Welp, y'all don't have to put up with me postin shop pics anymore.
For the first time, in 25 years, a guy is unemployed. I've spun the wrench for 6 shops over my 25 year reign, the last shop ending my 15 year run yesterday. So sad.
I've never acutally left a shop without being employed by another. I'll roll my box out of one, and the next day, she'll roll right back into another. Not this time though.
I thank God every day and all day for everything I have been blessed with. Every morning & night I pray. I pray to acknowledge and give thanks for everything our Lord does. I pray for family. I pray for friends. I pray for y'all or anyone who is troubled on here if I know about it. I pray for knowledge and the understanding to learn and practice God's Word.
It's been a constant roller coaster ride at the shop lately. While I stive daily to provide 100% honest and professional repair, I'm continuously reminded by the bays one either side of mine that this is not where our profession is heading.
On my left there's a 22 year old kid who I can even get to shave/shower daily & properly plus show up on time, let alone retain basic minimal repair procedures. And If they constantly mess up a 4 bolt brake job I dont stand a chance at showing these boys proper diagnostics.
Then on my right we got a 48 year old business owner who wont stop shooting from the hip because his plate is always too full and wont stay off of Identifix. For those who don't know, Identifix is a website (there are many like it) that generally technician/ shop owners only have access to. You put your vehicle info in followed by code number, symptom, complaint etc. Then its gonna give you the number of fixes confirmed by techs all across the US for that particular code or fault or whatever. It will ultimately make the tech start rolling the dice if they get lazy enough.
What you'll often find, The vehicle comes in. Tech scans it. Instead of starting the correct diagnostics that would pertain to that particular issue, you'll see the tech run off to his computer instead of popping the hood. Part gets put on, either fixes it or it doesn't. This is exactly how your 2013 silverado (example) leaves out the shop with a crankshaft sensor, fuel pump, and pump driver module.
The tech is playing the odds. The silverado with be a no start. So without testing (and because identifix said so) the tech will slam a fuel pump in it. Common enough, right? Well then she's still a no start. So hows about a new CKP sensor, NOPE. Well then they'll usually "regoogle" it ultimately fixing it with the $100 driver module. "Well actually Mr. Customer all 3 parts were bad, that's why you need them". Not saying things don't need multiple parts at times. But the general "it just all of a sudden died" that ends up taking 5 parts to fix it is where I have a BIG problem. I voice this, even if its my boss. And I did.
So yesterday morning I prayed for God to give me the clearest possible sign that he could on whether I needed to leave now, or wait until the beginning of the year (I normally get a very large bonus check every year at christmas $7.5-$10k depending on yearly revenue) where my funds would be a little stronger. Nope, boss walks in at 7:15 hot and charged and by about 7:15 and 15 seconds I was walking out. It happened that dang fast. In 15 years he's never talked to me the way he did yesterday and it was the clearest sign I could've ever possibly received. And boy was i thankful. But instead of matching his level and screaming back, I told him what i had prayed for that morning. And how it was just answered through his unprofessional belligerent response. What hurt the most though was his wife asking me to stay and seeing the worry in her eyes, they've got 2 kids. I expressed how upsetting it is to hold myself to these standards while he loads the parts cannon up and gets to fire away. Hes a shop owner, he can do that because his name is on the building. I cannot. I know better, I've been trained differently and my conscious won't allow me to operate like him. Its not how we were "raised" to do things.
When times are tough we are to look for guidance through the Holy Spirit. God is good. ALWAYS. We are not to look up to the sky and shake our fist asking God why would you take this job from me. No. He doesnt do that. You give thanks for the time you had that job and then you seek guidance for what steps should be taken next.
I sold my 3301 this year and pocketed over $20k. Actually the wife pocketed over $20k LOL. Many MANY things were fixed/upgraded in the house. And a few weeks ago we finished the last bathroom along with the rest of our savings lol. We said no biggie, savings can be built back up. Plus being a tech, I've always made just slightly more in cash than I do on paper each week (which was actually getting to be part of the problem if you wanna do things legally and legit) and can build savings rather quickly. Its how I can quickly pay things off. Well then this happened. Then go figure I come home yesterday morning to the plumbing backed up with water filled to the brim in the kitchen sink and 2 out of 4 bathroom sinks. Oh the timing. But again, I declare, God is good! My boss aint gonna give me a check until HE decides when, and I've got about $40 bucks in my pocket LOL. So last night, all I knew to do, was pray.
My useless unemployed self wakes up this morning to a text from a good friend. 3 months ago he wanted to buy a desert eagle .50ae from me but didn't quite yet have the funds. Well he done struck it big and this morning he had the funds along with many more to put $6450 in my pocket. I'm 13 guns short now but God's timing was nothing short of perfect and the fam is gonna be just fine now.
It was all me and the 15 year old could do to move all we could out of the shop yesterday. My hutch that sits on top of my toolbox weighs a touch over 300lbs. We managed to get it plus 2 of my fully loaded roll carts. They look so out of place in my basement to. Quite sad.
My main toolbox is a Cornwell custom series and is 84Wx30Dx46T and weights just over 1200lbs EMPTY. Some of y'all seen the tools I'm workin with and I have no idea how much this box is weighing in at fully loaded. I'm guessing 2500ish lbs, I can barely roll it on smooth flat ground. My socket drawer alone is well over 200lbs.
So I got a flatbed wrecker lined up for next tuesday in case my cornwell dealer cant move it. After that I have to figure out how to get it into my basement (gotta empty the ENTIRE box plus remove ALL drawers, yup done this before LOL) so roughly what i figure is $60k+ worth of tools and box aren't sitting outside in the elements. Because your boy here is done turning the wrenches. I'm gonna relax a couple of weeks, play with my tractor (which actually Deviney Equip literally just left with for the new hood and such LOL) and then go start this trucking school at KLLM that is 10 miles from the house.
@Shawn T. W you heard of these folks. They any good? Seems like a good round 2 for me. Get the schooling, the license, and go spread the Lord's good Word across the US. He's been calling me to this profession for a couple years now. And dang it I'm gonna do it! They got benefits and insurance which is something I've never had and always paid out of pocket for for 15 years now. Sometimes it hurts having a wife and 3 kids. Girls are super expensive insurance wise. But this way maybe a guy won't actually work until he drops like i've alway planned for.
So we'll see what's to come. It's in the Lord's hands now and I'm ready to go wherever I'm led. I find myself more worried about my ex boss and the 37 vehicles that were on the lot that he'll have to get out by himself and one apprentice (cause the 16 year old we had went back to school monday) than my own current issues. They're lined up double all the way passed the building right now to. In 15 years i've done ALL of the large jobs, heavy labored jobs, etc, not because he couldn't, but because he always fed me first and made sure I was taken care of. Now I'm worried how he's gonna take on all these big jobs plus effectively run his business. Most wouldn't care, but i have no choice but to.
So sorry for such a long rant. Thank y'all so much for whoever's listening. Y'all are the best!
Brandon
