Hey, Jealousy.
I may have already titled a post after that Shit-ass song, but I feel the need to re-use it. The village is redoing out drainage ditches in the neighborhood. I drove by all these white farmers-tanned lads working in the ditch and got insanely jealous. It made me think back on when I was employed by Lisle's park district. I can honestly say that if I could get paid enough to maintain the life I've become accustomed to, I'd work for the parks full time.
Being outside all day (7-3) and doing manual labor was so freeing. The camaraderie was great, even though the place was rife with shitheads. We were summer seasonal employees: "Summer Help; Some are Not". We mowed lawns and trimmed other vegetation, primarily, but often we were engaged in the manliest of pursuits. I learned how to properly use a chainsaw (in orange safety chaps), operate a Backhoe and front-loader, and most importantly, use a wood chipper. I say most importantly because it's an insane feeling of destructive power to take tree limbs and reduce them to wood chips. Of course, it's not that rotating wheel of blades run by combustion engine that do the chipping. It's YOU. Your power and will to reduce said branches to landscaping mulch is what does it.
That wood chipper would constantly be breaking as a consequence. I'll never forget my first year working there when Rich Mackins and Sammy Franzen attempted to chip a railroad tie and killed the chipper. It was hot, dangerous work, and I loved every day. It's not just dangerous because you could be pulled into the maw of the chipper by its grinding wheels, or hit by a spray of wood chunks, but it occasionally kicked back on you, sending sharp sticks your way.
Unfortunately, that was what was rumored to have happened to Mike Miglorini (sp?), our construction manager. Mike had brown eyes, but his one eye looked red because of it's brown iris' contrast to his injured eye whose iris had opened completely, making it look black. Mike was a hilarious guy who cursed a blue streak, and even though he had no depth perception, reveled in driving equipment into the garage faster than any sane, normal-sighted person would.
It was a simpler time for me, and taught me a lot. I miss it.
Being outside all day (7-3) and doing manual labor was so freeing. The camaraderie was great, even though the place was rife with shitheads. We were summer seasonal employees: "Summer Help; Some are Not". We mowed lawns and trimmed other vegetation, primarily, but often we were engaged in the manliest of pursuits. I learned how to properly use a chainsaw (in orange safety chaps), operate a Backhoe and front-loader, and most importantly, use a wood chipper. I say most importantly because it's an insane feeling of destructive power to take tree limbs and reduce them to wood chips. Of course, it's not that rotating wheel of blades run by combustion engine that do the chipping. It's YOU. Your power and will to reduce said branches to landscaping mulch is what does it.
That wood chipper would constantly be breaking as a consequence. I'll never forget my first year working there when Rich Mackins and Sammy Franzen attempted to chip a railroad tie and killed the chipper. It was hot, dangerous work, and I loved every day. It's not just dangerous because you could be pulled into the maw of the chipper by its grinding wheels, or hit by a spray of wood chunks, but it occasionally kicked back on you, sending sharp sticks your way.
Unfortunately, that was what was rumored to have happened to Mike Miglorini (sp?), our construction manager. Mike had brown eyes, but his one eye looked red because of it's brown iris' contrast to his injured eye whose iris had opened completely, making it look black. Mike was a hilarious guy who cursed a blue streak, and even though he had no depth perception, reveled in driving equipment into the garage faster than any sane, normal-sighted person would.
It was a simpler time for me, and taught me a lot. I miss it.
posted by Zach at 10:25 AM
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