Just realized the worst job I ever had taught me the most

I mean, it was this Tuesday in early March, right after that big snow melt in Buffalo. Got a call for a routine cleaning at a 1920s brick colonial. The homeowner said it was 'a bit blocked.' Idk, maybe it's just me but that's always a red flag. Got up on the roof, dropped the brush, and it stopped after maybe two feet. Spent the next four hours with rods, a camera, and finally a specialized carbide-tipped drill bit from my truck to break through what turned out to be a solid, three-inch thick slab of creosote and concrete-like soot that had basically turned into a chimney plug. My arms were shaking by the end. It was miserable, but I learned more about diagnosing weird obstructions in that one afternoon than in the past three years. Has anyone else had a single, awful job that actually made you way better at this?

2 comments

2 Comments

evanpalmer1mo ago

Yeah, "a bit blocked" is homeowner code for "it's basically a solid column of nightmare fuel." At least you got a good story and some new skills out of it.

maryadams1mo ago

Honestly that's how it works with most hard skills. The real learning doesn't happen when things go smooth, it's when everything goes totally wrong and you have to figure it out. You can't get that from a manual or a training video. That brutal, hands-on problem solving under pressure just rewires your brain for the next disaster. Seems like the worst days are the ones that actually stick with you and make you better at your job.