|
02-18-2007, 06:57 PM
|
#1
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 5,105
|
Parable of the Carpenter
There was once a very skillful carpenter. Due to his old age, he decided to retire and spend more time with his family. He told his boss about his decision. The boss was so sorry to see his long time employee leaving and decided to reward him. So, the boss went to the carpenter and told him that he would like him to build one more house for a very important person. However, the carpenter was no longer having his heart in the job. Even though the boss told him to choose the best material, he just simple used whatever that was easily available. Needless to say, the workmanship was poorer than the work of an apprentice.
After completing the house, the carpenter handed the keys to his boss. "Keep the keys", said the boss, "This house is for you. I don't know how to thank you for your service and your loyalty throughout all these years. Here is my gift for your retirement."
The carpenter was shocked to hear that. He was so ashamed that he didn't perform to his best in the very last project. He had to settled for something that was poorly built by himself. He would have built the house differently if he knew he was actually building his own house.
__________________
Sometimes death is not as tragic as not knowing how to live. This man knew how to live--and how to make others glad they were living. - Jack Benny at Nat King Cole's funeral
|
|
|
|
Join the #1 Early Retirement and Financial Independence Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
Are you planning to be financially independent as early as possible so you can live life on your own terms? Discuss successful investing strategies, asset allocation models, tax strategies and other related topics in our online forum community. Our members range from young folks just starting their journey to financial independence, military retirees and even multimillionaires. No matter where you fit in you'll find that Early-Retirement.org is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with our members, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create a retirement blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
02-18-2007, 07:10 PM
|
#2
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Laurel, MD
Posts: 8,309
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
New wrinkle on a Defined Contribution Plan?
__________________
...with no reasonable expectation for ER, I'm just here auditing the AP class.Retired 8/1/15.
|
|
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
02-19-2007, 07:26 AM
|
#3
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 12,483
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
Sounds like most Americans NOT going to FIRE............... :P
__________________
Consult with your own advisor or representative. My thoughts should not be construed as investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results (love that one).......:)
This Thread is USELESS without pics.........:)
|
|
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
02-19-2007, 02:20 PM
|
#4
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,895
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
read: don't slam the door behind you; it might hit you in the ass.
very important to maintain integrity throughout life. you should never slack off just because you are about to leave your company. this is why i started slacking off years before i left.
__________________
"off with their heads"~~dr. joseph-ignace guillotin
"life should begin with age and its privileges and accumulations, and end with youth and its capacity to splendidly enjoy such advantages."~~mark twain - letter to edward kimmitt 1901
|
|
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
02-19-2007, 02:23 PM
|
#5
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Oahu
Posts: 26,856
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
Quote:
Originally Posted by lazygood4nothinbum
very important to maintain integrity throughout life. you should never slack off just because you are about to leave your company. this is why i started slacking off years before i left.
|
Exactly. Am I the only one who thinks this carpenter was sorely abused by his boss?
__________________
*
Co-author (with my daughter) of “Raising Your Money-Savvy Family For Next Generation Financial Independence.”
Author of the book written on E-R.org: "The Military Guide to Financial Independence and Retirement."
I don't spend much time here— please send a PM.
|
|
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
02-19-2007, 08:18 PM
|
#6
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Laurel, MD
Posts: 8,309
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nords
Exactly. Am I the only one who thinks this carpenter was sorely abused by his boss?
|
No, you're not.....I think so too.....that's what I meant by making the crack about it being a DCP. I think OP meant for us to focus on the higher meaning of always giving your best, etc,etc, and here we are sayin Damg!....that guy got screwed.
But just like a DCP, if the employee mucks it up, he has to live with it.
__________________
...with no reasonable expectation for ER, I'm just here auditing the AP class.Retired 8/1/15.
|
|
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
02-20-2007, 12:47 AM
|
#7
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,125
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
I thought of the saying that the cobbler's children are always shoeless.
__________________
Angels danced on the day that you were born.
|
|
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
02-20-2007, 10:05 AM
|
#8
|
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 1,719
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
This parable might have had some significance 50-100 years ago when companies didn't consider their workers to be disposable. These days, corporate loyalty is often a fool's game.
__________________
He had one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it . . . It faced, or seemed to face, the whole external world for an instant and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. -- The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
|
|
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
02-20-2007, 03:56 PM
|
#9
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,811
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
I can relate to the story.
I keep asking myself, "now exactly why did you agree to do two full time (+) management jobs in the last few months of your career when you could have coasted out the door and cut back your hours instead of working more of them?"
The answer is "I thought it was a good idea at the time"
Actually, the choice was to prevent having to work for the village idiot in my remaining months. I work for me so I have some amount of control over what happens and when (except for business related problems and issues).
__________________
Work? I don't have time to work....I'm retired.
|
|
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
02-21-2007, 08:48 AM
|
#10
|
Dryer sheet wannabe
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 13
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
I've learned that being loyal to a company only gets you so far. You'll probably get screwed somewhere along the line.
|
|
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
02-21-2007, 10:37 AM
|
#11
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,125
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
Quote:
Originally Posted by ranch111
I've learned that being loyal to a company only gets you so far. You'll probably get screwed somewhere along the line.
|
Judging by SteveR's avatar, he already has been.
__________________
Angels danced on the day that you were born.
|
|
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
02-21-2007, 01:00 PM
|
#12
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,811
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
Quote:
Originally Posted by bssc
Judging by SteveR's avatar, he already has been.
|
Somebody finally noticed!!
Note the direction of the screw....into the back..long but true story.
__________________
Work? I don't have time to work....I'm retired.
|
|
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
02-21-2007, 01:36 PM
|
#13
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 17,203
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jay_Gatsby
This parable might have had some significance 50-100 years ago when companies didn't consider their workers to be disposable. These days, corporate loyalty is often a fool's game.
|
What do you mean... I am very loyal to my company for the next two weeks... then I get another paycheck and am loyal for another two weeks....
|
|
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
02-21-2007, 01:58 PM
|
#14
|
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Kansas City
Posts: 7,968
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
never, never, never ever slack off on quality!!
Next plane trip - imagine that carpenter were the mechanics who built/installed the window you are sitting next to - even so I usually specify the aisle seat when possible.
Whine, bitch, complain about your lot all you want - but never let up on workmanship.
heh heh heh - old aerospace axiom: launch day or when the plane rolls down the runway, you(an en-ga-neer) need to start looking for another job.
|
|
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
02-21-2007, 09:51 PM
|
#15
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,125
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveR
Somebody finally noticed!!
Note the direction of the screw....into the back..long but true story.
|
I think that they noticed, they are just more polite than me.
__________________
Angels danced on the day that you were born.
|
|
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
02-21-2007, 10:07 PM
|
#16
|
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,811
|
Re: Parable of the Carpenter
Quote:
Originally Posted by bssc
I think that they noticed, they are just more polite than me.
|
__________________
Work? I don't have time to work....I'm retired.
|
|
|
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
Similar Threads
|
Thread |
Thread Starter |
Forum |
Replies |
Last Post |
The frugal carpenter
|
wabmester |
Other topics |
3 |
11-11-2005 06:49 PM |
|
» Recent Threads
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
» Quick Links
|
|
|