Being able to help others with our building skills is one of the advantages of working in this wild construction business. Whether volunteering on a Habitat for Humanity house project or re-building from Sandy storm damage, we can jump in and offer expert help. Traveling to a Third World country to assist on a short term building project, as another option, can change your world.

Closer to home, we often help our families. I recall my old superintendent buddy Mike Safstrom talking about teaching his son-in-law about using tools and working together on projects. Teaching those skills challenges in the best circumstances, but the added stress of the father-in-law to son-in-law relationship (“You’re doing what to my daughter?”) ups the ante.

Nevertheless, I jump into projects with my son-in-law on their new old house in Bucks County. The joy far outweighs the aggravation.

Grandson Levin, full of two year oldness, first noticed his own flatulence the other day. He heard the sound, looked around behind him in surprise and exclaimed, “Hey, my butt just popped!”

Think about using your skills to help others (you don’t need to be that busy with work) and experience some butt popping joy of your own.