How fareth the pro smith? WAS Re: [TheForge] OT- spyware prevention

[Andrew Vida]

Steve Smith wrote:
> 

> This is true. They're working on making this a lot smaller.

	They have a lot to do. :)
> 
> Good to have you back, Andy. Or maybe you've been here for awhile and
> I've been asleep.

	Nah, been busy trying to make a living.  Economy is
	way tough these days.

	Speaking of which, how are you pros faring in this lovely
	economy?  Everywhere I look it seems people are sucking
	economic ditch water.  It's pretty grim looking.  Sadly,
	smiths are often somewhere near the bottom of the economic
	barrel, right along with painters and glass blowers.  I'm
	just wondering how the current circumstances have affected
	business.  

	As for me, I may move to Chicago to do another job in the
	biz, but I also have a possible position in a cabinet 
	shop in Portland that makes very fine Shaker and Mission
	style furniture.  I'd much rather do that for a living
	than software, but I'm not sure how to pay bills and save 
	to send the daughter person to college on $15/hr.  Is doing
	something one likes worth not being able to do anything else,
	like go to a movie without holding a board meeting to discuss
	the expenditure?  I'm thinking the $$ concerns would wear thin.

	That raises another question: why are all the best jobs in the
	world the ones that pay the worst?  OK, not quite the worst,
	but not so well?  Look at smiths: they produce beautiful things
	but people generally appear unwilling to shell out commensurate
	with the skill and labor required to produce the articles.  Same
	with so many other arts.  I don't recall van Gogh having died a
	wealthy man.