Pressure!

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As we all know by now I am not too handy when it comes to fixing things, so it is certainly strange that I make my living in the construction industry. It was even more strange when I was a construction laborer as I worked my way through college. I had no idea what or how we were building anything.

I made my living as a grunt, lifting things others didn't want to lift and carrying heavy weight around the site. I was good at it too. Couldn't do that anymore if I wanted to.

Yet I remember a day long ago when I was working with a carpenter as he was nailing something to something.

"Put some pressure on the wall," he said.

"Okay, wall," I replied. "You are unemployed and you have three hungry kids who want to go to college."

The guy laughed his ass off.

I thought of that today as I tried to get my work done. Things have been unbelievably busy over the last few weeks, and it seems it is all I can do to get to the weekend so I can rest a little.

In other words, like many others, I sometimes feel the same sort of pressure that I applied to that wall.

We have a leak in our bathroom and I don't know where it is coming from. I finished my shower the other morning and went down to the kitchen where water continued to drip on my head. Broken pipe? Floor about to cave in?

I have no idea. (See above).

Then last night the dishwasher stopped running and three lights on the same circuit went out. The breaker didn't trip. We smelled burning electric. Bad outlet? Can the whole place go up in smoke?

I have no idea. (See above).

So, there seems to be a little pressure.

Matt's wish is to go to a big, private school. Today they told us we should expect that we will pay a lot of money so that his little dream comes true.

Cliff meet wall.

Wall meet Cliff.

At least I'm not unemployed.

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