Congrats Sicks_Ate! It’s nice to be able to do something you love and get paid for it!
Well my job was not THE reason, but I’m certain now that it factored in to my general emotional situation quite a bit.
This change in employment has been very…very good for my emotional well-being. Without getting in to TOO much detail, since I decided to quit my last job and started looking for another, I haven’t needed any of the 3 meds I used to have to take in order to ‘life’.
It’s been a great week 
Excellent advice, which I think about daily! The kid they have me working with is a freakin’ hoss, there have been a couple times I’ve left something on the ground since I didn’t want to heft it by myself, and come back and he’s already moved it. 
But I’m being very careful about my back. Actually though, my back has felt BETTER this week than it has in ages. Apparently sitting on my ass all day is not good for my back…who knew?
Now, I have been SORE this week, but not injured. Just getting used to doing actual work on a daily basis again. Especially my hands and forearms; there’s so much gripping.
One thing that has saved me is my shiny new titanium hammer. I worked with my old 28 oz. Estwing my first day and said nope, can’t do that like I used to when I was 22. Titanium was worth every penny and then some.
Thanks everybody! I can’t even tell you how much I have loved the last week. 
I’m working on a…well, they called it a ‘remodel’, but is actually a house that a couple bought and we are/have completely gutted the interior down to studs, removed a bunch of walls, and we’ll add to the size of the house by at least another 50%.
The lead carpenter has already figured out that he doesn’t have to show me how to do stuff; he can just tell me what he needs done and any necessary details about how he wants it done, and set me loose. That bodes well because they plan on reviewing my starting wage in 90 days after they have seen what I can do and pay me accordingly.
So, it’s awesome. I’m so glad I decided to do this.
I’m so happy for you. Truly.
Congrats! I wish I had some mad skillz I could parlay into a second career like that!
Tidbit: Harrison Ford worked with wood before he made it big. He learned it by…checking out books from the library?
Awesome, dude! Now get on Youtube or FineHomebuilding and see what the latest greatest is (if you haven’t). We are in an amazing time for building tech.
Who wears a dress shirt and slacks to work in a carpenter shop?
Harrison Ford.
I worked in a motorcycle dealer long ago and one of the mechanics wore a WHITE lab coat. At the end of the day, the other 2 guys were greasy and grimey, and this guy didn’t have as much as a smudge on him. And he made that place the most money, doing the biggest, hardest jobs.
One day, he says he’s quitting. Got a huge offer at a Mercedes dealership out of state. I helped him load up his toolboxes in the van I had at the time and drove him home.
Wow. That’s impressive. I can get dirty just pulling a jug of milk out of the fridge.
My grandfather was a cabinetmaker. He wore not just a dress shirt & slacks, but he also wore a real bow tie! He also wore a denim apron, similar to Harrison Ford’s.
His work was in high demand.
“Carpenter’s whites” have been a standard uniform of the discerning indoor tradesman for decades.
Congrats!
Before you started I didn’t want to jinx you by saying anything about counting your chickens before they hatched. So glad to hear that at least so far the baby chicks are all peeping happily. May that continue many years.
Congratulations, if somewhat belatedly.
And very much congratulations both to you, and to others in this thread, for being able to see a physical labor job as a step up and as a dream job. I wonder sometimes how many people are continuing unhappily through their lives because they’ve never considered that they, as specific people, might be much happier doing physical work.