The word wax caught my attention to this story. Nothing about technique or detailing per say but a nice story about a man working at a car wash for 31 years. A bit touching. http://www.thestar.com/videozone/1069731--31-years-at-a-toronto-car-wash?bn=1 Just wanted to share something interesting.
She sounded like she was reading a kids story - narration didn't sound appropriately matched to the video.
I dunno how the hell someone could do that. He shows no passion or love for his work. Kinda waste of life if you ask me. simple life does not create amazing things. I live life to the fullest and never give up on that dream. What is his dream? I hate to be A* but what good is this?
No offense bro, but this is exactly the reason why there is so much hatred in the world. People should be more like dogs. Dogs automatically assume people are nice and respect them from the start without waiting for them to do anything to "earn" their respect. Sorry, just had to mention that.
I mean I could understand if he tried to learn english as a second language. went to night classes and all. now his the manager of the place or even better open his own car wash... 31 yrs.... thats enough to make that dream happen!
You bring up the word "dream" and I think thats a bit confusing. What a dream is to you or me is very different from what a man like that (had nothing, came from nothing) presumes one to be. Just because he doesnt own the car wash, or franchise one, or re-label his own products doesnt mean he didnt create something amazing. A track record like that, respect from customers, persistence beyond belief..... it all accounts for something.... its people like that who have a surprising amount of people show up to their funeral, and all with more than 1 noble story to tell about the deceased! Today people seem to equate success with things. House, cars, clothes etc. and the truth is we all fall into the lure of a material world, I do all the time... I want something and I have to devise a plan to get it, save money, spend more, work longer. Some say the material world is simply an incentive to move forward and work harder and do more, could be but the truth is if you arent happy with nothing you wont be happy with everything. This man is far from the American dream but to put things into perspective most ANY other person on his posistion at his age would have RETIRED and BEGUN COLLECTING SOCIAL SECURITY... its the obvious choice and what most Americans do. This guy doesnt choose to dip into the pot and feed off the program, he just works and that alone speaks volumes. I waited on line at 6am to get a new iPhone today, I wanted the phone, I pursued it, I waited and now I have it. Great! I know now its only a matter of time before I'll want the next thing, a man like that doesnt need any of that and I am in many ways envious.
Yeah - the message of this story is not clear. I'm depressed more than anything. I'm with overtimedetailer - contemptment is wasteful....but different strokes for different folks.
but with out people like me and/or you, there will be no I phone, because we choose to live the simple life. NO Steve jobs who needs him....
Whether he was living the "dream" or not he has made an impact on this world in one way or another. I have viewed this story and you have viewed this story, not by coincidence. Whether you learn from it and apply it to your life is up to YOU. Outside of all the superficial money, car's, house's and every other novelty possession nothing is more impactful than leaving a legacy. This man has done more in his life than the majority of people on this earth will do. He's happy, content or not he has found something he has a passion for and isn't wasting his time trying to get all the superficial things everyone ELSE wants you to get. One of my HUGE idols Will Smith once said "Too many people spend money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like." There's plenty of people out there who will spend their whole entire life reaching for success to receive it's gifts thinking that the nice car, big house and large brokerage sum would make them happy. Only to find out this is simply not true. Yes, Steve Jobs was an innovator. He dreamed big and reached for the stars. But there is a place for every single person on this earth. Not everyone could be an innovator or there wouldn't be any grounds for improvement. You can't have good without evil, just like you can't have success without failure. To some this man's life may be viewed as a complete failure, those same people are the ones wondering what success really means to them.
I'm a media studies student and the way I see it, the man just wants to live a simple life. He is contempt with what he has, something western values teach us is not possible. Many people will watch this video and think of what a failure this man is and who would want to live like this. That is because the society we live in measures success based on the house you live in, the car you drive, and the clothes you wear. This is not reality people. Live a life that makes you happy. It's funny that someone mentioned the Iphone, because that's probably one of the best examples of consumerism. I think the message is crystal clear - too many people get caught up in a consumer centered lifestyle and forget that true happiness cannot be bought - it comes from within.
I found the narration appropriate. Its a reporter, not a storyteller of books, bookclub etc... I really liked this story. Its a story of hope. I found if anything, this little man from Vietnam came over alone, we dont know what happened to his family. Perhaps their lives were ended during the wars there. We dont know what he feels, what he hopes, what he dreams. What we do know from the reporter is that he has been coming faithfully to work, spending it sounds like almost 12 hours a day there, leaving to go back to his little place, and then repeating this, for 31 years. That is huge! Yes, he could have done/been something else - perhaps no one ever asked him what his dream was, where was his family, could they help?? How many of us can say that without any, repeat, any, help from our family, friends, teachers, church, counselors, etc., how we would end up after leaving for a foreign country, not knowing the language there, and spending 31 years at a job you found, because someone probably wanted to help you? I say, this little man is a giant among men. He perhaps chose to have little because his needs were tempered to not need much. He chose to do the best job he could every day, clock in on time every day for 31 years. Do they even take vacations or have vacation pay at car washes? I think not. You work to get paid or you dont get paid. I hear nothing reported from the narrator that says this man ever got into trouble, was taking drugs, drinking, carrying on at the bars, thrown in jail, etc... Why would anyone NOT want to hold him in the highest esteem? The only other person I can think of at this moment, who led a life similar to this when he was on the earth, was the Savior. He went about doing good, helping others, being with those that needed a hand, working hard as a carpenter's son. He did so much for others and asked for so little in return. The scriptures go on to say that even the birds and the animals had a home to go to, but he had no place to rest his head. I think I might learn and re-learn a lot from this little Vietnamese man. Because the same scriptures I refer to also say that - where much is given, much is required... Thanks for sharing this video with us ! Dan F
but people like him do not get any recognition at all in this world, it's sad I know. Im sure his happy, but I know I can't do what he did and still does. can any of us stick to a job for 31 years, NO TV, No i phone, No internet, NO car, NO sex and NO fancy dinner??? he chose this life, I beg different. I set goals and when I reach them, I feel like a million bucks!! thats how Im happy. in a way Im jealous, because Im fighting to be happy and his already happy!
Much respect for this guy. Vietnamese people that fled to the US due to the war are simple and hardworking people that live within their means. They don't care if the job sucks of if the pay is terrible, they stick with it. If only more Americans had his mindset, China wouldn't be carrying us on their back.
