Most years he paid more in taxes than I made (gross wages) as a teacher. He only works 3 weeks on, and then 3 weeks off. His company pays for his plane tickets from Wyoming to New Orleans and back.

When the Deep Water Horizon blew out, his ship drilled the relief well. I think that he worked 12 hour days for almost 7 months. His bonus was enough to buy an amazing cabin on Union Pass in the Wind River Mountains between Dubois and Grand Teton.

I taught for 14 years and would encourage all my students to get skills, to keep them current and licenced, and always have a back up. I worked for a painting contractor my first year at BYU and worked on all sorts of projects, including the HBLL expansion that is underground. Those skills have helped me keep my head above water in lean times. I taught them to my kids and my oldest used those skills to get her first summer job working as a janitor at the local school because she can prep and paint. Only girl hired and her boss told me that she works circles around the boys. Her attention to detail and focus helps her produce a good product in less time than the boys.

My son was offered a job this summer on a ranch that still uses draft horses 1/2 time for hay and logging. If we weren't moving to CA, it would have given him skills that very few other boys could match.