BUILDER GUY

This really nice man came by to fix the window today. I made him a cup of tea and we sat around sipping and chatting.

He asked my about what kind of work I was looking to do, and he talked about what business is like for those in "building." He sees it as sort of recession-proof, since people will always need housing. He said that a lot of people, instead of training their children to go into the trades, told them to go into computers because they were the 'wave of the future', and that now there's a shortage of people in the building trade. We talked a bit about recession-proof industries and that sort of thing.

It was interesting, because I sometimes think of being in construction vs. having an office job as being a class thing. That people don't want their kids to go into construction because they want them to have a 'better life' in an office or something. I don't know--it wasn't exactly that I was feeling class-conscious, so much as I realized that the concept of honor following in the footsteps of your father still exists, and there's something kind of cool about that. I guess probably sometime before the wars, there was some family trade that my family passed on from generation to generation. I guess the Nazis destroyed whatever that was, although I am glad that the one thing that came through was the violin. I wish I could play it better. Generally I just panic and cry whenever I approach it. I'm not sure why.

At any rate, it's strange that I'm always moving, and yet there's something appealing to me about the concept of a quiet and honorable life full of family, traditions, and home.

On the other hand, maybe always moving is part of my own family, tradition and home.

By the way, two of the songs on the new-ish David Bowie album give me that written-just-for-me feeling. That hasn't happened since maybe high school. In case you don't have it (silly you), here are the lyrics:

EVERYONE SAYS HI

Said you'd took a big trip
They said you moved away
Happened oh so quietly, they say

Should've took a picture
Something I could keep
Buy a little frame, something cheap
For you
Everyone says hi

Said you sailed a big ship
Said you sailed away
Didn't know the right thing to say

I'd love to get a letter
Like to know what's what
Hope the weather's good and it's not too hot
For you

Everyone says hi
Everyone says hi
Everyone says

CHORUS
Don't stay in a sad place
Where they don't care how you are
Everyone says hi

If the money is lousy
You can always come home
We can do the old things
(Doo wap wap wha oo)
We can do all the bad things
(Doo wap wap)
If the food gets too eerie
You can always phone home
We could do all the good things
(Doo wap wap wha oo)
We could do it, we could do it, we could do it
(Doo wap wap oooo)

Don't stay in a bad place
Where they don't care how you are
Everyone says hi

Everyone says hi
Everyone says hi
(Everyone says hi)
And the girl next door
(Everyone says hi)
And the guy upstairs
(Everyone says hi)
Everyone says hi
(Everyone says hi)
And your mum and dad
(Everyone says hi)
Everyone says hi
(Everyone says hi)
And your big fat dog
(Everyone says hi)
Everyone says hi
(Everyone says hi)
Everyone says

5:15 THE ANGELS HAVE GONE

5:15
I'm changing trains
This little town
Let me down
This foreign rain
Brings me down
5:15
Train overdue
Angels have gone
No ticket
I'm jumping tracks
I'm changing time

CHORUS
We never talk anymore
Forever I will adore only you

5:15
All of my life
Angels have gone
I'm changing trains
Angels like them
Thin on the ground
All of my life
All legs and wings
Swings turn the eyes

5:15
Train overdue
Angels have gone

CHORUS

Cold station all of my life
Forever I fear

Well, there's your little musical interlude for the day. I'm off to pretend someone wants to hire me.