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Michelle was telling me yesterday about a comment her daughter made about her hands. They had some epoxy on them that wasn't completely washed off.
Being a computer nerd for a number of years myself, I knew what it was like to get and remain dirty but not quite to this degree since working at Dan's.
Some messy jobs just don't work with gloves or other protective measures. Some 'wise guy' likes to use the term... "_____ (gloves?) are for sissys!"
So today I have some glue that will stay black on my hands for about a week. 2 days ago I walked into a school meeting and I had precision dust from head to toe and my hair was a lighter hue. And I quite proudly wear my paint/dust/epoxy clothes wherever I go, not feeling a need to 'clean up' if it's just a quick jaunt somewhere.
The comments are MOST interesting. "What is THAT on your hands?!?" "Woa, what have you been up to?" "Uh... painting? I hope you aren't painting your house THAT color!" and on the comments go.
I quite proudly wear the fact of my sweat inducing hard work! There's a certain level of satisfaction that comes from hands on physical work rather than sitting clean at a computer.
I'll never forget the first day I saw Michelle working for Dan. Her previous job was at the local deli where you're in a hairnet and crisp apron. I walked into the shop and there was some chick cutting metal, her long hair in braids, a dandelion stuck into one braid from Phoebe, wearing a welder's hat and face black as coal and wearing the biggest smile ever. She gets it too!
One day Dan had to meet with an important client. He walked into the shop with slacks and a sports jacket. Who was that masked man??? If you knew what he normally looked like, you'd understand... before I worked with him I'd see him doing his speed walk on the way to the deli from time to time and my first impression would be, "Wow, now that's some dirt from head to toe. Who is that?!?" LOL
When the group of us go into the deli to pick up lunch, it's not hard to figure out in this small town where we all work. It would seem that at Dan's you get real real dirty.
posted
We don't have a uniform at our workplace... and yet folks who meet us somehow know we work at the same place... for our dirt matches it seems.
Watching the ladies work in my shop brings a smile to my face... for they are right in there with the power tools, paint and epoxy or whatever... no worry about a broken fingernail here. Its the work that counts and the excess dust and paint flies where it may.
Then there the times someone (Donna) gets in a playful mood and the paint really starts flying... and not on the work either...
We always dust each other off before we leave for a public area... the looks we would otherwise get would be a lot less understanding.
If I put on a clean pair of jeans and shirt folks think I'm really dressed up... for the meeting with my client a couple of weeks ago there was a dress code at the restaurant we were going to... (not my normal style at all) and the dress jacket I was wearing didn't feel too comfortable... its now officially retired and going to goodwill. I like being plain old dan instead.
Making a big mess and getting some on me too in Yarrow...
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8740 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
I feel you girl. My hands are the worst. A long while back, i was invited to a wedding. Well I wanted the look of nice finger nails to go with my attire. So I just put on some nice Lee Press-On nails. My cousin laughed at the way you could still see all the paint built up in my cuticles. I told her to shut up.
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3845 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
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Alicia, I have fond memories of when my nails were naturally very long and I kept them polished and such. (what a babysitting venture that was!) I was working in a dept store at the time. Then one day they shoved me into the luggage dept for a week. I sold up a storm, arranging the luggage just so and really pushed the 'sets'. One day in particular, I was selling out of this one style and I was in a mad dash to get them to the register because I had another client waiting on me. Luggage sets can be heavy when they're all in one case. Heavy plus too quick... SNAP! Off one nail went. THAT HURT! I cut them off that night and never went back. And I can type alot faster now too.
These days I look at kinda 'prep work' as barbie doll stuff.
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Hey, I "retire" my work clothes to the rubbish bin when they finally so stiff with paint they stand up in the closet by themselves! They are even past the "rag bag" stage!
And I still have people ask me "Do you paint signs?"
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Hi Dan Is it ok to drop in on you guys for an hour or so on my way to an overnight stay at Kamloops on the 27 of July. I'm on my way to Moose Jaw I gotta see Sawatzky land for myself! Just doing the solo trip, Ricky didn't want to come....He found a girl and they are like each other shadows....hormones rule I guess See you soon in Yarrow!
-------------------- John "sarge" Serjeant Executive Director of "Hardly Normal Signs" sarge.signs@bigpond.com 3 Balyando Drive Nerang Queensland 4211 Australia 61 07 5578 2495 Posts: 255 | From: Nerang, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Aug 1999
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Hey Sarge... I'll mark that date on my calender But do you mean the 27th of June???... and you will find an hour not nearly long enough.
-grampa dan
[ June 01, 2007, 08:20 PM: Message edited by: Dan Sawatzky ]
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8740 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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Yes Dan the 27 of June I have a hotel booked in Kamloops I know an hour or so isn't going to be long enough I don't want to get in the way, but I am coming back your way after the moose jaw meet around 10 or 11 July Can't wait to see you all then
-------------------- John "sarge" Serjeant Executive Director of "Hardly Normal Signs" sarge.signs@bigpond.com 3 Balyando Drive Nerang Queensland 4211 Australia 61 07 5578 2495 Posts: 255 | From: Nerang, Queensland, Australia | Registered: Aug 1999
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posted
No one gets in the way in our shop... we just put them to work!!!
Havin fun in Yarrow...
-grampa dan
-------------------- Dan Sawatzky Imagination Corporation Yarrow, British Columbia dan@imaginationcorporation.com http://www.imaginationcorporation.com
Being a grampa is one of the the most wonderful things in the world!!! Posts: 8740 | From: Yarrow, B.C. Canada | Registered: Nov 1998
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