Do you work for fun???

1-tonmudder

1-tonmudder

Doin my part to stir the pot.
Joined
Apr 17, 2005
Location
Greeneville TN
My mom ask me that a lil while ago and I really didnt know how to answer.I dont really have any hobbies except beating the bushes looking for parts.I spend all my time looking for,picking up,cleaning.selling and shipping said parts.I dont wheel anymore,I dont race,ride four wheelers or bikes,working on cars has become a chore to me,and when I do have some down time I spend it either looking on market place or thinking about what I need to be doin.Even when posting here its usually between listing stuff on Ebay,market place or packing boxes.Its not something I consciously chose but its appear I do work for fun.So who here works for fun?? @jeepinmatt what about you? You seem to always have a lot of irons in the fire at one time.
 
1-tonmudder said:
My mom ask me that a lil while ago and I really didnt know how to answer.I dont really have any hobbies except beating the bushes looking for parts.I spend all my time looking for,picking up,cleaning.selling and shipping said parts.I dont wheel anymore,I dont race,ride four wheelers or bikes,working on cars has become a chore to me,and when I do have some down time I spend it either looking on market place or thinking about what I need to be doin.Even when posting here its usually between listing stuff on Ebay,market place or packing boxes.Its not something I consciously chose but its appear I do work for fun.So who here works for fun?? @jeepinmatt what about you? You seem to always have a lot of irons in the fire at one time.
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Man that is a great question, and I have a lot to say about it. Maybe I'll type more when I'm at a keyboard tomorrow. Long story short, I don't know what fun is anymore and I've been doing a lot of soul searching lately. I definitely extract a certain amount of fun from working and buying and selling stuff, but its also very taxing and is driven heavily by financial desires and need to accomplish "more" and whatever the next thing is. See my thread about Contentment, haha.
 
The majority of our free time is spent working on my in-laws farm in southwest VA. It is currently an angus cow-calf operation. We are working toward a life where we can get back there full time and make it another source of income, so I treat it like a job. It’s not always fun but it is rewarding. There are days that whip my ass and frustrate the hell out of me but that is all part of the deal. I have a ton to learn and try to be there as much as possible to absorb what I can from my FIL while I have that opportunity. 2021 was spent working on a 55ac tract I have hunted for a few years that we are about to put a small herd on to try the direct to consumer model to sell as 1/4’s, 1/2’s and wholes. We make time for things outside of it though even if it feels sometimes like it sets us behind on our plan. The last thing we want is to end up resenting the place and burning out. Winter and early spring is mainly feeding and fixing random projects for the next season so it allows a little more freedom. Ill go race the first few GNCC’s and other local races. We have some weekend trips planned with friends, then as first cut of hay rolls around I’ll transition back into being back at the farm most weekends and sneak in a local race on a Sunday on the way home to balance it out.
 
Tonya's anitque sales start kickin in around May so the parts buisness kinda gets put off a lil,but those sales require a shit ton of prep.Many times I have left her at the sale to go off and look at/buy something.It's damn near a sickness.Two years ago we went to Disney just before Christmas.We flew in and got a rental so I couldnt get anything big.We took one day to crash and look for stuff to buy.The day we flew home I was at the post office mailing home stuff that I had bought.
 
It’s 230am…I’ve killed a fifth..:working on another…supposed in to be on vacation with my wife and kids for the next 10 days…checking nc4 between work emails. I’d say they’res somwthitn wrong, not fun.

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I work for fun a good bit. Since I love welding/fabrication I always offer to help people with fab projects as far away as other states. I'm completely mobile so that helps. Stick welding for a few hours running off the other person's electricity doesn't cost me hardly anything, so I charge nothing. I'm also a sucker for lending a hand moving stuff. I actually love cutting grass and will do it/have done it just for the asking. Call it good Samaritan, or what have you, but I think all good deeds do come back around. I always tell everyone that they don't have to pay me unless they just want to.
 
I love working but I hate starting the work.

If I can get my ass in gear, I'm having an absolute blast.

Working on someone else's project helps, as it's easier to start working on something if I made a commitment to someone. I'd hate being the guy who broke his word. And I love hanging out with my friends, so working at someone's shop / place is an easy task for me.

Having a close, hard deadline helps. The people who can work on their project 1 or 2h every day steadily impress me. I'll wait 'till the absolute very last moment and get into a 3 day - no sleep bender and get an incredible amount of shit done. That said, it's not good for my physical health.

I need to find a better way to get off my ass and start the work.





Sometimes it's easy to loose sight of why you're doing what you're doing. My resolution for 2022 is to ride more.






But, offroading and building offroad rigs is my calling and there's nothing else I'd rather do. I've moved across the world and I built my life around it. No one ounce of regret. The fun is still there like day 1.
 
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While I don't work for fun it is fun at work. I've been offered 10-20K more from other companies, I tell them not even close. It is a family owned company, and I can pretty much do as I please. Drinking is not frowned upon, occasionally encouraged! I have the freedom to work the hours I want and take off when I want. As long as I am making him money he doesn't bother me with anything. It does get stressful but the reward in the freedom and people I work with I genuinely enjoy. I could work from home but I'd prefer to go to the office, I am more productive there, Bourbon and beer flow freely while no one gets trashed except maybe once every other month to let loose. Boss has called me into the office and said hey I just picked up this McCallen 18, or what ever, I was going to open it and see if you wanted some. Also when we decided we were going to Moab he said take his truck it was better suited for towing. 2016 High Country 2500 Dirtymax. I'm sitting here in the office reading NC4x4 and will be watching KOH next month in the office. No complaints here.
 
No fries said:
While I don't work for fun it is fun at work. I've been offered 10-20K more from other companies, I tell them not even close. It is a family owned company, and I can pretty much do as I please. Drinking is not frowned upon, occasionally encouraged! I have the freedom to work the hours I want and take off when I want. As long as I am making him money he doesn't bother me with anything. It does get stressful but the reward in the freedom and people I work with I genuinely enjoy. I could work from home but I'd prefer to go to the office, I am more productive there, Bourbon and beer flow freely while no one gets trashed except maybe once every other month to let loose. Boss has called me into the office and said hey I just picked up this McCallen 18, or what ever, I was going to open it and see if you wanted some. Also when we decided we were going to Moab he said take his truck it was better suited for towing. 2016 High Country 2500 Dirtymax. I'm sitting here in the office reading NC4x4 and will be watching KOH next month in the office. No complaints here.
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Y'all got any openings? I thought my current job would be like that because its a small company, but the current management is trying their darndest to make it the opposite.
 
I’m probably a workaholic. Whether it’s productive work is yet TBD. But, I’m always doing something. Drives my family crazy. It’s why I can’t just go on vacation and just lay in the beach doing nothing; I’m always doing something, even on vacation. :lol:

My recent work for fun activity is running the tractor at our land clearing it and getting it ready for building a house. And buying a sawmill. I don’t know if anything that’s as labor intensive than a sawmill that’s considered “work for fun”. It’s certainly a labor intensive hobby.
 
rockcity said:
I’m probably a workaholic. Whether it’s productive work is yet TBD. But, I’m always doing something. Drives my family crazy. It’s why I can’t just go on vacation and just lay in the beach doing nothing; I’m always doing something, even on vacation. :lol:

My recent work for fun activity is running the tractor at our land clearing it and getting it ready for building a house. And buying a sawmill. I don’t know if anything that’s as labor intensive than a sawmill that’s considered “work for fun”. It’s certainly a labor intensive hobby.
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It looks like fun in the videos on the internet, especially the ones with the girl in the tight pants. But after a full day of walking 36 miles in 20ft circles, it starts to lose the sparkle :D
 
Like @jeepinmatt said, this does stir up thoughts of the contentment thread. If I'm talking about work that I do to pay the bills, I would say that I enjoy it to a certain extent. I think just being around other individuals to bullshit with is good. I do find my work rewarding, but I wouldn't say fun.

I don't enjoy working on my house as far as remodeling and maintenance goes, but feel like I'm always having to do something. I almost don't even enjoy wrenching anymore. I think that's just because the rest of my life is so busy.
 
Bebop said:
I love working but I hate starting the work.

If I can get my ass in gear, I'm having an absolute blast.

Working on someone else's project helps, as it's easier to start working on something if I made a commitment to someone. I'd hate being the guy who broke his word. And I love hanging out with my friends, so working at someone's shop / place is an easy task for me.

Having a close, hard deadline helps. The people who can work on their project 1 or 2h every day steadily impress me. I'll wait 'till the absolute very last moment and get into a 3 day - no sleep bender and get an incredible amount of shit done. That said, it's not good for my physical health.

I need to find a better way to get off my ass and start the work.





Sometimes it's easy to loose sight of why you're doing what you're doing. My resolution for 2022 is to ride more.






But, offroading and building offroad rigs is my calling and there's nothing else I'd rather do. I've moved across the world and I built my life around it. No one ounce of regret. The fun is still there like day 1.
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Same. I have a hard time starting projects but once I get going it can be fun. Also a big difference between working on something that is just an improvement or modification vs something that HAS to be done. I enjoy the mods a lot more than necessary repairs. Wife's yukon xl needed oil pump oring replaced and I put that off as long as possible and did all my other little projects first.

Before kids, I would collect parts until I had a pretty good pile on the floor, then me and a few friends would late night / all weekend install parties...

Now parts pile up on my work bench until I decide I need to install them to clear workspace.
 
LBarr2002 said:
Same. I have a hard time starting projects but once I get going it can be fun. Also a big difference between working on something that is just an improvement or modification vs something that HAS to be done. I enjoy the mods a lot more than necessary repairs. Wife's yukon xl needed oil pump oring replaced and I put that off as long as possible and did all my other little projects first.

Before kids, I would collect parts until I had a pretty good pile on the floor, then me and a few friends would late night / all weekend install parties...

Now parts pile up on my work bench until I decide I need to install them to clear workspace.
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That's me to a T. Only difference is the fact that everything is fun, even maintenance. I just need to start.




@1-tonmudder : That's a damn good thread you started.
 
rockcity said:
Lessons on working and not being productive? I’m perfect for that! Ask my wife! :lol:
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Just lessons on working. I got the productive part down.

What makes you go : "Let's do this" and grab the first wrench, turn the first bolt ? Or start the tractor and go do something...

I'm obviously not talking about the day when everything is perfect, but more like the day when you come back from having a shit day at work and after crashing on the couch you are pondering whether you want to get back up and do something. (,-- or maybe you never do that ?)
 
Bebop said:
Just lessons on working. I got the productive part down.

What makes you go : "Let's do this" and grab the first wrench, turn the first bolt ? Or start the tractor and go do something...

I'm obviously not talking about the day when everything is perfect, but more like the day when you come back from having a shit day at work and after crashing on the couch you are pondering whether you want to get back up and do something. (,-- or maybe you never do that ?)
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If I have a shit day at work, I’m terrible about bringing that shit day home and everyone is affected. So I usually use that as motivation to do a task, usually outside, on the tractor, away from people. :lol:

Plus, I just enjoy time on the tractor. Listen to some tunes and get to working on something productive. It takes much less motivation now since I have a new and reliable tractor that I don’t have to work on before using it every time. And it makes manual labor much easier. It’s a bit of my wind down activity. Some people sit there and watch tv in the evening. I do something for ME, usually tinkering with or on the tractor.

When it comes to non-tractor work, my motivation is less and less. I gave up on wrenching as I grew tired and burned out after.
 
Pless said:
Not to hijack the thread, but do you know any of the folks or places in that swap shop show on Netflix @1-tonmudder ? That's your neck of the woods.
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YES :shaking: The radio station is WRGS and you can listen to it on the tune app.Its about 45 mins from me and its on from 9;30 to 10;30 ish every morning.I listen to it alot and that show is SUPER staged.I have only been able to watch a couple of episodes.About a year or so ago they were looking for folks to be on a "TV show" about swap-shop,The dale guy on it does own a shop not far from me and if you'll notice his right hand man("Rob"???) use to be on Counts customs in the early days.He plays the same character on this show.He's the ''dont buy that your spending too much money"guy just like on counts customs.In the Mustang episode where they bought the car off of Lenny?? Well Lenny isnt just some guy selling a car he has the biggest dealership in Greeneville and his dad was the first one to bring Mazda to Greene county back in the 70's.Lenny has been restoring and selling early broncos for a while now like the one shown in the episode.So needless to say Lenny dont need to call in to a radio show to sell a car.The guy they bought the cow from is a dude I use to run around w back in the 90's,he's a legit dude and was suprised to see him in such a goofy ass show.The other folks i dont know but you can listen to the show on the radio and then watch the show and see the difference,Nobody calls in and talks like that.
 
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