Now Do The Trades

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And heavy machinery operators.

Premier Guitar- Last Call: My Aching Back

I don’t want to be the guy moaning, “Oh, my aching back,” but the reality is, mountains turn to dust and so do we. That’s the price of admission. I’m doing everything I can to push back my expiration date: exercise, yoga, acupuncture, constant stretching, massage, practicing physical awareness, and trying not to eat poison. Despite these precautions, my hands have new issues with numbness and stiffness, and there’s a lot of pain in my lower back, forearms, neck, and shoulders. Many paranoia-driven Google searches later, I’ve narrowed my newish ailments down to a blend of carpal tunnel, arthritis, gout, vitamin B12 deficiency, lupus, rickets, Long Covid, and/or an adverse response to my multiple Covid vaccinations.

Okay, I’m being a bit snarkier than I need to be. Working musicians do put a lot of strain on their bodies as well but one of the things routinely ignored is the amount of physical pain the average working schlub has to put up with as they get older.

48 Replies to “Now Do The Trades”

  1. This is why if you are a tradesman you must aim to get yourself off the tools when you get older. It’s not hard to do. Become a foreman, or an estimator/planner. If you run your own company get out there and hustle for work then hire the young guys to do it.

    1. A large part of injuries come from the foolishness of youth and sports. I agree that by about 50-55 a tradesman should be off the tools. Incidentally, in the trades that 30 years of education (sometimes called experience), is worth gold.

  2. Yup. It catches up with you sooner or later. Throw in a few contact sports during those good years when you think you can do it all and you’ll be a bag of snot held together with duct tape by the time you hit your fifties.

    Collagen/Peptides
    https://www.amazon.ca/Premium-Collagen-Peptides-Certified-Friendly/dp/B00XQ2XGAA/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=2FE9YT2UG34LP&keywords=collagen+and+peptides+powder&qid=1665786147&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjI4IiwicXNhIjoiMC4wMCIsInFzcCI6IjAuMDAifQ%3D%3D&smid=AQAIDN8YDF665&sprefix=%2Caps%2C76&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1
    Does it work for everyone? Probably not but it works for me and a whole host of others – the key is to be consistent. My wife makes sure I drink it every day and of course…daily stretches. Pro tip: STAY AWAY FROM PRESCRIBED PAIN KILLERS.
    I’m a 50’s child…it would frighten the bejesus out of GenXYZ or whatever they’re calling themselves if I told them what my typical day was working for the man back in the day.
    That said – wouldn’t trade it for the world.

    1. I did in my knees in my 20s with sweat equity on a gold property. If it worked out, I wouldn’t have had to work a day in my life. At least I got a good story out of it (full version takes 2+ beer). Glucosamine has helped return a lot of use of my knees. YMMV.

    2. I swamped my own truck till 72 and covid retired me.. everything from ammunition to zoo supplies .played defensive end in jr/highschool football.. Retirement is killing me because I spend too much time playing video games and pissing myself off watching lefties destroy my world..Im a full fledged “get off my lawn”-er now. By the way Zelensky is a nazi!..And we are paying him!

  4. At 68 I am still in the trades pulling wrenches. It is what keeps me young and fit. A life time of physical labor has not given me aches and pains unless I sit too much. Then my back gets a bit twitchy which I fix by doing a bit of stretching. I don’t take any meds and have no need to take any meds. Unless I am very sick I don’t go to a doctor either.

    1. I’m 58, still farming and planning on doing it for another 20 years or so.
      There are worse things than a few aches and pains. None of us are immune from aging.

      Retiring.
      There are goals that I have yet to achieve, and I’d “rather wear out than rust out“. A life in which comfort is the highest priority seems pretty damned meaningless.

      1. Yes, I am 74, just sold my farm/cattle ranch and looking ahead. I hike every day and lift very light weights every other day for strength, but yah, a few pains from youthful sports and foolishness. Youthful foolishness ended around 70.

    2. I’m 67 and over the last two years have been completely rebuilding and expanding my home. I hired out the REALLY heavy work … framing, roofing, re-piping the gas, plumbing and HVAC underfloor. Man do I hate that claustrophobic crawl space. But I formed and poured (with help) my own foundations, and did most of the demo work, with the help of two young guys. I’ve installed the new wood/clad windows, did all the exterior trim, and installed all the synthetic shingles. Hired out the drywall, but I am doing ALL the interior finish carpentry. All of it. Finish carpentry is my thing … I’ve become farrrrrr more patient and careful in my old age … I’m currently painting. A LOT of painting.

      My observation: I feel best when I am pushing myself physically. I don’t jog, bike, walk, or do yoga. What I do is … everything else. I am sore after most days which morphs into an endorphin high after a couple hours on the couch. There are times when my hands cramp up from working the muscles too hard and my last remaining natural hip joint keeps reminding me that it needs to be sawn-off and rebuilt like the other one. But I don’t have arthritis. And I don’t have any serious ailment whatsoever. My knees and surrounding muscles are way more sore and weaker than in my youth … but nothing is damaged. I actually feel quite good, for an old guy.

      But I also know my sedentary, office worker self. And THAT’S when I really feel my age. I can feel my body slip out of shape … and simple tasks get hard. I huff and puff and ache when detailing the car. So the real question is WHAT will I do to stay fit AFTER the house project is done? I’m doing this to get OUT of CA … but … my timing SUCKS as Real Estate deflates in the ongoing recession. Now … it’s looking like I’ll be here another decade. Because there’s NO WAY I will, sell this home at the market bottom. Guess I’ll have to go build homes for Habitat …

      1. Well, Kenji, I’ve recently turned 83. Let me just say to one and all: hard work never killed anyone. An adage from my weight lifting days has served me well: there is no such thing as over training, there is only under eating. Translated, this really means: eat clean, get lots of rest and always maintain good form. I would emphasize eating clean. Rule #1: do not eat processed food. Most food additives cannot be metabolized. While some are excreted others accumulate in the body. In time, the accumulation becomes toxic and causes inflammation. Inflammation is what causes most aches and pains. The body stores these impurities in its fat stores. (My own pet theory is that the body will want to over eat in order to put on more fat stores in order to accommodate additional un-metabolized food additives.) You can imagine what happens when you diet and release the stored toxins as your fat stores diminish.

        Next Sept I will celebrate my 84th by taking my electrically assisted bike along the Alcan Hwy. from Fort Nelson to the Alaska border @ Beaver Creek) and back: 2,800 km approx. It will take about two weeks.

        Good physical health does not run in my family. None of my family ever made it past 75.

        1. I hate to say it … but our health is also about 90% … “luck of the draw”. You were dealt a winning hand.

          1. Kenji….
            I disagree.
            Far too many people have seen very significant health recovery from proper dietary changes, for “90% luck” to be true.

            I know what bad genes are like. I’m about to go visit a brother in hospital, who has not had 1 day’s good health in his life. But even for him, diet makes a difference.

            The biggest killers in our modern society are “lifestyle diseases”.
            CVD. Sroke, Alzheimers, and increasingly, cancer.

    3. Joe

      Yep…same, but I did trade in my electrode holder for a Multi-Meter, Cam Bridge & Inspection mirror after 2 yrs @ SAIT. WET grad and still have my j’man ticket to boot.
      Inspecting is far less than the physical end of this business & easily matches B welder wage on a pipeline.

      Was well worth the 2 yrs at SAIT. No regrets.
      ….and the best part is..?? Not having to deal with 23 pronouns, bitchy Karens and Woke imbeciles. Never to be seen in a trades environment.

  5. “or an adverse response to my multiple Covid vaccinations.”

    Seems the vax fired-up an itis or two.

    1. THAT IS WHAT I THINK AS WELL……all of a sudden a person gets all these problems/. I DON’T THINK SO……MAAYBE THE JAB OR BOOSTERS??

  6. I fired up my old Stihl 051 today and bucked a couple of logs; 5 minutes tops. Can’t believe I used to carry this thing day in and day out. Wished I had left the g-d thing in the shop. It made me feel old.

    If I had been jabbed at least I’d have had something else to blame it on.

    1. Machines are NOT your friend !! Be careful with that amputation machine. My old age rule? When I get tired … and feel I’m losing my grip on the skilsaw … I take a rest. As Clint Eastwood spoke through clenched teeth … “a man’s got to know his limitations”

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uki4lrLzRaU

      Be careful, my friend.

    2. Hey Jamie
      I am 65 and fired up my chainsaw yesterday
      It was tough and my hands and back are damn sore today but I got the job done then grabbed my Martin guitar and played a Guy Clark tune about whiskey
      Oh and I don’t have a doctor and don’t care
      Buck up me laddies

  7. From my observations, the two most frequent ailments in the trades are chronic back pain and knee pain. Take care of your spine and your joints because poor habits in your youth will haunt you in middle age.

    I never had a problem getting approval to buy equipment to lessen muscle strain and prevent injuries. No manager would want to explain why he didn’t approve of a request from a female employee for equipment needed for safely moving 50 gallon drums, gas cylinders etc.

    Anyway, this thread reminded me of this humorous song about aging and nostalgia. As Good As I Once Was, Toby Keith

    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ldQrapQ4d0Y

    1. Tell us all about your debilitating carpal tunnel syndrome from the years of trolling the Internet while holed up in momma’s basement. Loser.

      “UnMe, Hot Pockets are ready!”

      “Just a minute mommy, I’m about to slay another conservative with my superior intellect.”

      2. unme has carpal tunnel from pulling his pudd when SDA centerfolds interact withhe/she. It’s called laptop dancing.

    2. Nonsense … contact group sports creates … character. Child abuse is committed by every parent who raises their kid in a safety bubble.

      I played HS football, and then my real love … rugby. A sport where you TEST yourself against your opponent … no pads, no dangerous weaponized helmets … and win, lose, or draw … you have beers together after the match and sing rugby songs … which are ALL offensive to some “victim” group or another. Yes … that’s “character” … learning to NOT take life too damn seriously. And instead … compete and then … commit camaraderie.

      Now … I am a fully committed Soccer fan … and if you know anything about the game … you know that it is a sometimes BRUTAL contact sport. Now go fly a kite.

      1. “contact group sports creates … character”

        No it creates concussions and lops off IQ points. I’m not surprised you don’t know the difference.

        You can get plenty of comradery at a LAN party without lopping off IQ points.

        LOL soccer a ‘brutal contact sport’. I’ve seen the world cup events. More like brutal acting.

        1. Poofters like you wouldn’t last 30sec. on a competitive soccer pitch. You’d be demanding a RED CARD for everyone who touched you more gently than Biden grabbing the shoulders of a 12yo girl.

    3. 4) And don’t pressure kids to be guinea pigs and take an experimental inoculation, pushed by people who never had dirt under their nails. OOOPS they did that already, and then told some of them not to .

      1. Comments like yours make it clear that it’s better to have an education in your brain than dirt under your nails.

    4. Unme

      You are a full on Moron.

      “..You might get addicted but that’s really not a big deal..”
      It’s a big deal dipshit if you have any desire to work in the trades…where often a drug test is required prior to hitting the job site. 2ndly, who the F would want to work with a JUNKIE..??

      1. Steakman..You could have stopped at the first sentence.
        The licker of the wetlab is the chess playing pigeon..
        In this case providing us its “Deep insights” into another subject of which it has zero experience.
        Kate discourages flame wars..
        Ummee is too easy a target.

  9. I looked up John Bolinger, he’s only 55! He ain’t seen nothing yet!!
    I can only imagine how much he would whine if he worked on his feet all day in safety shoes instead of sitting in a studio playing music. One of my coworkers at the grocery store is 60, weighs 100lbs soaking wet and stocks tons of juice, milk and dairy in her 8hr day without complaining.

    “…..or an adverse reaction to my multiple covid vaccinations….”

  10. I have worked in a variety of fields.
    Every single one figured they were hard done by – far more than other professions, and far more than outsiders realize.
    “No one else goes through the trials that we do.”
    Even (especially!) teachers.

  12. Damn! I’m glad I grew up working in the patch, that guitar playing sounds pretty rough! Hope he gets better soon.

    (Maybe it’s cause I don’t yoga)

  13. I’m 64 and drive a 20′ straight truck to deliver truck parts. I climb in and out of my truck at least 40 times a day and I have to admit that my knees hurt by the end of day. My back also hurts when I have days that require me to hand-bomb truck batteries and other heavy parts such as brake drums, compressors, turbos, and clutches.

  14. I’m 60, running dozer, pushing dirt for 68 hrs each week since March. (5 – 12’s Mon to Fri , 8 hrs Sat). Many of those hours are climbing up piles and pushing down into trenches at more than 30° – sometimes so steep I have to get out of the trench and go around for another run at it. The decelerator pedal gets pushed thousands of times per day, the right leg cramps up in the middle of the night if I don’t take magnesium/calcitrate (that is my lifesaver).

    Long weekend passed installed nearly 500 sq feet of Luxury Vinyl Planking in 2 days. Robax Platinum to keep my moving once I got home. Don’t stop, lightly drink alcohol bevvy’s and laugh a lot.

  15. Hey! It’s not just the “working” schlubs who have to put up with the very real pains of becoming older. What about those of us who have aged out of the job-pool?

    Yeah, many and perhaps most of us deal with pain on a daily basis, and for many reasons. Yet, we endure, and for the most part enjoy the life we have and actually look forward to the best parts of what is to come.

  16. I spent a lot of years standing at lathes, mills, and grinders. It’s hard on the back. A few years ago, I spent half a day in the kitchen running a little hand crank apple corer/peeler. My back felt like it was on fire afterwards. Working on the race car is a lot tougher than it used to be, especially when it involves stuff under the car. Putting a new center-section in the rear-end was almost a shit show!. Having a heated floor is a godsend. 🙂

  17. After nearly 40 years working in the bush (lumberjack in Canadian), I found that rowing (15 to 20 km/week) has been great for keeping supple and fit .

  19. This guy needs to have a chat with Neil Peart about the punishment music can place on a human body.

    Oh wait. He can’t.

  20. I have been an industrial mechanic for the last 48 years.
    The company i work for refused to retire me,just stay home and enjoy and when we have a problem we will text you.
    Works for me.

  21. Old age ain’t for sissies.
    To quote my mother in law.
    Just buried a man who stayed interested and active till 93..
    And speaking from experience,pain is what you make it..
    You either get up an move or you lie down and whimper..
    Had both hips fractured in 1990,still moving..
    Have a friend who had a few tons of rock fall on him,he gets up and moves,happy to be alive every day..Inspiration to all his friends and family..
    As for the “Too old to work with your body”..
    Meh.
    Everybody is different, but only a retard believes their experience applies to all..
    Right Ummee?

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