Friday, September 03, 2010

When

You know the old saying, "Say 'when' ", when you get enough. I'm feeling like maybe I've had my fill at this point. These are pics of the Youth Wing we just completed for this large 'church' in town. I made the mistake of calling this the sanctuary for some time but they corrected me when I saw the lettering above the doors that read 'theater'. I agree that is more appropriate. And no, that is not dust or smoke you see in the shafts of light coming from the stage, that is fog from the special effects machines.
I find this building, and the 'church' as a whole, repulsive on various levels and actually feel some moral consternation that I helped build this abomination but that is not all of what this post is actually about.

Whatever the moral or spiritual implications, we did a beautiful job, and in 8 months to top it off. We brought this building in 100% complete on the exact day they wanted it, Sept. 1. The evening these pictures were taken they had their first service in the new theater. And all this after the church sat on their ass for 4 months and would not give us the approved drawings to start because they just were not sure they had completely made up their minds about everything. Of course, when they did finally give us the drawings they still wanted the building finished on the original completion date and all the while making changes anyway. Oh, no, wait...no, they wanted 30 days early! That's right, silly me. And we did it. We. Did. It. And not one sorry sonovabitch from our office or this church had the balls or the f***ing decency to just come out on the job and say "thank you" for your hard work. We didn't even get a damn Coke. Well, one of the many Saturdays we worked the church did give us some biscuits and fruit. But they had someone else bring it over. They wouldn't be bothered with actually speaking to us themselves.

Sorry for this incredibly horrible photo but I just had to show this. It's bad enough that they have a coffee shop in the youth section, a Starbucks no less, but the coolers are stocked with nothing but candy, sweets and soda. Ummm, and this country is experiencing a diabetic epidemic right now? Hello?? This is just how uncaring these people are that they will help destroy the health of their young people just to get them in the door. It's all part of their propaganda to me. All that caffeine and sugar keeps those kids so freakin' hyped up they can't think straight. And when you can't think straight you will let other people do your thinking for you. Couple that with the mind-numbingly loud music and you got pure, unadulterated emotionalism being used for mind control. It makes me sick and I don't think I can do it anymore.

This is where we tied the new addition to the existing structure, which is on the right. Looks like it grew that way doesn't it? Except that column on the left; it is not bent like that. Must be something in the camera. Oh, and by the way, there is another Starbucks just around that corner. We took down 4 existing tilt panels to make the opening. Oh, I did forget; one of our execs did call Daddy Rabbit and tell him to tell us that we did a good job. Oh wow. Never mind the fact he attends this damn place and could have come out here himself. I ask you, what would be so fucking hard about shaking our hand and saying wow! what a damn good job ya'll did! We realize you risked your life building this so fast, you spent all those weekends away from your kids and family and you ground your body a bit more in the hole towards pain and immobility but hey, you did a good job and now these people can suck more money and life out of the people.
And a lot of people would say, well, ya'll get paid money to build these things and that is your reward and yes, we do. Although they are doing their damnedest to drop our already low pay to below cost of living wages. See, this is one reason why I am so against this materialistic, disposable, fucking Mal-Wart saturated society we live in. When a people become so obsessed with cheap, disposable products it doesn't take long before people start becoming those cheap, disposable products and true craftsmen are shoved out the door. Their good labors are no longer valued. We are nothing more than a consumable product to be used up and thrown out, to society like this. 'Wow, this is a cool building, now get the hell out the door and don't come back.'

Well, I guess I'm still a bit pissed off by the whole experience but I knew it was coming to this. See, used to, many clients and even our superintendents would arrange lunch for us a few times throughout the jobs to show their appreciation. Any metals scrapped during the course would be used to buy the workers a meal. I mean, it's just a little something to say thanks. Let me say it this way, when you are working out in the rain, or snow, or 100 degree heat with mud up to your knees and you just busted your knuckles on a piece of steel or slit your forearm open on tie wire and the blood is running everywhere but you still have to finish your job because the concrete is already set up for 5:00 a.m. in the morning and they DON'T reschedule, knowing that the client or even your own fucking company appreciates your efforts really is encouraging and you work hard. I know a lot of guys now that don't feel so inclined to work that hard anymore.

22 comments:

Ed said...

*standing ovation*

Excellent rant Annie and right on the money! I do hope you are able to find someone who wants quality work sometime soon in the future.

I haven't seen one of those mega churches in real life but I've heard of them, especially in Alabama. Not sure why I always hear of them being in Alabama. Up here, the church I attended for awhile and got married in seats only 50 people and is five miles from any town. The church I go to now in town just opened this spring after being built and I was opposed to it feeling it was way too lavish at $5 million. But it is a tiny tiny fraction of that church and was probably a tiny tiny fraction of their original church that they added onto. Walking in there would just seem alien to me.

Deb said...

You had me laughing my ass off even though this factory church is an abomination. You are so right about our society devaluing people and craftsmanship. Is it any wonder depression is epidemic?

Eutychus2 said...

Annie ..... I would sure hate to have you pissed off at me; I can see where 'blogging' has its advantages - distance?!. Since I am a clergyman let me apologize for my wayward brethern, and please don't stick us all in the same general category. The pictures you have certainly show beautiful craftsmanship - I congratulate you. About seven years I go we built a new Family Life Center [which we now worship in also] and we would have different people, at different stages bring cookies, cooks, etc. for those working on the job with thank you notes. We weren't trying to get them into our church, but wanted them to know how much we appreciated them. I think you are definitely spot on with the attitudes of our culture. Again, congratulations!

HermitJim said...

The reasons you just listed and the description of the so called "church" is exactly why I quit attending any such place long ago!

I can do my own worship service more honestly from the great out of doors, under God's own sky than inside a fancy building!

Have to admit, you and the crew did an amazing job! My hat is off to you all! Well done, all you guys (and ladies)!

R.Powers said...

... but, tell us how you really feel.

LOL!
You go girl. Great post.

Paul said...

At the very least they should have brought you out some loaves and fishes.

Oh, wait . . .

Caddie said...

The best post yet! Annie, I love it; your anger - well placed and well deserved.

The drink case looks like something in Walmart.

Theater? Just that tells us a whole lot, doesn't it? It looks like a theater too. Church/theactrics. Uh, huh.

Offered no drink, etc. What IF every job you did had no bathroom facilities? This situation was part of Allen's jobs for 50 years. Extremely wealthy probably afraid to let the hired man use and contaminate their precious toilets. It's a hell of a world sometimes.

Anonymous said...

Sad what our self serving, instant gratification society has come too. These mega churches are everywhere. As one of my clients said, when she visited one in Colorado, I thought I was @ the mall instead of a church.

mountainmelody said...

That makes me mad!

Island Rider said...

Dear Annie, I join Eutycus2 in apologizing for the behavior of those who profess to believe in Christ. And I appreciate your honesty that helps me see a very different view of the church. While I do not attend a "megachurch", our own congregation has employed some craftsmen to do some maintenance work. In response to hearing your perspective, I will encourage our church leadership to treat those craftsmen who care.

Woody said...

spot on!

I would think that, with my limited knowledge of the gospel of Christ, a place like this would be pissing a savior off. Just wondering how many people could be feed and others ministered to for the cost of heating and cooling such a building.

There has to be a better way...I believe Jesus did his work near barefoot and for free.

Peace

MamaHen said...

Hey Ed! thanks man! It is alien and does not feel at all like you are going into a church. It feels like any other place of business really. There are a number of these in AL but they are all over the South, not just here.

Hey Deb! no, it's no wonder at all to me or others like us but it's astounding how many people don't see the connection.

Hey Euty! thanks! Oh, I certainly realize that there are many, many really true Christian church people out there. They are just fewer and farther between these days.

Hey Jim! thanks! yeah, building so many of these is one reason I prefer the 'Church of the Blue Dome' myself.

Hey FC! lol! thanks!

Hey Paul! exactly...

Hey Sissy! thanks! yes, it is and especially when you consider that the entity they profess to worship was a carpenter himself while here on earth. What irony.

Hey Anon! it does feel like a mall really and I guess in a lot of ways it is.

Hey Melody! yeah, makes me mad too.

Hey IR! well, like I said I know the difference between Christians and what I call "churchies". These are churchies.

Hey Woody! yeah, I agree. and because this building is so poorly designed environmentally, the heating and air is literally astronomical. And they don't give not one damn.

Rita said...

Just really makes me sad. Can you imagine Jesus walking into a building like that? Or, not talking to his workers whom he was so proud of? I pray things improve and do not continue to be so materialistic. Hard to wrap your mind around the ugly truth of greed.
Gives me shivers.

Rurality said...

Umm... Girl! Am I the only one who thinks you need to remove these identifiable pictures before you get sued for libel? You know how sue-happy some people are nowdays.

- Your friend the worry-wart

MamaHen said...

Hey Rita! yeah, it gives me the all-overs too. It's just so creepy.

Hey Karen! well, I appreciate your worrying! now, I'm only expressing my OPINION of what I see. I'm NOT accusing these people of anything illegal, technical or otherwise. As far as I know they follow all of the federal and state laws for their activities. The building is completely up to code. I'm not accusing them of being child molesters or anything like that. It's just my opinion I'm expressing that they are not very grateful or follow the Christian teachings very well and I am NOT publishing the name of the place even though some people might recognize it. Now, my company could read this and say, we don't like you talking about our clients that way, so you are fired. But at this point I don't really care. I would say the same thing to my bosses, and have some, as I say here.

MamaHen said...

That being said Karen, I did remove a couple of the harsher statements that might be construed as accusations.

Anonymous said...

I like Quaker thought that the Almighty isn't impressed with gaudy buildings, only misguided humans are. Like you and Hermit Jim, I'll take the Cathedral of the Blue Dome. In fact i was there this morning and it was floating out on the bay. Doesn't get better than that.

MamaHen said...

Hey Grenville! yup! it's my preferred place of worship.

countrypeapie said...

i think this is my favorite rant to date ~ you get a hell yeah from this choir girl

MamaHen said...

Hey Pea! thanks!!

Beau said...

Ah the megachurch trend... what an experience! I won't judge the merit or nature of their religious fervor... to each their own. But was a shame that someone didn't represent them better and recognize your efforts.

Unknown said...

I hate this. I'd like to say more, but I'll keep it at this: some churches still know the value of being real to people, and of showing love that isn't pretend, and the importance of true hospitality. Others, well they stink at it. I'm not sure where the message got so screwed up, but Jesus was all about people and nothing more. I'm sorry....