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I have just changed the oil on my car , a Holden Commodore SV6 , I’ve done this before , and every time I do it , it’s strangely satisfying and a relaxing task, I’m not a mechanic , I’m a Police Sergeant , so my day job can be stressful , so doing an oil change , even washing the cars is something I find oddly a good way to unwind . , anybody have any thoughts ?
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Nothing wrong with it at all especially considering your day job. As a mechanic I’ve delved into things to take my mind off what went on during the day turning wrenches. That could include going fishing, target shooting, or just an evening drive to go get ice cream.
While not as life threatening an occupation as a police officer, the mechanic world is high stress and mind numbing at times. This is especially so for mechanics working at new car dealers and having to deal with the flat rate pay system, warranty policies, and the usually present politics.
I know where you are coming from , little things to get our mind off work problems and stresses is good , it’s why I run regularly , and go to the gym even sometimes going for a long drive by myself , time to yourself to unwind is a invaluable thing in any job , be it Police Officer , Automotive Technician , Doctor , Lawyer , Cook , or Dish Washer .
My late father worked a high stress job and his outlet was usually to go to the river or lake fishing. He didn’t even care if he caught anything; it was the peace, quiet, and solitude.
He was ex-Navy and saw combat in the Pacific in WWII (Kamikaze missed him by 40 meters) and became a lifelong firefighter; usually at military bases with a short stint in a civilian department for about 5 years. He volunteered for and did Scuba work going after victims underwater. He also volunteered and served on a 4 man (2 pilots, 2 firefighters) helicopter rescue unit at the local Air Force base. His job was to get the pilots out no matter what in the event of a crash so he spent a lot of time on standby waiting and hoping nothing would go wrong.
His stress levels were high because those Husky helicopters were prone to problems and eventually he had enough of in-flight emergencies so he left the unit. Two weeks later the chopper crashed but luckily no one was killed; just one mildly injured pilot and one firefighter who was trapped in the wreckage.
There’s no way I could handle being a police officer, firefighter, or even an ambulance medical technician.
It’s why most Police and emergency service workers have a oddly black sense of humour , we make jokes that would make others cringe it’s one way to get by , if you didn’t have a laugh at the end of a rough week , or have the camaraderie of colleagues you just couldn’t get through .
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[quote=”Commodore665″ post=142606]It’s why most Police and emergency service workers have a oddly black sense of humour , we make jokes that would make others cringe it’s one way to get by , if you didn’t have a laugh at the end of a rough week , or have the camaraderie of colleagues you just couldn’t get through .
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk[/quote]
First I want to thank you for the job you do. My grandfather was a L.E.O, as well as many of my friends over the years and I truly appreciate what you do even if it’s in a different country.
Second I understand the dark sense of humor. I was former active duty and my wife is a nurse. You see that’s a lot in the states. I think it’s because we share such a dark sense of humor. Even though I’ve often told my wife medical humor is dark, military humor is pitch black.
This is a really good subject. I’ve done a lot of stuff to unwind, long drives, drives through sharp downhill roads. Car shows, hiking, working out. My two favorite though are drawing and building 1/25th scale models.
When I draw I draw comic book type characters. When I just sit back and try to be loose and relax I can do pretty decent. Building scale models is by far my favorite. You can build just about anything with enough practice.
The funniest thing I ever built was a 57 Chevy bel air with a 572 and rubbed out rear. You can purchase all sorts of 1/25th scale accessories like bolts that resemble compression fittings on high end show cars and pro stock cars.
It’s an absolute blast, a bit expensive but so much fun.
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