I watched Dirty Jobs last night on discovery. It’s a great show that shows how awful some jobs are, and the dirty things people have to do to make a living. I saw one with worm farmers in GA, who support themselves by getting worms out of the ground. They put a wood stake into the ground, hit it with a mallet and the vibration drives the creatures out of the ground for collection.
Last night, he was with a demolition crew who destroy buildings- most of it the old fashion way- mallets, sledgehammers and pulling things down. He said they couldn’t include some of the best bits in the episode due to editing. During the film, they walked down to the street and invited people after a long days work to take part in the demolition. He met a woman, who was vary harried. When they started talking, it turns out she’d had a horrible day and she was getting married that weekend- STRESSED to the max. So, they took her into the building to the “destruction floor”. He put a brick in her hand and said throw it where you like. She threw it throw a window- then giggled. He put another in her hand and she threw it at a wall. He continued to give her bricks which she’d throw at various places throughout the room- laughing with each throw.
He tied up the episode by stating,”we all have stress, but when you can smash stuff- it helps”. These gigantic workers who own and run the demolition company are the most laid back guys, because they can channel the anger positively. A very sensical guy.
Today, I spent hours in the side yard breaking up old wood. Breaking it with my hands, my knees, and rocks making piles to burn up in my fire pit. I have no tools I wish to utilize. I use mathematics, angles and leverage, analyzing weak points and best determining the place to break it. Going through plenty of large limbs and branches and generally making a mess.
My son helped in doing this and he enjoys it as much as I. I told him how to do it, where he can find weak points and he loves it. The fact we can have a fire usually after is even more satisfying- cooking marshmallows over a fire…. what better is there in life?
Point being- as much as every muscle in my body aches right now, I’m SOOOOOOOOO MELLOWWWWWWWW. Dirty Jobs was right. Smashing stuff is a good thing, especially when you need to channel the poisons which fill the system.
Next time you’re mad- go out and break up wood WITH YOUR HANDS. Don’t take the easy way out cutting it with a chainsaw. It’ll exercise your brain and there’s nothing better than being a Cro-Magnon for a little and warming yourself by a fire. It’s primal.