Building a better world - Cam's Journal
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
Happy new year! Looks like things are taking shape! The visit with grandma in particular will probably be worth its weight in gold in hindsight
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
Digital Minimalism has been big for me. Hope it works out well for you to. Good Luck!
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
Yes I really enjoyed myself and she did too
Just found a pair of mitts that will need a good patch in the palm portion, so we have another project! I'll be checking out your journal to keep up on how things are working out. Thanks for the well wishes! Right now I've only made the minor changes, but I do plan on a full 30 day detox at some point to really kick myself in the butt about delevoping better online habits.
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
So a 61% savings rate this month - pretty low, but I was making some useful purchases. First off - the laptop I'm typing this post on. It's an 2019 Asus with an AMD12 processor, 12GB of RAM and it was recently switched from a 1TB HDD to a 300GB SSD. Got it for $300 from a guy I know through bike repair. It seems to run just fine and it'll definitely get me through school. My little asus chromebook I got in 2020 to get zoom calls (before that I was using a 2008 macbook which sadly would not run zoom) is dying. One of the hinges snapped, and one speaker is dead. I only spent ~$230 on the thing so I'm not surprised. This machine should last me longer. Only downside is that the battery does not hold a charge. If this turns out to be an issue I can get a battery online for ~$50CAD and then it'll run good as new.
I also got myself a good, mobile little instrument. It's a tenor ukelele made by Kala, with a solid maple top on it. Looks just gorgeous, sounds great, and it's much more portable than a keyboard or my guitars. Speaking of, I sold my old uke for $15 and an older guitar for $175. Only one more guitar to go then it's just me and my uke. Normally it goes for $625, but I got it used for $300. Plus a case that's usually about $100. Basically a guy bought the uke, then upgraded to a higher end one. He took extremely good care of it, because I didn't even know it was used until I saw the discount tag.
In terms of earnings, I'm working 37 hours/week at my grocery store, and taking two days off a week: one to shadow, and one to volunteer in a French immersion class room (talk about great French practice!). I should get my fat bike sold in February or March, most likely for $1000 or a little more.
My other big purchases were some proper fitting, business casual type clothes. In a way it sucks not being able to just wear a long sleeve and grubby jeans to work anymore - lol! But I do like looking sharp. I bought the clothes not just because I'll need them for school and work, but because I'm now shadowing a CDA once a week Tomorrow I'm actually going in for my second day. The job is so neat. It's one on one work with kids who are having trouble pronouncing certain vowel sounds - for example the "th" sound or "sh" sound. The lady I'm shadowing has been doing this over 25 years so she's reallllly good. It's incredibly rewarding, surprisingly low stress (at least compared to being a teacher or early childhood educator), and the jobs available are plentiful. I see new postings every time I check! And the demand for speech therapy far outstrips the supply of SLPs and CDAs. The demand is only growing too as more kids spend too much time interacting with screens instead of people. It is so refreshing to have finally found a good path for myself.
I think February will be my digital detox month. The idea has been bouncing around in my head for weeks after reading Digital Minimalism, and this is the perfect time to give it a shot. No Facebook, Instagram, Youtube...it seems daunting but I know I have plenty of neglected hobbies that will once again see the light of day. I could start drawing again, really learn to get good at my uke, finish some paintings, and journal and meditate again. I'll probably get more reading done too! And I'll bet I'll actually implement a better GTD system as I'll have no excuse for not getting it set up. I'll get more details online then get blocking software like Freedom or something else set up before February begins. So long story short, life is good! Still saving up money for school, shrinking my possessions down to make future me more mobile, and getting real world exposure not only to speech pathology but spoken French on a regular basis. It is all coming together mwahahaha
I also got myself a good, mobile little instrument. It's a tenor ukelele made by Kala, with a solid maple top on it. Looks just gorgeous, sounds great, and it's much more portable than a keyboard or my guitars. Speaking of, I sold my old uke for $15 and an older guitar for $175. Only one more guitar to go then it's just me and my uke. Normally it goes for $625, but I got it used for $300. Plus a case that's usually about $100. Basically a guy bought the uke, then upgraded to a higher end one. He took extremely good care of it, because I didn't even know it was used until I saw the discount tag.
In terms of earnings, I'm working 37 hours/week at my grocery store, and taking two days off a week: one to shadow, and one to volunteer in a French immersion class room (talk about great French practice!). I should get my fat bike sold in February or March, most likely for $1000 or a little more.
My other big purchases were some proper fitting, business casual type clothes. In a way it sucks not being able to just wear a long sleeve and grubby jeans to work anymore - lol! But I do like looking sharp. I bought the clothes not just because I'll need them for school and work, but because I'm now shadowing a CDA once a week
Tomorrow I'm actually going in for my second day. The job is so neat. It's one on one work with kids who are having trouble pronouncing certain vowel sounds - for example the "th" sound or "sh" sound. The lady I'm shadowing has been doing this over 25 years so she's reallllly good. It's incredibly rewarding, surprisingly low stress (at least compared to being a teacher or early childhood educator), and the jobs available are plentiful. I see new postings every time I check! And the demand for speech therapy far outstrips the supply of SLPs and CDAs. The demand is only growing too as more kids spend too much time interacting with screens instead of people. It is so refreshing to have finally found a good path for myself.I think February will be my digital detox month. The idea has been bouncing around in my head for weeks after reading Digital Minimalism, and this is the perfect time to give it a shot. No Facebook, Instagram, Youtube...it seems daunting but I know I have plenty of neglected hobbies that will once again see the light of day. I could start drawing again, really learn to get good at my uke, finish some paintings, and journal and meditate again. I'll probably get more reading done too! And I'll bet I'll actually implement a better GTD system as I'll have no excuse for not getting it set up. I'll get more details online then get blocking software like Freedom or something else set up before February begins. So long story short, life is good! Still saving up money for school, shrinking my possessions down to make future me more mobile, and getting real world exposure not only to speech pathology but spoken French on a regular basis. It is all coming together mwahahaha
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
It's always when things are going swimmingly that life throws you a curveball. At least that's how it seems for me.
When I say curveball, I mean a really good curveball that takes the form of an electrical apprenticeship opportunity at a good business in my hometown. I had just gotten home from work two days ago when my mom stopped me in the entranceway and said, "Cam I have something to tell you!" Suffice to say most our conversations don't start like this, usually it's how was your day and she lets me take my outdoor stuff off first.
She told me that Mr. so and so's wife came up to her in the gym and said they're looking for an apprentice right now, and she said if I was still interested to definitely reapply.
It was a couple years ago now, I think, where I went around town with my resume and cover letter and showed up at electrical businesses to introduce myself. One of them was Mr. so and so, and I remember now him saying that he couldn't take me then, but that I'd be the first to know about any openings. He stuck to his word, because the opening isn't posted anywhere.
When my mom first told me about it, I said no. I have switched enough! I am on the path for speech and I enjoy speech and I got accepted to school for speech and that's that. She said okay, just think about it. So I did, then slept on it as I usually do with big decisions. After thinking and sleeping on it, I started to see what my mom saw. The business is run by a family I know well enough, in fact the guy who runs it coached me in hockey when I was a kid (bonus: he is aware that I'm not a slacker and a real good team player). They are a great family, and he runs a great business too that has been around 25+ years. The job isn't even posted.
So I called the business yesterday and asked about a timeline - did someone just leave and you need someone now, or is someone headed out in a month or two etc. Just to get the idea of how much time I had to think about it. Turns out one of their apprentices is going to write his journeyman exam and once he's a journeyman they'll have another apprentice spot available. I asked what happens if he fails, and she said it isn't an option. At first I thought how does that work? But then she continued and said it's like the NCLEX (nursing exam). You just keep rewriting it until you pass sort of thing. She said until then there is plenty of work that I could put toward my experience hours to go around if I would want it. I told her I'd re send my resume and cover letter yesterday evening, and I did. Took a bit to update it with my welding school and shop experience but I got it all fixed up. I sent it off, and this morning got an email asking when in the next few days I could interview. !!!
Worst case for whatever reason they change their mind about me and I don't get offered the position, but I don't see that as likely. Then I'd just continue on the path I'm on for speech. But right now, I'm thinking an opportunity like this does not come around often. Something in my hometown (I do really like it here, hence me never having the urge to leave after highschool) with a family business I know is legit and where I will learn a ton, and with work I know I'll enjoy. I already have 90% of the tools I'll need, and high quality ones at that. E.g. I have this multimeter https://www.amazon.ca/Fluke-Electronics ... 585&sr=8-7 which will probably outlast me. I beat inflation as I only paid $200 for it when I purchased it
But I have everything I need to get going, right now. And I do know that the door for speech is open to me, as every program I applied to accepted me. So if I do electrical for a year and decide "this sucks" I can just re apply and return to the path I'm on.
*I am writing this the next day now* So I interviewed yesterday and it went really, really well. They didn't officially offer me the position (they'll get back to me Monday) but I have a great feeling about it. Apparently the wife is a huge reader because when I mentioned I never stopped reading, and that I go across disciplines, she asked if she could suggest some new reads for me. Nerds unite! I was honest about everything from my flaws as a worker (learning to distinguish what needs to be done pretty well and fast, versus what needs to be near perfect and time spent on it doesn't matter as much) to my initial hesitation about the position when I first heard about it. I'm really pumped.
Phew! So now that I can relax a bit, I can talk about other stuff. Yesterday and today I am taking the place of a personal support worker for a guy with severe autism at my community program for adults with disabilities. She's gone on a short holiday for the first time in a long time, and I'm taking her place so he can still show up to the program and see his friends. He was a bit anxious yesterday because it has been him and her for seven years, but he did really really well in calming himself down. I'm in again today with him, then she's back on Monday. I think I did a pretty good job with him. He's my age or a couple years older, but almost completely nonverbal. If any of you are curious about getting inside a person's head who has autism, Naoki Higashida has written two books, one called The Reason I Jump and the other is Fall Down 7 Times Get Up 8. Both dispel a lot of myths surrounding autism and have helped me do a much better job working with the guy at the program.
As for money, my networth increased by $1500 in February. I actually earned a good amount, but I had expenses including paying for a naturopath out of pocket and a full spectrum of blood tests. Only went with the naturopath because I couldn't get a call going with my family doctor, the line was busy every time I tried. Also had the superbowl, where we ordered pizza and wings, but three people ended up cancelling. So my friend had ordered for 5 but only two of us actually showed up
Still had fun, but splitting the costs in two was a LOT more expensive than splitting five ways. I will survive though.
Oh and there's a cute girl working at the program I'm gonna ask to see if she'd like to get coffee or go for a hike sometime. In the past few days I have caught her looking at me I don't know how many times. She's really sweet, a great singer and very very pretty to boot. Nothing ventured nothing gained I say. And as I'm only working there today then headed out, if there is an awkward "no" the awkwardness will just be today.
So all in all, life threw me a curveball but it's going great. Very excited for Monday. And worst case if they do not offer me the position, I continue on the path I'm on with speech. So woo
When I say curveball, I mean a really good curveball that takes the form of an electrical apprenticeship opportunity at a good business in my hometown. I had just gotten home from work two days ago when my mom stopped me in the entranceway and said, "Cam I have something to tell you!" Suffice to say most our conversations don't start like this, usually it's how was your day and she lets me take my outdoor stuff off first.
She told me that Mr. so and so's wife came up to her in the gym and said they're looking for an apprentice right now, and she said if I was still interested to definitely reapply.
It was a couple years ago now, I think, where I went around town with my resume and cover letter and showed up at electrical businesses to introduce myself. One of them was Mr. so and so, and I remember now him saying that he couldn't take me then, but that I'd be the first to know about any openings. He stuck to his word, because the opening isn't posted anywhere.
When my mom first told me about it, I said no. I have switched enough! I am on the path for speech and I enjoy speech and I got accepted to school for speech and that's that. She said okay, just think about it. So I did, then slept on it as I usually do with big decisions. After thinking and sleeping on it, I started to see what my mom saw. The business is run by a family I know well enough, in fact the guy who runs it coached me in hockey when I was a kid (bonus: he is aware that I'm not a slacker and a real good team player). They are a great family, and he runs a great business too that has been around 25+ years. The job isn't even posted.
So I called the business yesterday and asked about a timeline - did someone just leave and you need someone now, or is someone headed out in a month or two etc. Just to get the idea of how much time I had to think about it. Turns out one of their apprentices is going to write his journeyman exam and once he's a journeyman they'll have another apprentice spot available. I asked what happens if he fails, and she said it isn't an option. At first I thought how does that work? But then she continued and said it's like the NCLEX (nursing exam). You just keep rewriting it until you pass sort of thing. She said until then there is plenty of work that I could put toward my experience hours to go around if I would want it. I told her I'd re send my resume and cover letter yesterday evening, and I did. Took a bit to update it with my welding school and shop experience but I got it all fixed up. I sent it off, and this morning got an email asking when in the next few days I could interview. !!!
Worst case for whatever reason they change their mind about me and I don't get offered the position, but I don't see that as likely. Then I'd just continue on the path I'm on for speech. But right now, I'm thinking an opportunity like this does not come around often. Something in my hometown (I do really like it here, hence me never having the urge to leave after highschool) with a family business I know is legit and where I will learn a ton, and with work I know I'll enjoy. I already have 90% of the tools I'll need, and high quality ones at that. E.g. I have this multimeter https://www.amazon.ca/Fluke-Electronics ... 585&sr=8-7 which will probably outlast me. I beat inflation as I only paid $200 for it when I purchased it
But I have everything I need to get going, right now. And I do know that the door for speech is open to me, as every program I applied to accepted me. So if I do electrical for a year and decide "this sucks" I can just re apply and return to the path I'm on.
*I am writing this the next day now* So I interviewed yesterday and it went really, really well. They didn't officially offer me the position (they'll get back to me Monday) but I have a great feeling about it. Apparently the wife is a huge reader because when I mentioned I never stopped reading, and that I go across disciplines, she asked if she could suggest some new reads for me. Nerds unite! I was honest about everything from my flaws as a worker (learning to distinguish what needs to be done pretty well and fast, versus what needs to be near perfect and time spent on it doesn't matter as much) to my initial hesitation about the position when I first heard about it. I'm really pumped.
Phew! So now that I can relax a bit, I can talk about other stuff. Yesterday and today I am taking the place of a personal support worker for a guy with severe autism at my community program for adults with disabilities. She's gone on a short holiday for the first time in a long time, and I'm taking her place so he can still show up to the program and see his friends. He was a bit anxious yesterday because it has been him and her for seven years, but he did really really well in calming himself down. I'm in again today with him, then she's back on Monday. I think I did a pretty good job with him. He's my age or a couple years older, but almost completely nonverbal. If any of you are curious about getting inside a person's head who has autism, Naoki Higashida has written two books, one called The Reason I Jump and the other is Fall Down 7 Times Get Up 8. Both dispel a lot of myths surrounding autism and have helped me do a much better job working with the guy at the program.
As for money, my networth increased by $1500 in February. I actually earned a good amount, but I had expenses including paying for a naturopath out of pocket and a full spectrum of blood tests. Only went with the naturopath because I couldn't get a call going with my family doctor, the line was busy every time I tried. Also had the superbowl, where we ordered pizza and wings, but three people ended up cancelling. So my friend had ordered for 5 but only two of us actually showed up
Still had fun, but splitting the costs in two was a LOT more expensive than splitting five ways. I will survive though. Oh and there's a cute girl working at the program I'm gonna ask to see if she'd like to get coffee or go for a hike sometime. In the past few days I have caught her looking at me I don't know how many times. She's really sweet, a great singer and very very pretty to boot. Nothing ventured nothing gained I say. And as I'm only working there today then headed out, if there is an awkward "no" the awkwardness will just be today.
So all in all, life threw me a curveball but it's going great. Very excited for Monday. And worst case if they do not offer me the position, I continue on the path I'm on with speech. So woo
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
That's exciting stuff! It sounds like the people closest to you are supportive of the change, which is huge. I've done many career changes and it's always easier when people around you are supportive. But you'll probably have to deal with judgmental people at some point, and I wish you thick skin and an unflappable confidence in your choice when that day comes
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
They really are. I've taken that for granted, but oh my would that ever increase my stress if they said, "You're switching again?!" My friends poke fun at me but they don't really care as long as I'm doing well. They know how I am with all my interests and hobbies!
And thank you for bringing me back to my journal because I forgot to mention how the digital detox went. I very nearly jumped right back into everything, which is exactly what you're NOT supposed to do at the end. It's much better to do a reflective process where you find out what your needs are, and how to best fulfill them. You only keep optional technologies around if they are the best possible way to fulfill that need. E.g. using instagram to keep up with your friend who's a new parent. Liking and commenting on photos might be nice, but a far more effective and fulfilling way to do this would be to schedule a monthly call with your friend to chat. So I almost jumped right back in...but after the month away it felt sort of empty. After work when I was tired I got on Youtube and was watching my funny stuff, but I got that mentally 'frazzled' feeling when I'm being sent all the place by the algorithm. Youtube is extremely helpful to me as someone who likes teaching himself things, so I don't want to ban it entirely. I also don't want easy access all the time, because it's simply too addictive. This morning I downloaded Freetube, an open source app that makes it much more difficult for Google to track your watching habits. I tried it out this morning and loved it. I ended up watching about 30 mins of comprehensible input spanish videos without distraction. Whether it will work long term to keep me from endless watching, who knows. I'm open to suggestions here!
Some other sites to consider:
facebook - I didn't miss scrolling here at all. It's one of those sites that I would only access because it was so easy to. All I had was a simple site blocker and it was more than enough to block any impulses I had. However I do enjoy it for keeping up with local groups, but this could be replaced with another site like eventbrite. Selling/giving away stuff is a breeze on it with so many users, but Kijiji works fine for that too. I have some thinking to do here.
Instagram - I deleted my account this morning, and I won't miss it. It served no useful purpose to me, and it's another one of the endless scrolling sites.
Tinder/bumble/other dating apps - I didn't miss these at all either, and I see no reason to re-download them. If I want to meet new people, I can go to the coffeeshop alone or with friends, or play some pool, or go bowling...there are so many much more fulfilling options than endless swiping. They all take more work than swiping, but they are much more fulfilling in the end.
News - I think I will be restricting my news consumption to allsides.org on a weekly basis or something around there. Another source who I enjoy immensely is Mallen Baker on Youtube. He does videos usually around 20-30 minutes long, and all very fact-focused. In the past he's done videos on the hot button political topics in a very balanced way. Even though I don't agree with him on a few things, I respect his opinion because his focus is on 'what do the data say' rather than 'how can I make the data say what I want it to'. He covers current events as well, with a UK focus because that's where he lives. In the past he's covered climate change (mitigation, feedback loops, activism), culture war stuff (transgender athletes, can't think of any others at the moment) and covid stuff from the vaccines to alternative treatments to the effectiveness of lockdowns. He's a great resource for fact-focused content.
Anywho, that is it for now. Going to take the dog out before work!
And thank you for bringing me back to my journal because I forgot to mention how the digital detox went. I very nearly jumped right back into everything, which is exactly what you're NOT supposed to do at the end. It's much better to do a reflective process where you find out what your needs are, and how to best fulfill them. You only keep optional technologies around if they are the best possible way to fulfill that need. E.g. using instagram to keep up with your friend who's a new parent. Liking and commenting on photos might be nice, but a far more effective and fulfilling way to do this would be to schedule a monthly call with your friend to chat. So I almost jumped right back in...but after the month away it felt sort of empty. After work when I was tired I got on Youtube and was watching my funny stuff, but I got that mentally 'frazzled' feeling when I'm being sent all the place by the algorithm. Youtube is extremely helpful to me as someone who likes teaching himself things, so I don't want to ban it entirely. I also don't want easy access all the time, because it's simply too addictive. This morning I downloaded Freetube, an open source app that makes it much more difficult for Google to track your watching habits. I tried it out this morning and loved it. I ended up watching about 30 mins of comprehensible input spanish videos without distraction. Whether it will work long term to keep me from endless watching, who knows. I'm open to suggestions here!
Some other sites to consider:
facebook - I didn't miss scrolling here at all. It's one of those sites that I would only access because it was so easy to. All I had was a simple site blocker and it was more than enough to block any impulses I had. However I do enjoy it for keeping up with local groups, but this could be replaced with another site like eventbrite. Selling/giving away stuff is a breeze on it with so many users, but Kijiji works fine for that too. I have some thinking to do here.
Instagram - I deleted my account this morning, and I won't miss it. It served no useful purpose to me, and it's another one of the endless scrolling sites.
Tinder/bumble/other dating apps - I didn't miss these at all either, and I see no reason to re-download them. If I want to meet new people, I can go to the coffeeshop alone or with friends, or play some pool, or go bowling...there are so many much more fulfilling options than endless swiping. They all take more work than swiping, but they are much more fulfilling in the end.
News - I think I will be restricting my news consumption to allsides.org on a weekly basis or something around there. Another source who I enjoy immensely is Mallen Baker on Youtube. He does videos usually around 20-30 minutes long, and all very fact-focused. In the past he's done videos on the hot button political topics in a very balanced way. Even though I don't agree with him on a few things, I respect his opinion because his focus is on 'what do the data say' rather than 'how can I make the data say what I want it to'. He covers current events as well, with a UK focus because that's where he lives. In the past he's covered climate change (mitigation, feedback loops, activism), culture war stuff (transgender athletes, can't think of any others at the moment) and covid stuff from the vaccines to alternative treatments to the effectiveness of lockdowns. He's a great resource for fact-focused content.
Anywho, that is it for now. Going to take the dog out before work!
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mooretrees
- Posts: 763
- Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2019 1:21 pm
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
So, that’s such a great story! I’m hoping it all works out for you. Report back!
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
Sounds like an outstanding opportunity. Here's hoping it works out for you.
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
@mooretrees Thank you I will be reporting back!
@theanimal You got that right, it's one of those opportunities that doesn't come around too often. Fingers crossed!
I will be reporting back! @theanimal You got that right, it's one of those opportunities that doesn't come around too often. Fingers crossed!
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
I got the offer this morning. I took it! You are reading the journal of a future apprentice electrician. Starting March 27th With training happening on any days I have off in the coming two weeks because he wants to get me going ASAP. Woohooooo!
With training happening on any days I have off in the coming two weeks because he wants to get me going ASAP. Woohooooo!
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
Fabulous story. I really enjoyed it. Great news about the apprentice. Congratulations!
What about the girl?
What about the girl?
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mooretrees
- Posts: 763
- Joined: Sun Jan 27, 2019 1:21 pm
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
Excellent news!! It’s so great that it starts so soon too.
And yes, I am curious about the girl too.
And yes, I am curious about the girl too.
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
Thanks folks! I totally forgot I mentioned her. I had assumed she's be working Friday too (my last day working with the guy with autism) but life is never that easy. Turns out her client doesn't come to the program on Fridays I'd still love to ask her to coffee though, I may just have to be braver and visit the program to say hi but ask for her. Once her client is settled in for lunch I know she'd be free for a few minutes to chat.
I'd still love to ask her to coffee though, I may just have to be braver and visit the program to say hi but ask for her. Once her client is settled in for lunch I know she'd be free for a few minutes to chat.-
grundomatic
- Posts: 422
- Joined: Thu Apr 29, 2021 9:04 am
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
Congrats on the job! Since we are (re)reading Early Retirement Extreme, I thought I would drop a quote here from section 5.1.1, a modular design (pg 88):
"Furthermore, the wider the diversification, the greater the likelihood of taking advantage of opportunities in the unique environment you reside in..."
Your experience is a perfect demonstration of this. A broad set of skills you intentionally developed has paid off in this new job, but the path wasn't a direct one. What a great example to those reading your journal. Congratulations again.
"Furthermore, the wider the diversification, the greater the likelihood of taking advantage of opportunities in the unique environment you reside in..."
Your experience is a perfect demonstration of this. A broad set of skills you intentionally developed has paid off in this new job, but the path wasn't a direct one. What a great example to those reading your journal. Congratulations again.
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
Hey thanks so much! I just saw it as yet another switch, but you're right. If I had zero electrical experience and/or I'd never experimented with it (and sent out resumes!) I never would have even heard of this opportunity.
I had my first day today, and it was great. Small crew and everyone is friendly and welcoming. I just followed the experienced guys around and grabbed anything they needed. A couple of times I even grabbed what they needed so they didn't need to ask
I got along really well with all of them. Only another week and a half at the grocery store and I'll be full time there. Whoop whoop!
I had my first day today, and it was great. Small crew and everyone is friendly and welcoming. I just followed the experienced guys around and grabbed anything they needed. A couple of times I even grabbed what they needed so they didn't need to ask
I got along really well with all of them. Only another week and a half at the grocery store and I'll be full time there. Whoop whoop!Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
So March is nearly complete. This month I was spendy to get some trades clothes. Bought my first pairs of Carhartt pants. $110 each but I swear they are so thick someone could try to stab me in the thigh and they wouldn't be able to because the material is so tough. Okay not quite but I've never worn pants like them before. Here they are 
They're like wearing a canvas tent. But surprisingly comfortable as the legs are a super wide fit. I've never owned pants with rivets in them before.
I also bought a new pair of Blundstones as work boots. They aren't as sexy as the older ones as they have a rubber cap on the steel toe now, but I think the toe will last a lot longer because of the cap so I don't mind. All in all it was $500+ for getting geared up. I had everything else basically, aside from needing to pick up a mini hacksaw to cut armoured cable sheathing. So now with my pants and boots it looks as if I know what I'm doing as a tradesperson to a bystander, even if I don't
So with my big purchases I spent ~$1100 total, earning a net income of $2000. I can see the earnings and savings rate going up a lot next month as I start full time (at least) work. I'll be going out of town up north for 12 days next month, and I know the overtime is going to add up very quickly. The hotel and meal expenses are all covered. Watch out folks, I'll be rolling in it.
Big money aside I am excited for the weekend. This Friday will be 12 days straight of work - I did my two weeks at the grocery store, and my boss scheduled me right to sunday, then started full time this monday. Phew.
Big picture I need to start planning what I'll be doing in the medium term. I was planning on school and all that went with it but that is out of the picture now, along with the $20K I would have spent on it. Investing wise - how much to allocate to cash savings vs investing in stocks/bonds/precious metals. I plan on buying land in the not too distant future, so I want cash available but also don't want all my money to just sit there losing value each year. Got some thinking to do there. And I'm exploring the idea of moving out. Not because I dislike it here, but I think I want to have a go at living on my own before I start from scratch on a plot of land somewhere. I'm not talking a full apartment or anything, probably just a room that would go anywhere from $400-$700 per month around here.
Oh and the job? Great. Technically did my 6th day today and I've already did some rough-in residential work, some commercial troubleshooting and some industrial installation. Sooo much variety and I love it! The guys are great too.
Anyhoo.It is time to read.
They're like wearing a canvas tent. But surprisingly comfortable as the legs are a super wide fit. I've never owned pants with rivets in them before.
I also bought a new pair of Blundstones as work boots. They aren't as sexy as the older ones as they have a rubber cap on the steel toe now, but I think the toe will last a lot longer because of the cap so I don't mind. All in all it was $500+ for getting geared up. I had everything else basically, aside from needing to pick up a mini hacksaw to cut armoured cable sheathing. So now with my pants and boots it looks as if I know what I'm doing as a tradesperson to a bystander, even if I don't
So with my big purchases I spent ~$1100 total, earning a net income of $2000. I can see the earnings and savings rate going up a lot next month as I start full time (at least) work. I'll be going out of town up north for 12 days next month, and I know the overtime is going to add up very quickly. The hotel and meal expenses are all covered. Watch out folks, I'll be rolling in it.
Big money aside I am excited for the weekend. This Friday will be 12 days straight of work - I did my two weeks at the grocery store, and my boss scheduled me right to sunday, then started full time this monday. Phew.
Big picture I need to start planning what I'll be doing in the medium term. I was planning on school and all that went with it but that is out of the picture now, along with the $20K I would have spent on it. Investing wise - how much to allocate to cash savings vs investing in stocks/bonds/precious metals. I plan on buying land in the not too distant future, so I want cash available but also don't want all my money to just sit there losing value each year. Got some thinking to do there. And I'm exploring the idea of moving out. Not because I dislike it here, but I think I want to have a go at living on my own before I start from scratch on a plot of land somewhere. I'm not talking a full apartment or anything, probably just a room that would go anywhere from $400-$700 per month around here.
Oh and the job? Great. Technically did my 6th day today and I've already did some rough-in residential work, some commercial troubleshooting and some industrial installation. Sooo much variety and I love it! The guys are great too.
Anyhoo.It is time to read.
-
calamityjane
- Posts: 61
- Joined: Sun Jan 08, 2023 2:51 pm
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
Hi Cam,
Congratulations on the job. Regarding your medium term financial planning, now is kind of a great time to be holding onto cash as long as you don't just stick it in a sock drawer (regular bank savings, e.g.). There are a lot of online bank promotions offering over 4% for checking accounts, and CD rates are even better. I personally moved most of my cash over the Vanguard money market fund (VMFXX) for a combination of accessibility and robust(ish) growth, plus I trust Vanguard and it seems less likely to do a bait and switch to a much lower rate anytime real soon. Good luck!
Congratulations on the job. Regarding your medium term financial planning, now is kind of a great time to be holding onto cash as long as you don't just stick it in a sock drawer (regular bank savings, e.g.). There are a lot of online bank promotions offering over 4% for checking accounts, and CD rates are even better. I personally moved most of my cash over the Vanguard money market fund (VMFXX) for a combination of accessibility and robust(ish) growth, plus I trust Vanguard and it seems less likely to do a bait and switch to a much lower rate anytime real soon. Good luck!
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
@calamityjane Thanks for the input! I don't think VMFXX is available in Canada, at least from my cursory checks on my Questrade account. I can definitely check out what other banks are offering though for interest rates. I hadn't thought of that, thanks!
Re: Building a better world - Cam's Journal
So it has officially been over a month for me as an apprentice electrician, and I am loving it. There is an endless variety of work,I get to be on my feet all day, and there's a lot of thinking involved. The real bonus for me is that from what I can tell, I am working for a business that has real integrity. In electrical it is SO easy to mess with people because so many people know so little about it. I have seen a couple instances now where we did the right thing even when it would have been much easier not to.
One involved the wiring inside a huge water pump that's gonna supply water to a large factory. The drawings were missing inside the pump for wiring, so the journeyman did what he thought made sense. The owner was calling and texting the manufacturer of the pumps but wasn't getting a response. So we closed up the pump, packed up our tools, and started to head home. Now this is not a normal job site. It is on the shore of a lake, and that day it was -12C and basically blizzard conditions - my job was shielding the journeyman from the blowing snow with my body while he wired up the pump. Not only that, it was a site that we needed to snowmobile to as there are no roads yet. So we packed up the tools, took the snowmobile back to the trucks, and packed up.
We started the drive home when my boss got a call from the pump manufacturer. He learned that the journeyman put in a jumper that he shouldn't have, and in doing so had actually made the pump casing live with 18V on it. This is the point where many businesses would have said "**** it" and drove home. But we turned around and went back. Got the snowmobile back out of the trailer, got the tools back out, and went back to the site. Me? I sat in the truck The snowmobile only seats two so there was no point coming back for me. Witnessing this whole series of events was big for me. I see why the owner is respected by so many people now. He isn't just really good at his job. He does the right thing too, even when nobody knows about it except his own guys.
Just last week another new guy started, and we're getting along great. It's really nice to not be the only inexperienced one now. He seems very similar to me too in terms of staying healthy and having a life outside of work.
And as for me? I think they like me. I'm on time and ready to go every day. And when I screw up I admit that I did and take the blame. I learned at my welding shop job that being able to admit your mistakes is a quality that is rarer than it should be. Plenty of folks will find something or someone else to blame: "your tools are **** how was I supposed to do this with them" "you didn't explain it well enough" etc. Just on Friday I accidentally cut a run of bx (armoured cable) that my journeyman had just installed. I thought it was old wiring that needed to be taken out. I kept on doing my thing until I heard "uhhh Cam why did you cut this?" across the hall and my heart started racing. I walked over and he said he'd just run this wire into the junction box and now he needed to re run it. I apologized and grabbed the reel of cable to do another run. As I was flustered I grabbed the wrong reel and didn't even think to use one of the many trimmings on the ground for the run as it was only a few feet. It all ended up being fine and we got the job done. But I made sure again at the end of the day to apologize for the screw up, and I know they appreciated it. As long as you own up to it, and learn what you can do to prevent it from happening again, it's all good.
Tomorrow we're all headed up north for two weeks. It's to a town that's a 9 hour drive away! I've already been there once for ten days to work on the first site. As you can probably guess, it's a tiny town with only one of every business: one motel, one hardware store, one bar etc. After a few days the motel life isn't super fun, but it's still a good time. Usually we work from 7-5, then go to the motel and clean up. Then dinner at the motel restaurant. There is a $70 cad per diem to cover food costs which is more than enough for me.
As for cash money, I had a 42% savings rate last month. All because I bought a TIG welder that can do AC. Minus the tig welder I actually saved 86% of my income. I have been exploring making money with my welding stuff for quite a while now. I have a small fixture table, grinders, welders, and all the PPE required. The last thing I need is a way to make accurate, square cuts consistently. I am pretty good with my grinder now, but if I'm going to start small production jobs I need to know that my cuts will be square - it makes fitting soooo much easier. I am thinking either a portable band saw or the evolution cold cut saw.
Overall, life is good but very busy. I was talking to a few ladies I met online, but it has all fizzled for various reasons. The one girl from the program for the adults with disabilities? I never got around to asking her out, and maybe I should. The worst I get is a no. But definitely after the up north trip!
One involved the wiring inside a huge water pump that's gonna supply water to a large factory. The drawings were missing inside the pump for wiring, so the journeyman did what he thought made sense. The owner was calling and texting the manufacturer of the pumps but wasn't getting a response. So we closed up the pump, packed up our tools, and started to head home. Now this is not a normal job site. It is on the shore of a lake, and that day it was -12C and basically blizzard conditions - my job was shielding the journeyman from the blowing snow with my body while he wired up the pump. Not only that, it was a site that we needed to snowmobile to as there are no roads yet. So we packed up the tools, took the snowmobile back to the trucks, and packed up.
We started the drive home when my boss got a call from the pump manufacturer. He learned that the journeyman put in a jumper that he shouldn't have, and in doing so had actually made the pump casing live with 18V on it. This is the point where many businesses would have said "**** it" and drove home. But we turned around and went back. Got the snowmobile back out of the trailer, got the tools back out, and went back to the site. Me? I sat in the truck
The snowmobile only seats two so there was no point coming back for me. Witnessing this whole series of events was big for me. I see why the owner is respected by so many people now. He isn't just really good at his job. He does the right thing too, even when nobody knows about it except his own guys. Just last week another new guy started, and we're getting along great. It's really nice to not be the only inexperienced one now. He seems very similar to me too in terms of staying healthy and having a life outside of work.
And as for me? I think they like me. I'm on time and ready to go every day. And when I screw up I admit that I did and take the blame. I learned at my welding shop job that being able to admit your mistakes is a quality that is rarer than it should be. Plenty of folks will find something or someone else to blame: "your tools are **** how was I supposed to do this with them" "you didn't explain it well enough" etc. Just on Friday I accidentally cut a run of bx (armoured cable) that my journeyman had just installed. I thought it was old wiring that needed to be taken out. I kept on doing my thing until I heard "uhhh Cam why did you cut this?" across the hall and my heart started racing. I walked over and he said he'd just run this wire into the junction box and now he needed to re run it. I apologized and grabbed the reel of cable to do another run. As I was flustered I grabbed the wrong reel and didn't even think to use one of the many trimmings on the ground for the run as it was only a few feet. It all ended up being fine and we got the job done. But I made sure again at the end of the day to apologize for the screw up, and I know they appreciated it. As long as you own up to it, and learn what you can do to prevent it from happening again, it's all good.
Tomorrow we're all headed up north for two weeks. It's to a town that's a 9 hour drive away! I've already been there once for ten days to work on the first site. As you can probably guess, it's a tiny town with only one of every business: one motel, one hardware store, one bar etc. After a few days the motel life isn't super fun, but it's still a good time. Usually we work from 7-5, then go to the motel and clean up. Then dinner at the motel restaurant. There is a $70 cad per diem to cover food costs which is more than enough for me.
As for cash money, I had a 42% savings rate last month. All because I bought a TIG welder that can do AC. Minus the tig welder I actually saved 86% of my income. I have been exploring making money with my welding stuff for quite a while now. I have a small fixture table, grinders, welders, and all the PPE required. The last thing I need is a way to make accurate, square cuts consistently. I am pretty good with my grinder now, but if I'm going to start small production jobs I need to know that my cuts will be square - it makes fitting soooo much easier. I am thinking either a portable band saw or the evolution cold cut saw.
Overall, life is good but very busy. I was talking to a few ladies I met online, but it has all fizzled for various reasons. The one girl from the program for the adults with disabilities? I never got around to asking her out, and maybe I should. The worst I get is a no. But definitely after the up north trip!