Comments on: “Work Is Not The Enemy” by Peggy Rowe

By: Thomas

Thomas — Fri, 18 Mar 2011 04:54:08 +0000

This is a very good story.

By: Ron R

Ron R — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 00:35:05 +0000

Peggy, a great human interest story that lives on. Interesting that this afternoon my wife (Joanne) and I were at a So. Hutchinson Island Beach checking out the possibility of some fishing. There was a man on the beach picking up his fishing gear. Afterwords I met him in the parking lot and started chatting with him. Told him of my interest in fishing and I walked away with free advice, a bag of sand flees and pampano rig. After all that Rich has been through, he remains a generous and thoughtful person. If you ever read this again Rich, thank you for the help, gifts and conversation. I’ll surely help someone else down life’s road.
Keep going strong,
Ron

By: Rich Vidulich

Rich Vidulich — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:35:59 +0000

Peggy, Hi this is Rich, the commercial fisherman you wrote so splendidly of last year. I want to honor the massive efforts of the New Orleans com. fisherman who heroically trying to save the future of their fishery. I promote all administrative attempts to fairly regulate the oil companies from drilling unsafely in any and all U.S. coastal waters. Previous administrators and lobbyists have created an unfathommable problem for the future of our oceans health. As fisherman we work exceptionally hard for fair wages and make every attempt to conserve our ecosystems. Florida’s waterways provide many of us a healthy diet of delicious seafood. Peg your’e columns help change many of us to approach economical downturns with greater directional diversity and open minds. Thanks Peggy, Sincerely Rich

By: Bruno

Bruno — Thu, 06 May 2010 01:09:40 +0000

Interesting story. You meet interesting people at the beach it seems. Diffrent kind of folks vs the boring suburbanite lifestyle most of us live.

I lost my job nearly 20 years ago and wound up mowing lawns while I job hunted. I realized I liked it more than any corporate job, so I went into business full time. The biggest downside to doing manual labor in this day and age is how others treat you. You become a social outcast if your friends are not also blue collar, it seems. If we can ever get mainstream americans to accept manual laborers as equals then I think more people would choose this lifestyle. I actually make more than most Americans, but because I get dirty doing it I’m considered strange by many of them. As if I’m mentally deficient.

When you earn money the hard way, you do NOT waste it on grand homes, fancy cars, etc. Income earned via transactions (selling) or a paycheck that shows up no matter how hard you work is more easily spent. This man’s problem was that the money came too easily, I think. Now I bet he is more careful with it.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:17:10 +0000

So many of us are afraid of hard work. Here is someone who did what it took to survive. I am a paralegal in NJ now but I have worked as a maid in a hotel in Wyoming, working as a convenience store clerk, pizza place, hours of working two jobs, working as a cleaning lady. Living on popcorn on gravy. But it made what I am today and I would not change it for anything. Because of your son, I have a great appreciation for those who make our lives easier. I pass a building and wonder who made the bricks or placed the drywall and I am truly grateful for all of the hard work that they do. Your son is worthy of respect and gratitude for speaking on behalf of those who are so often forgotten.

Rebecca

By: Todd

Todd — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 06:17:46 +0000

This is almost my life lesson in history…. I was a farmer on my family farm and working a full time job besides. well due to economy too quick of expansion health issues and lost contracts we lost it all last year…. I was not a snob or even afraid of hard work at all,most of the time i would run on three hours sleep a day.All for the almighty dollar….greed only gets you so far in life… Between the health issues from lack of sleep and two family failed businesses, we now have came full circle.from poor to rich to poor but rich with knowledge and respect.It reminds me of something an old guy told me on a job one day.A man will work his whole life to get rich, and pay it all back for his health issues brought to him from his journey.I feel for this guy.I know what he’s going through.some people who have not work “menial jobs” will have nothing to fall back on in knowledge or wisdom…

By: EruditeJade

EruditeJade — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 02:05:33 +0000

So grateful you shared this story! Life is not generally predictable, no matter how well planned for. What an inspiration this man is! Resolve and committment to work.

By: Dave

Dave — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:32:12 +0000

Send Rich my way!!! I have tried many times to hire guys like Rich. Too often I’ve heard the line “You can’t afford me”. I own a business that services industrial machinery. Knowledge is the currency of my trade. I personally can fix literally any industrial machine. My skills have been honed over 40 years. There are no 20 somethings with my skills or anything close. It’s guys like Rich that have the knowledge that makes BOTH of us a decent living. And, if the guy has any ability in teaching, he can help me teach the next generation.

By: Charlotte

Charlotte — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:10:51 +0000

Loved this article. We should all have his attitude – don’t complain, just do what is necessary – in the end it seems he’s found some peace and maybe this is a better “retirment” than he might have imagined. Thanks Peggy for this great story.

By: Deirdre

Deirdre — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:57:31 +0000

He didn’t loose the “American Dream”, he realized it. It’s not money or material things, it’s peace and living a good, simple life that you can be proud of.