Why Function over flash

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I never heard the call for doing sanding and painting.  I always wanted to know how things worked and how to fix them.  It's nice to have a pretty toy but if it didn't work, it was junk to me.  

Since I've always liked to make things work, I tend to be good at it.  It's the same for talented body and paint people.  I'd like to say I'm good at mechanics but every time I pull a rookie mistake, I've got to wonder.   

I'm an ASE certified Master Auto Technician, Master Heavy Duty Truck Technician and Master School Bus Technician.  I'm a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE).  I've been certified in two states at the same time as a smog technician,  a Smog Referee Station Manager and worked (decades) as a test specialist (Lead Person) in a heavy-duty Diesel emissions test laboratory.  I've owned and operated my own auto repair facility that was California state certified to perform every official inspection required (Brake, Lamp, Smog).  I am a certified journeyman auto mechanic having completed an accredited apprenticeship program through the AFL-CIO local 2182 (International Brotherhood of Machinists and Aerospace Workers) program.  At this stage in my life I'm not going to swear that all my ASE certificates are currently valid but I will swear that I've been around the block and I'm happy to take on anyone who wants to say they know more about VCVs.  If I am shown to know less than any one else about VCVs then I'm happy to buy them a beer of my choice. 

Back in the day they had a thing called apprenticeship.  This was where young people who wanted to learn a trade were schooled by older, more knowledgeable persons.  Unfortunately this practice has fallen by the wayside.  Seems as though most hands-on trades have fallen into disfavor with educational institutions, and society in general.  Trades training classes are not offered at the high school level as much as in past years.  Shop classes in wood, metal, auto, electronics and others are not as available to young people.  Perhaps hand-on trades are a skill of the past.  Hopefully, in the future,  there will be a greater recognition that some things are worth fixing and fixing them correctly has value.  In my opinion, that is one aspect of craftsmanship.  I never considered myself a craftsman but compared to what I've seen these days, I am certainly a craftsman by comparison.