I hear ya Bro

I ran across some of that myself. But mostly I ignored it - just devoted myself to my duties - and my interests (one and the same actually). I was in the union at the time. So one day, I got tapped on the shoulder by the shop steward, who threatened me and insisted that I show the same boredom as "everyone else". Oh, and he didn't like my camera either - tried to smash it!

Instead of pounding him, which I am ashamed to say was the first thing I thought of, I ran against him and became the shop steward in his place. Now it was my turn to do the insisting, I might add, with the full support of others. The work began to be a happy thing, in which we all took pride.

Later on, after I became a maintenance foreman, I continued to insist that the reason to do a good job and to do it with pride and joy, was not to benefit the railroad company perse, which of course it did do, but was actually of most benefit for yourself - a source of personal satisfaction, pride and happiness.

Now of course, another fellow was then the steward (an avowed socialist actually), who was constantly trying to stir up trouble. He got nowhere. In fact, he finally got the "Blanket party" from his own peers because they didn't want him messin with me, or with there work satisfaction. He quickly resigned. Man - their ain't no need to ever let anyone rob you of taking pleasure in any honest work or profession!

Now, after many years and a promotion to engineering, I am out of the union. This negativity is not as prevalent at the professional level, but it does exist. Not so much here, but elswhere. Upon occasion, when signal or track contruction was going on a another rail property in the region. I would go out and see how the "other half lived" - see how my counterparts did things there.

One day, after identifying myself and why I was there, I was generally welcomed. Soon however, they looked askance, seeming to ridicule my interest. When asked "you sure do eat this stuff up don't you?", I simply replied "YEP - Sure Do, don't you?"

Later, as I was preparing to leave, these same fellows, UP signal engineers actually, came to me asking me if my outfit was hiring - almost begging - asked me to let them know when hiring would start again. I then got a real big earful as to how bad it was to work there. They wanted what I had. I don't blame them.

I tell these stories to make the point that you are not really different. All people really do want to be devoted to their work and find it interesting, taking pleasure and pride and in a wll done job.

Don't let anyone rob you of it. If they want to be miserable - let em. But you must insist they let you be exactly what YOU want to be as well.

OPB