There's just something very satisfying (and primal) about getting out, working with your hands and building stuff, that plinking away at a keyboard just can't compete with. I just regret that it took me so long to find out how to get into it. My state is heavy into trade unions, so it's not like I could just walk into a trade school for 2 years. Everyone I talked to (including my professors for many of the electrical classes I've been taking) made it sound like I had to get an apprenticeship through a corporation, so I've spent way too much time working the floors of factories trying to get promoted into one. The people hiring me would always give me the same bullshit, but it always became apparent once I got on the job, they never had any interest in getting me off the floor. Eventually, I had a ton of money saved up, and I tried going to university full time for a 4 year, but fuck me, that was miserable shit, and just didn't suit me. I ran out of money to continue going though, and I was looking back into working factory floor work, until I stumbled across the afore mentioned guy from high school. We had a new HVAC unit installed in my building, and he was the tradesman installing it. We got talking, caught up a bit, and he told me there was a goddamn union for it 20 minutes away. I walked in there 20 minutes later, and filled out an application. Starting pay was lower than floor work, but once the apprenticeship is done, I'll be making more than many engineers.