Tile Girl

What a privileged person am I. I have a business license, and I basically contract work out from my Dad. Since it is tile setting, I rarely am around any girls during the day. I am the only female tile setter I have come across in the four years I have been doing this type of work. It is an interesting experience. And it can be frustrating. :) Like when that polite guy insists on opening the door for you with a wet saw in his hand and all you have is a bucket of grout. Dash politeness at a time like that and be practical! But thanks...
Or there is the stucco dudes who always cease talking when I walk by and whisper in Spanish. Blast it all, I need to brush up on my Espanol. But there are of course some funny things about the job too.
It never ceases to amuse me watching a group of guys trying to get a job done. Who needs the radio when they're around to make fun of. Well, in my head primarily since I am the loner. Just kidding, I'm not quite that mean. I doubt many girls get that type of insight, huh? :) Now I must say I still do not get guys, but I may finally understand the...trends. So, here are several of my observations. If anyone disagrees, correct me if I am wrong!

-Talk about competition. We carry bags of Thinset. I carry one, the next guy carries two. The third guy asks how many the second guy carried and adds one more to the mix. Nearly blowing out his back in the process, but, hey, he picked it up, right? :)
-Never a serious moment. Nonstop bantering and joking. How they get things done I have no clue.
-There is no such thing as a true conversation. It is either one sentence ridicules or jokes or merely grunts and noises. There is an interesting appeal to making noises with the tools. Like blowing into the vacumn hoses and making who knows what kind of noise.
-Lots of throwing. Whether it is rocks at the outhouse while someone is in it-a guy that is, I never get such harrassment-or a margin trowel across the room, it never ceases.

So, yes, it is a fascinating job to have. I walk in with two or three guys to have lunch on a work day once in a while. I'm the only girl with carpenter pants, work boots, and a bandanna on. Some think it is odd, but, hey, no guy has ever beat me grouting. :)