGING STEREO! The issues finally bit him in the rear and > sidelined the car in early December. He purchased another fire arm. > > I told him the next bunch of any cash he has in the bank should really go > putting the car right. Then he can sell the thing for some more dollars, or > at least he can drive it again. > > clay > , > > > >> On Feb 19, 2017, at 5:38 PM, Dan Penoff via Mercedes <mercedes@okiebenz.com> >> wrote: >> >> I tend to agree with Clay. >> >> Both the wife and I have set examples of how it takes hard work and extra >> effort to be successful, both personally and professionally. The youngest >> seems to get it for the most part but the oldest never has. He’s more about >> excuses and why he can’t do something. We are very confused by this as he’s >> always been held accountable for his actions as his younger brother has, too. >> >> All I can think of is working behind a hay wagon in 90 degree heat and >> humidity in August in long sleeves and jeans for 12-14 hours a day. Holy. I >> would go home and pretty much fall into bed, exhausted, and get up and do it >> again the next day. Come the weekend I had money in my pocket and gas in >> the tank and was ready to have some fun. >> >> Many young people we see today just seem to be interested in doing the >> absolute minimum to get by and just want to have fun. It’s not like the “I >> want what you have but I haven’t realized I have to work hard to get it” >> thing, it almost seems like a general malaise. I understand the age gap and >> how we view ourselves versus our “kids”, but I don’t think this is anything >> that our parents saw. >> >> -D >> >> >> >>> On Feb 19, 2017, at 8:00 PM, Mountain Man via Mercedes >>> <mercedes@okiebenz.com> wrote: >>> >>> clay wrote: >>>> None of the kids around now are willing to put forth the effort on school >>>> work either. >>> >>> I don't buy this. Someone is feeding us a line. Something ain't >>> right. It is our fault, you know. We fathered and trained this >>> generation. Self introspection - what did I NOT do? Sad. >>> tin-man >>> >>> _______________________________________ >>> http://www.okiebenz.com >>> >>> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ >>> >>> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: >>> http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com >>> >>> >> >> >> _______________________________________ >> http://www.okiebenz.com >> >> To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ >> >> To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: >> http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com >> > > > _______________________________________ > http://www.okiebenz.com > > To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ > > To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: > http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com > _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
