Apt. 11D - Words, Links, and Life from Laura McKenna, January 31, 2020

Apt. 11D
Laura McKenna's Publications and Posts

January 31, 2020

Hi all!

We're in the midst of some minor home renovations. Two rooms that remained pretty much untouched since we moved in -- our bedroom and office -- are getting some love. Nothing fancy, because a bigger job is on the horizon. Just a little paint, some rearranging, and new lighting.

The electricians were here all morning putting in overhead lights in our dimly lit office. When they were on the way out, I grilled them about business, because I'm nosy like that. I am super interested in jobs that don't involve college, both because it's a good topic to write about and because my kid, Ian, may or may not be able to hack traditional college, even one that has supports for kids like him.

So, the guys told me that business is great. They were slammed by the recession in 2008 and had to cut their workforce in half, but that things have picked up again. Lots of people are doing construction on their homes and renovating their dimly lit office space, so the work is there.

I asked them if they are hiring new workers. They said that they would, but that "kids today don't want to do physical labor. They just want to play on their cellphones." It's hard for them to find workers.

I asked them about schooling. Did they recommend a particular program or trade school? Nah, they told me. They teach people on the job how to do things. The old guy said that he went to college, but didn't want to work in an office, so he became an electrician. He didn't need his college education for the job. The young guy said he went straight from high school to the job.

I asked them if the guys who came from trade school were particularly good. They told me that those programs weren't very helpful, because the best way to learn how to do a job like theirs isn't from a textbook, but by experience.

I couldn't exactly ask them if their job paid well, but the old guy mentioned that he lived locally. So, he's making enough to afford the high home and taxes in this area. The young guy said he lived out in western Jersey, where houses in the woods are plentiful and relatively affordable. The old guy said that the good thing about being an electrician is that "you can work as much as you like." He works for this big electric company during the day and then works for a buddy in the evening. That evening work is probably off-the-books, so that means that extra income never shows up on salary scales.

I'm going to continue my annoying questions of workers and owners of businesses. College isn't for everyone, and parents like me are looking for answers.

If you want more on this topic, we talked on the blog about a friend who is sending her honors student son to automotive school next year. Also, I wrote about a girl, who decided to go to a trade school, after college last year.

Thanks for reading! Laura

Some pictures of life

ICYMI

I wrote about the benefits of marching band for my kid with autism for The Hechinger Report.

On the blog, I wrote a personal piece about being terrified that my kid had a brain tumor. Being a parent is tough.

On the blog, I wrote about Jonah's experiences at a large public college and off-campus housing.

I wrote about the politics of Harry and Meghan, too.

Links To Other Things That Amused Me

Is “A Trillion Trees” a bad idea?

I’m rearranging bedroom furniture at the moment, so I’ve been reading “5 tips for rug placement.”

I loved this article, ” When the Prince of Wales is Your Landlord.”

Could you manage all the paperwork of being poor person? How about all the paperwork for poor people with special needs kids?

About the first transport of women to Auschwitz.

Two great articles on college housing costs. Is college worth it, if you major in the liberal arts? (yes, sometimes. You can play with numbers here.)