Hello you all. How are you ? I hope well. O.K. This is a subject I've been wanting to approach for awhile as I've noticed on the board at times there have been wisecracks about janitors who were Jehovah's Witnesses . Now , hey, I'm real, have a good sense of humor, and can take a joke like anyone, be the brunt of a good joke, hell, I laugh at myself when I work alone at nights- just to keep entertained !
That being said , perhaps I may ask this question. Do some on the board think all janitors are stupid, or uneducated, or dolts ? Because I see the reference made to janitors often in these terms , when discussing them as elders, or in other capacities when they were in the organization ! To me it is generalizing and typecasting people all into one group. Almost like racism, but I'd call it " class distinctions" . Like saying just because of the color of one's skin, that this person is this way or acts that way. As if we are the experts on that and are all knowing and all wise to assume such things.
Here is my point. I was raised a Jehovah's Witness from birth. I had no choice. All my family was in it. I got married young (at 19) because like most young witness men, I wanted to have " permissable legal sex".
I supported a self righteous elder wanna-be wife in the pioneer work. We had 3 children in our mid 20's. My witness parents did not allow me to go to college , in spite of a 3.6 grade point average in which I majored with A's in English, Geography. History, Psychology, Physical Education, and strong B's in Math ! So when we as a young couple had 3 children at a young age, what was I to do to earn enough money to feed and support them ? I had an older friend who earned between $20.00 to $50.00 per hour in self- employed commercial janitorial. So, in 1983 I got my business going, and have done commercial janitorial ever since. Raised 3 kids on the profession, sent a son to college , and have 3 adult kids on their own now.
So, basically what I'm telling any naysayers of the (janitorial profession ), before you criticize someone for what they do for a living , know what you are talking about. Perhaps us self employed janitors earn more money per month than some of you with a degree. Or who work in a office ! Or manage a store ! It is not that easy to run your own business. People who have never done it- do not have a clue. You have advertising costs, taxes, accounting, (if you do your own), payroll, accounts receivable to collect at times when customers don't pay on time ! What I'm telling you is it does take a measure of brains , social skills, good looks Ha! Ha! , and business acumen to accomplish all this !
Here is an interesting thought to ponder . If none of you ever knew I was a self employed janitor- would you have been able to tell what I did for a living by reading my threads ? Many here on this board I'm sure have had to self-educate themselves because of being raised a witness and staying in too many years do to family obligations or such. So, I'm just saying , hey, everybody has their story on this board . Some of us have made lemonade with the lemons life doled out to us, and it is beautiful , we have succeeded in spite of not having a college education. So what I'm asking is for everyone to be a bit more open minded that when you see a person in a certain profession , don't think you know what that person's mental capacity is , because you could be, and probably are entirely mistaken. So, glad I got this off my chest. No big deal here. I'm not mad. Just trying to push buttons mentally to open up minds that might be closed. I'm not offended by anyone here, I'm a joker at heart , so if you want to reply funny, that's cool.I look forward to serious and funny replies ! But I thought it was an appropriate topic to address ! Peace out to all, Mr. Flipper
I Have a Commercial Janitorial Service - And Proud of It !
by flipper 64 Replies latest jw friends
-
flipper
-
Abandoned
I'm glad things are going so well for you Mr. Flipper.
I don't think I look down at people because of they're employment. If I ever have, I take this moment to offer a heart-felt apology.
-
OnTheWayOut
Do some on the board think all janitors are stupid, or uneducated, or dolts ? Because I see the reference made to janitors often in these terms , when discussing them as elders, or in other capacities when they were in the organization !
Easy there, fellow. I was one of those janitor/window washer elders. We just laugh that it is so stereotypical.
It's also amusing that many elders act in the congregation like Senior vice-presidents of large corporations
might act in the business world.A self-employed janitor is a business man. Very great accomplishment.
There is nothing wrong with hard work and any gainful employment.
Those that are working for others as janitors, ditch-diggers, nannies, whatever-
I am proud of ya. -
jelcat8224
I did cleaning for many years for a living ... comercial, residential, new construction ... you name it, I cleaned it. I loved it!!! I would do it again if it weren't so hard on my body ...
I feel that as long as you are happy and find fulfillment in your work then you should stick with it!
jelcat
-
serendipity
I hoped you opened some minds, Mr. Flipper.
-
momzcrazy
My personal opinion is this. If you are making the best out of a bad situation that's wonderful. My bil and sil had the same type company and they made alot of money. They were together working and able to have days free. You find something you are good at or an area that needs you, and run with it. That shows initiative and brains. It doesn't matter what field you choose to work in. I have commented on a brother that did janitorial at night to pioneer. His wife didn't work. The 2 kids at home worked as soon as they were old enough. YET they still received food stamps and state aid. He was able to do more. His wife was able to do more. He did the absolute minimum he had to to get by. To me, no matter what line of work it is, is pitiful.
I have cleaned houses and worked for the in-laws with my husband scrubbing warehouse potties. I have cleaned floors, carpets, kitchens, you name it. My husband has done just about everything. He has now, by his wisdom, strength and initiative, built up a multi million dollar company from the ground up. He started driving and cleaning buses. At the bottom, he is now at the top of his game. We live in a custom built home in a gated golf course community. We started it all cleaning. It's damn hard work.
momz
-
OnTheWayOut
Oh, Flipper. Could you tell that I am a high-school dropout who joined the military
before they required a diploma?I now have a GED (about a decade after my graduation would have been). I have
a great job that requires a high school diploma. While my great job did not require
college, it did require jumping through hoops to get the job. It caused me to miss
meetings- I got the job after the 1995 generation change- when I knew I needed to
plan to be retired in this system of things.I don't think most of us really are concerned with how much education the others
have. JW's do read alot, so that causes their dendrites to get exercise. They can
be smart people once they get their heads out of their organization. -
Priest73
Flipper,
One of my best buds lays carpet for a living. I work in an office. He reads more books than I do and can hold a conversation with the best of em.
I'd never look down on him -besides his almost cult like adherence to NASCAR, never understood that sport.
Besides, he's not shy about asking me to help him out on side jobs when his co-workers can't.
I've never turned him down. -
Gopher
Good post -- thanks for the insight into the world of an entrepreneur like yourself.
-
chickpea
good post , mr flipper
i agree, as amusing as it is to refer to the stepfords as window washers, there is a young-ish elder i know of that has a reasonably successful "window washing" business that has branched out to include replacing windows, applying a high tech sun filter film, awning installation ..... he also does snow removal...... in the summer time he has at least 3 crews working full time.( yep.... all dubs ) .. has at least 2 company trucks ..... raising 4 kids....so the dude is generating some serious cha-ching