The Random thought thread

[red750]

I wrote on March 6 about a fire over our back fence that spread into the neighbours shed. That shed was demolished today.

[red750]

Further to my post above about the guy from the Shed who passed away at Easter, I got a text from the supervisor this afternoon to say another member passed away yesterday. This chap had not been in good health for a couple of years, had been to hospital a number of times this year, and had suffered a couple of falls. Last Friday the supervisor warned us the doctor had told his wife it was just a matter of days, so not unexpected. Sad all the same, he was a good friend. Just goes to show, there we are in God's waiting room.

[facthunter]

None of us are getting out of this alive.  Nev

[willedoo]

15 hours ago, red750 said:

Further to my post above about the guy from the Shed who passed away at Easter, I got a text from the supervisor this afternoon to say another member passed away yesterday. This chap had not been in good health for a couple of years, had been to hospital a number of times this year, and had suffered a couple of falls. Last Friday the supervisor warned us the doctor had told his wife it was just a matter of days, so not unexpected. Sad all the same, he was a good friend. Just goes to show, there we are in God's waiting room.

It's like that lately at the museum I volunteer at. Most volunteers are getting on a bit. I started there in 2015 and we lost one bloke soon after, but no more until the last 18 months thereabouts where we have lost several. They are a big loss to the museum due to their past industry or service history and experience, plus all good blokes as well.

[old man emu]

Talking about post-retirement aged people helping the community through volunteer work, I was listening to something on the radio recently about returning to work after retirement.

 

We all have heard jokes about  recently retired men being sent outside to play by their wives because the wife can't stand them hanging around inside. For most men, there is a period of about six months after the start of retirement when doing bugger-all is a welcome reward for years of the daily grind. However, that soon becomes a drag for the man and a pain for the wife. So a lot of men return to the workforce, not necessarily for the money, but for the many priceless benefits resuming the habits of a lifetime have. When I retired, I started working in a completely different sphere. I was advised not to work full-time, but three days per week is the happy balance between what I wanted and the time and companionship my wife deserved.

 

What I see as a problem, not for the individual, but for the future of our nation is that employers taking on post-retirees are failing to carry out what is known as "succession training". In other words, they are not training anyone to continue doing the work after the post-retiree does a Hamlet and "shuffled off this mortal coil". This seems to be something that the Industrial Revolution has robbed us of - the instruction and guidance of the young by their elders.

 

I know that today and tomorrow that "there are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy", but those new things evolve from the DNA of ancient knowledge and experience. Instead of doing the work themselves, our post-retirees should be spending their precious time doing what our ancestors have done from the very time the first primitive hominids knapped a stone to make a cutting tool.

[red750]

When I joined the Shed in 2012, one of the duties I took on as a volunteer was keeping a photo record of members. The supervisor at the time had taken photos of members, made colour prints and pinned them to a canite pinboard. I photographed every member as they joined, added a name, mugshot style, and printed them on a page, one page for each group, ie. Monday group, Thursday group, Friday group. This way, I could print off a page when someone joined the Shed so they could learn to recognse members by name. I also keep a page for deceased members, and members who have left, eg to move elsewhere. In the twelve years since I started this, we have lost 14 members who have died. This page also has 5 members who had died before I joined. The trimmed photos were taken by the previous supervisor.

 

 

[spenaroo]

I've always liked the idea of the mens shed,

and think it would be hugely beneficial for people like myself (32)

to gain skills and insight. imagine it would benefit both ways with having fit and able bodies to drive members or move projects etc...

but when I looked into it they all had operating hours which are prohibitive to working full time.

or were age restricted

so instead its buying my own tools etc... and relying on youtube or internet how to's 

[spenaroo]

On another note,

 

was handing out the fencing gear at training the other night.

we tried a new system where they wrote down the gear they had on a slip so we could easily mark it  in the records.

 

well I was really struggling to read the names. we refuse to take on students under the age of 10 (its a focus and time thing - its a 2 hour night and they struggle, would need 1 on 1 attention) and many of these are studying year 11/12. but there was no discernible difference in ages from the writing

 

one of the kids mum's was helping me and saw my confusion and struggle - she remarked "they dont teach kids how to write anymore""
how things change - was 15 years ago I was in school, and was just starting to transition to laptops, my younger sisters both had computers for school.

 

guess the transition has happened - typing has taken over from writing.

the same parent was saying that the kids don't even hand-write notations anymore.

[red750]

1 hour ago, spenaroo said:

they all had operating hours which are prohibitive to working full time.

Unfortunately that's correct, in most cases. Occasionally there are some, but very few, which operate at weekends. As O.M.E. says above, they are intended to provide activites for men who have retired and find themselves at a loose end after years of working. Unless you are in a sporting club or such, most of your associates are the guys you work with, and when you leave the workforce, that leaves a big void in your life. O.M.E. refers to the situation of getting under the wife's feet, which is why I joined a shed, at my wife's suggestion. This 'loose end' situation contributes greatly to depression. Men's Sheds are commonly run by community health organisations to relieve this sense of depression, and ultimately, to prevent men's suicides. While thee Sheds do have workrooms with tools, many of which a man would not have or could afford, work projects are only a part of the activities. Some sheds have section for artists, some have photography groups, or music groups where guys bring their guitars to jam. They usually have at least a couple of computers to play on, and the one we share has a pool table and table tennis table.

 

Some sheds have integrated women into their group, on at least one day a week. Not that we are mysoginistic, but one of the things that appeals to the men is the ability to sit and discus men's subjects, like sports, cars, fishing, and of course, the odd blue joke or two. Generally speaking, alcohol is restricted or banned, but I did see on TV a shed that had a brewing group.

 

One of the most impressive sheds I have seen is Endeavour Hills Mens Shed in Melbourne's eastern suburbs. Here is a link to their Facebook page which gives a good coverage of their activities:

https://www.facebook.com/people/Endeavour-Hills-Mens-Shed/100064938300394/

[old man emu]

I had the opinion that Men's Sheds were created to open the doors to men to talk about health issues. By creating an environment where men gather doing whatever, the conditions of that environment can open up about what bugs them. 

[Marty_d]

4 hours ago, spenaroo said:

On another note,

 

was handing out the fencing gear at training the other night.

we tried a new system where they wrote down the gear they had on a slip so we could easily mark it  in the records.

 

well I was really struggling to read the names. we refuse to take on students under the age of 10 (its a focus and time thing - its a 2 hour night and they struggle, would need 1 on 1 attention) and many of these are studying year 11/12. but there was no discernible difference in ages from the writing

 

one of the kids mum's was helping me and saw my confusion and struggle - she remarked "they dont teach kids how to write anymore""
how things change - was 15 years ago I was in school, and was just starting to transition to laptops, my younger sisters both had computers for school.

 

guess the transition has happened - typing has taken over from writing.

the same parent was saying that the kids don't even hand-write notations anymore.

Interesting,  might be different school to school. 

My 15yo son (grade 10) is often saying an assignment must be hand written. 

[spenaroo]

was talking about it more over the weekend and contacted some teacher friends.

they said it was a case by case basis. But wonder how some got through primary school with it.

 

they also mentioned that there is a lot less writing practice - partly because its so hard to get them to bring a notebook to class.

also heard that its been an issue with exams - kids getting cramps in their hands from handwriting them.

and they have had to extend the times to accommodate this

Edited May 12 by spenaroo

[old man emu]

Funnily, it appears that a lot of the generation that is in its early teen years are turning to manual typewriters in order to escape the blue glow of the computer screen. It also seems that using a manual typewriter give them a variety of mental pleasures through physical feedback. I might just pull out my father-in-law's electric typewriter and hand it on to my grandsons.

[red750]

What's going on? 3 hours since the last post. Where is everybody?

[old man emu]

45 minutes ago, red750 said:

Where is everybody?

 

[nomadpete]

I hear you  Peter.

At the moment I'm just a grumpy old fart lurking on the sidelines.

Maybe I'll get more interactive after my doctor's appointment tomorrow.

[pmccarthy]

One good thing about getting old, we watched a disaster movie tonight for the second time and didn’t know how it ends.

[Jerry_Atrick]

Sorry.. had to larf

[facthunter]

A lot of them don't end. They leave you to try and work it out. I hate that.  Nev

[spacesailor]

Optometrist .

For the wife & I .

So have to be quick, & my spelling is holding me back. LoL

spacesailor

PS : AI ruined my communications 

Edited May 15 by spacesailor
It changed my spelling A I again

[old man emu]

2 hours ago, spacesailor said:

AI ruined my communications

I don't believe that! It's not your artificial intelligence that's causing the problem.

[facthunter]

Go one better and use your SUPERficial intelligence.  Nev

[red750]

Sitting behind a line of cars at a red arrow waiting to turn right. Pulled out and left after ages. Bet the rest of them are still waiting. The idiot at the front wasn't over the sensor loop.

[spacesailor]

that .

Drives my daughter up the wall .

Talk about road-rage .

spacesailor

[willedoo]

It would be interesting to see a complete audit and percentage breakdown of Australian vs imported food products.

 

I did the old trick of reading the packaging from the hospital breakfast this morning for want of something better to read. The fresh banana would most likely be Australian. The Orchy brand apple juice was imported and packed here. The sugar was Australian. The tea unknown but most likely imported. The Kellogs cornflakes were product of Thailand. The Sanitarium soy milk claimed 'at least 88% Australian product'. It's made of water, reconstituted soy protein and a bunch of chemicals and vitamins. My guess is the 88% Australian content is the water. It's good to see we can grow our water and not import it from China.