In an uncharacteristically hokey burst of encouragement, one of my construction school classmates busted out a catchy aphorism this week: "FAIL stands for First Attempt In Learning." Cheesy enough to adorn a poster of a kitten clinging to a tree branch, it provided mild solace for the fact that we had just fried an extension cord … Continue reading Happy Fails to You
Trucks are a big topic in construction school. Some guys have them; some guys don't. Everyone wants one. Even I want a little pickup, but don't tell my minivan. When Building Construction Technology school started last summer, the talk was all about pickups: Ford v. Dodge. Extended v. regular cab. That kind of thing. But over … Continue reading Truckonomics
Governor Bill Haslam announced this week that Tennessee leads the nation in number of students filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is the form students fill out for college financial aid, and Tennessee is really promoting scholarship applications through its Drive to 55 initiative, which aims to have 55 percent … Continue reading Money, Money, Money
One of the best things that has come from writing BuildMeUpButtercup—apart from learning to install pocket screws with a Kreg jig— is connecting with people who are willing to share their interest and expertise in construction and craft. Recently, a friend I haven't seen in over a decade read Buttercup and called to talk through … Continue reading Power Tools for Parenting
Ever since I enrolled in construction school last summer, I haven't been wearing jewelry — not even my wedding rings — for fear of getting snagged by power tools. But there's one accessory I now can't live without: a tape measure. I carry one in my tool belt, one in my pocket, and one in … Continue reading If I’d Known it was Coming, I’d Have Baked a Tape
While the guys in construction class build concealed gun cabinets, Big Green Egg grill tables, and a deck for the back of a renovated ski boat, I am neck-deep in the construction of a Little Free Library. To be precise, I suppose I should say I'm neck-deep in the construction of a Generic Front-Yard Book … Continue reading Check This Out: I’m Building a Library
I've been fantasizing about building a greenhouse, so I started collecting old windows. I got four off Craigslist for free; a friend brought me two brand-new windows left from a construction project; I broke my personal "freegan" code and paid five dollars for a small window at an estate sale; then my neighbor pulled some … Continue reading Fantasy Island
Construction class reconvened this morning after two weeks off, and nobody had much motivation to work. It's possible that's because everyone worked so hard over summer break that they were ready for the respite of the classroom. Sitting around swapping stories and photos of DIY projects and jobs from summer recess, I realized how far we've … Continue reading I Know What You Did this Summer
It's summer break at the Tennessee College of Applied Technology, so we've been out of school for a couple weeks. I find myself feeling slightly out of sorts with idle hands, searching Craigslist for cheap tools, channel-checking YouTube for DIY videos, and scouring estate sales for lumber. Poor Paul at Lowes. I wore him out … Continue reading Estate of Wonder
If there's one thing I heard 100 times over at the SkillsUSA 53rd annual National Leadership & Skills Conference in Louisville, it was this: You are a winner just for showing up to compete. I suppose that's true, on both literal and metaphorical levels, since contestants did have to win their state competitions to get … Continue reading SkillsUSA Cabinetmaking: The Verdict
Building Up Buttercup 