Apprentice versus wife she wins

[mustardman]

Renovating my basement and just finishing up the framing. Asked my wife to give me a hand. Despite my crazy four year old running wild and my nine month old daughter who needs lolts of attention every time I was reaching for my drill a screw whatever she had it in her hand ready to go. Wish the apprentice was that on top of things. Mine is good but a little foresight goes a heckuva long way. So to all you guys starting out trying to be one step ahead of your Jman makes all the difference.

[timebuilder]

Renovating my basement and just finishing up the framing. Asked my wife to give me a hand. Despite my crazy four year old running wild and my nine month old daughter who needs lolts of attention every time I was reaching for my drill a screw whatever she had it in her hand ready to go. Wish the apprentice was that on top of things. Mine is good but a little foresight goes a heckuva long way. So to all you guys starting out trying to be one step ahead of your Jman makes all the difference.

Its a function of age and ability to focus. Your wife is used to multitasking, and she is old enough to see when a drill is needed. The apprentice is hanging back, waiting for instruction, unsure and wet behind the ears, like a new pilot.

Try this: before you begin a job, give the apprentice a briefing of what will be done today, why, and then an outline of what is expected of him, including thinking, "what are the next three things?" That's a technique I used to get new pilots to keep up with everything that was happening in the airplane.

Try it.

[amickracing]

I agree with the plan of attack. Back when I was a greenhorn (well, greener horn) I really appreciated when they'd take a couple minutes and say "we're doing xxxx today".

I must say whether it's apprentice and a journeyman working together, or 2 journeymen... when you have 2 guys that can practically work all day with out talking because they sink into that rhythm it's a sight to behold.

[timebuilder]

I agree with the plan of attack. Back when I was a greenhorn (well, greener horn) I really appreciated when they'd take a couple minutes and say "we're doing xxxx today".

I must say whether it's apprentice and a journeyman working together, or 2 journeymen... when you have 2 guys that can practically work all day with out talking because they sink into that rhythm it's a sight to behold.

Naw, we're talkers. We have periods of silence when we run out of things to say, but most of the time when I'm with my co-captain, we talk a lot. How are the kids, the wife, yadda yadda.

[4x4freak]

The difference is the wife wants you to hurry up and get done so she can find something else for you to do. The apprentice doesnt care how long it takes because he's getting paid by the hour.

[repairtech1]

My wife make the lunch, keeps the mileage log, works the ground side while I am on the roof (loading tools and materials in bucket to be roped up) calls supply house for parts and writes up the tickets and keeps the books. I turn the wrench's, drive the truck, and pay the bills. It works for us, best day turned 9 completed tickets and had 3 open. We are hoping by spring to put on another service truck, but almost don't want to because we do ok with just the two of us. my 2 cents

[rojacman]

Renovating my basement and just finishing up the framing. Asked my wife to give me a hand. Despite my crazy four year old running wild and my nine month old daughter who needs lolts of attention every time I was reaching for my drill a screw whatever she had it in her hand ready to go. Wish the apprentice was that on top of things. Mine is good but a little foresight goes a heckuva long way. So to all you guys starting out trying to be one step ahead of your Jman makes all the difference.

You would have loved working with me , by the time the j-man finished his first cup of coffee i had the mule set up with oiler & wrenches ready , ladders unchained , welding mach. & cables set to go. nobody had to tell me anything after my first week on the job. same attitude for the service dep't. that paid back double with the journeymen not holding anything back & put me way ahead of all the guys inna class . I was highly motivated to suceed coming from a family of professional people that never got their hands dirty that looked down their noses at our kinda people who i only associate with. how surprised they were when i wound up with a nice home , great wife & kids. Never talked to any of them again......Jack

[jtricor]

I think we should send all of our appretice over to mustardmans house and let his wife train them for the first month, heck by the time she got done with them I bet they would be the the fastest diaper changer in the neighborhood.

[jpsmith1cm]

I still can't figure out what I need next!

[timebuilder]

You would have loved working with me , by the time the j-man finished his first cup of coffee i had the mule set up with oiler & wrenches ready , ladders unchained , welding mach. & cables set to go. nobody had to tell me anything after my first week on the job. same attitude for the service dep't. that paid back double with the journeymen not holding anything back & put me way ahead of all the guys inna class . I was highly motivated to suceed coming from a family of professional people that never got their hands dirty that looked down their noses at our kinda people who i only associate with. how surprised they were when i wound up with a nice home , great wife & kids. Never talked to any of them again......Jack

Sucesss truly is the best revenge!!!!

[madhat]

Have you tried slipping the battery out of his cell phone?