On Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:35:29 -0800, Frogwatch wrote:

Someone here mentioned doing offshore oil work and I worked on drill
rigs in Wyoming when I was younger so thought it might be just what my
19 yr old son needs to get his head screwed on straight. Make some
money, see what real work is, see how rough people can really be and
THEN go to college.
So, found him the ideal job, no experience needed, 20 days on 10 off,
they pay for room and board while on, reasonable pay, work on rear deck
of boats setting anchors for drill rigs. They actually need people.
Went home and told my son to go online and apply. "NO WAY, I dont want
to do that", he says. "You just want to get rid of me". To which I
say, "Yeah, and so what, it's good money and you are hardly earning
anything right now". He resists saying he's taking classes at community
college and does earn some money but I say 6 hours a semester is BS. I
tell my wife about this job and she sides with him saying "if he goes
off on one of those boats he'll lose his gf, you know how hard it was
when you did that stuff". I think, being only 19, he needs to lose the
gf so I am going to apply more pressure.

Nothing for nothing, but I spent several years working on an offshore
drilling rig. It's not the type of job I would pressure anyone into
taking, let alone my son. It's one of the more dangerous jobs there is.
I enjoyed my time there, and found it fascinating work, but it was my
choice. If my son got hurt, or worse, because of my pressuring ... And,
frankly, when the seas kicked up, it was a lot safer on the rig, than it
was on a ready boat.