submitters note: Jody wrote this for the “about” page of the website he built to represent “J Blue Websites for Construction,” his web development LLC, but I think that it’s much more than that. This just perfectly encapsulates his style, his philosophy, and his spirit.
“I grew up a contractor’s son, when he wasn’t framing or roofing or driving a truck. The Old Man. Tougher than shoe leather. Dropped out of school in 8th grade, got his GED when he was about 45. He got out of driving 18 wheels and straight into construction in the early 80s. His first two contracted houses were at Cuillans Corner just as it was getting fancified. He got up with this new GA Power program called “Good Cents” and took some seminars I’d wager because for the rest of my life he preached the best way to manage a thermostat, how to wrap a house so the R Factor went up and how to insulate right, how to hold a hammer further back and not to choke up so much, not to “hit the wrong nail” when hammering, and all the wealth of knowledge he could spare. I was 10 when I said, “Hey Deddy, I’d like to start lifting weights.” When we got to the job, he pointed at a framing pack for a 3,000 sq. ft. home around Braselton and said, “Lift those weights. They dropped the framing pack off too far from the house.” The brick masons came the next day. Hey, you know how you know it’s a brick mason driving around with this window down? How? His arm hangs way lower than everybody else’s.
When I was 12, me and Joe Ballew and Carl Simmons framed 3 houses on concrete slabs. No tree to be seen anywhere. I woke up with blisters and I got heat stroke. I learned how to do framing layouts from a blueprint. I made T and cornerposts. 2×12 headers.
In High School, I became the job cleanup guy which was flipped over from that one summer not long before then. I was dropped off at my jobsite very early because he had to be somewhere. Lunch, lighters, diesel and a completely uncleaned construction site. I impressed and made a lot of cash in High School. I always had money when I wanted to do stuff in High School.
Dude said when I was in 7th grade or something, “You’re getting x amount of money for school supplies and clothes in the fall. If you want more than that, get a job.” I did. By the time I was 18, I’d lost count of how many jobs I’d had. I probably started working when I was 7, to be honest. I’m not ashamed of that. No challenge I’ve faced in life has ever really beat me.
In High School, my homeroom teacher was also my shop class and drafting class teacher. Hoppy Eager. Hoppy was the same teacher who got me a Senior Triiiiip to Nicaragua with his missionary cousin. Oh well, he truly meant well.
I was lauded and acclaimed in high school. President of everything. Clean as a whistle. Baptist Preacher at 14. FCA altar calls in the high school gymnasium. Wow. I’m thinking about the people who stood there with me and where they are now. 3 out of 5, I don’t care about the people in my hometown.
High School wrapped up very well. I was PAID to go to North GA College. I was wanting to reply to the Presidential Scholarship at GA Tech, but I stayed home so that I wouldn’t “get drunk and mess with hookers” in Atlanta. Really.
I’ve worked farms, warehouses, truck yards, construction, furniture shops, housekeeping, more warehouses on warehouses, industrial repack Kellogs logistics facilities, dispatched $4million of freight a month at a very highly capitalized wholesale building materials distribution center. All while drunk and twice! Old salty dispatcher. Hey, you know how you know a dispatcher’s lying? At least he’s not a truck drive. Well?
My last drink was on 6/7/11. A lot has happened.
I tell this story to say that when I tell my clients that I know what they go through, I mean every word. I saw my dad go from wads of pocket cash, to, ‘oh shit, Carl, find us some tin roofs to do over the winter.’ Thumb splatterd.
I’m a contractor’s son. I get it. Let’s dispatch/build your success together.
Gratitude, just for me, Gratitude, just for me, is an action. Though I said a lot of it first.I couldn’t begin to tell you.”