That week we had to replace 80 panes of antique glass in a historic house

Honestly, everyone on the crew was dreading it because the common take is that old glass is a huge pain and you should just push for modern replacements. We spent the first day carefully pulling the old stuff, and I broke three pieces trying to match the old technique. By Wednesday, I got into a rhythm using a diamond wheel grinder on the new pieces to match the waviness. We finished on Friday and the owner cried, saying it looked exactly like it did in 1920. Has anyone else had a job where doing it the hard, old way was actually worth it?

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4 Comments

nguyen.kevin6mo ago

Respect the hustle. That payoff sounds worth every minute of the headache.

6

oliver8556mo ago

But the real cost is the stuff you give up without even noticing. You trade time with people for a future payoff that might not feel the same. What's the point if you're too burnt out to enjoy it?

3

fionafoster6mo ago

Ever met a ghost who used to be fun?

6

hannah_wells4mo ago

Yeah but @nguyen.kevin, burnout makes that payoff taste like ash.

3