67 lines
3.8 KiB
Markdown
67 lines
3.8 KiB
Markdown
---
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tags: HVAC
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image: 2023-12-12-cancel-this.gif
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---
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# Cancel This
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This post is going to be hard to put into words, it's going to seem egotistical at points, but know
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that my actions / feelings online are the same as they are if you met me in person. The problem with
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online interactions is tone and other subtleties do not come across, so it's hard to tell when
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someone is joking or being serious.
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## The Meat
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It has been brought to my attention that someone out there thinks that I'm sexist and should not
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speak at the HVAC School symposium because of it. They are holding a curse word against me that I
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said two years ago, in the moment A) it was fitting and B) it was one of those times that my mouth
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was working faster than my brain (raise your hand if that's ever happened to you).
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I am an open book, I am not afraid of showing failures and strengths. I've never claimed to be
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perfect (well, actually I have but it's always a joke). I'm not at all condoning what I've said in
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the past, nor will I repeat it out of context now, but I communicate with people like adults and I
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look at people as piers. We do not always have to agree with one another, conflict helps us learn
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where to grow, but we also can not expect people to change to fit our wants / needs, that's just not
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how it works.
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I do not at all agree with the tactics used by whomever is behind this. I would happily discuss this
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in private or out in the open. You can find all my contact / social information in the sidebar of
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this website and I've offered up my cell phone number in private groups that we are all probably a
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part of.
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## The Potatoes
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I am a father of 3 girls, I have a sister, talk crap about my mom and you'll find out who I am! I
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love women, I have no problem with women in the trades, I encourage women who are in the trades. I
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try to help every person that I can, if I can. I have failed more times than you can imagine! I am
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self taught in about everything I do, so I give of it freely. I have all kinds of work to do to grow
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into the man that I should be, but at the same time, I am not afraid to be the man that I am today.
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I will greet you by whatever pronoun you want to be referred as.
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I would love to say that I don't judge people, but I do, just as I'm being judged! I am fine with
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someone judging me and having opinions about me, I mean that is our right. I will not say that
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person is wrong, because in their mind they're right. What I will not do is stop being myself. I
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know for a fact that I've helped more people than this person has gotten "cancelled". I will
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continue to help people in the trades, homeowners, or people in need. I also will not remain quiet!
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I will give my opinion like it or not. There are people in my corner that really know me and my
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intentions.
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## Final Words
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The trades are rough around the edges, just as am I. The trades are a slow turning ship (just look
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at how many still do not follow proper practices, etc. even with the capabilities and resources
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available today).
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If you are new / coming into the trades then I hope you are not overly sensitive to foul language
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and other inappropriate comments. Thick skin is valuable in the trades, but at the same time don't
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be afraid to speak up if something offends you. Remember we are adults, we can handle disagreements
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like adults (well, some of us can). Adults can learn from those of any age, they can reflect on
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their own behavior and make their own decisions.
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I personally think that being offended is not a bad thing, it causes us to reflect / repair our
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foundational beliefs. I hope that we can stop with this "cancel culture" of today, stop hiding
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behind a keyboard, and be a diverse community.
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To wrap things up, I just want to reiterate that I am not at all mad at whomever is behind this. To
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everyone out there who has shown me love and support, I greatly appreciate it.
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