b'EDITORS LETTERLesley A. GoddinPatriotism for me is when people put their ideas into the work. Your love for your country is only in your work.Sudhir MishraIdontusuallygetonmysoapboxfl notice bond breakers that needoor, about patriotism (unless you are a fol- to be removed on a substrate, select lower of mine on my personal Facebooktherightmortarandgroutforthe account),butIamgoingtotakethisjob and then install all the parts and opportunity to tell you that BEING a tilepieceswithartistryandexcellence. setter and encouraging others to enterOfcourse,youusemachineryand the trade is a patriotic act. tools on the jobsite, but they take your Why is that, you may ask? Becauseexpertise and prowess to wield posi-inthisworldofoutsourcing,send- tive results.ing jobs overseas, prefab construction,Areyouinterestedinhelpingthe pre-packagedfood,andautomation,countrygrow? Thentalktoyounger there is a decreasing pool of employ- generationsaboutyourtrade.Share ment opportunities that cant be donewhatknocksyoursocksoffaboutit by someone else, located somewherewith themwhat excites you, inspires else, likely earning a fraction of whatyou, what makes you stand back from the job is worth in U.S. dollars. Hands- your work with a sense of pride and ontradesaresomeofthelastbas- satisfactionas well as how it helps tions of craftworkers who need to beyou put food on your table and attain PRESENT, on the job, in person, withagoodliving. Talktoyourchildren, eyes, minds, and hands engaged withandtheirfriends,orclassesinlocal creating a beautiful, long-lasting, well- highschoolsorthoseinyourfaith performing installation of ceramic orcommunityignite in them the excite-natural stone tile. ment that in many cases, they can earn When you engage in your professionwhile they learn and have a skill that asatilecontractor,youareliterallycanneverbetakenfromthem. And buildingthecountry,andcontribut- they are NEEDED! One of the largest ing to the physical real estate of yourbarrierstoconstructionofliterally region. Youareinteractingwithrealbuilding the countryis the fact that humans, face to face, not just onlinethere arent enough skilled craftspeo-inemailorsocialmedia. Yourepre- ple to do the work! Youre doing your sent a skill, a company, a professionpart AS a tile settertry to encourageall of which are things to be proudor recruit at least three more installers of.Yourjobcannotbeoutsourced.into the fi eld: one to replace you when Theres no way a machine can comeyouretireandtwomoretoexpand in and assess the need for a fl at, levelthe trade. Bring interested youth to a 16 TileLetter | April 2019'