Dead Men Tales: What Ray Taught Me

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What Ray Taught Me

We all had to start somewhere, right? In this episode, Dan Holohan recalls a lesson learned the hard way and a mentor who had a brutal brand of kindness.

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Larry Weingarten

... "and we’d just wing it as we went along." Dan, my eyebrows went up when I heard this! I don't think I've ever met anyone who prepares better for their presentations than you. Now I know why. Thanks Ray

Yours, Larry

DanHolohan

Yes, Larry, he put the fear into me real good.

FStephenMasek

Another great story! I once attended an asbestos refresher class (30 years of those, 3 days per year...) where the instructor started by stating that he'd never before taught the class and did not really know much about asbestos. At least he was honest. I did most of the class for him.

DanHolohan

I didn’t have the good sense to know what I didn’t know. I shiver when I think about that now. Dopey kid. 

EBEBRATT-Ed

I started with an old timer for a boss. he was 65 and I was 20 or 21 just out of the community college.

He was a pretty good pipefitter and was a licensed electrician so I ended up following in his footsteps

But I can remember a "few brutal teaching moments". And he usually didn't have to say much of anything.

I can remember my first year trying to pipe up a commercial burner it was all black pipe. As he was wiring the burner he must have kept one eye on me and my progress which he apparently wasn't happy with.

As struggled with the measurements and the pipe wrenches (putting them on the pipe backwards etc) he suddenly stopped wiring and appeared at my side. "give me those wrenches" was all he said,

And he finished the pipe I was working on.

I watched what he was doing and felt more than a little stupid and humiliated. But I didn't get mad I just learned by watching him.

This happened a few times in my first few years

I learned a lot from him.

DanHolohan

That’s a beautiful story, Ed. I am so thankful for all those tough teachers. They did it all by example. Our job was to be quiet and pay attention. 

clammy

Great story and something we can all learn from that nobody knows it all and we all can learn at any point in our life’s if we so chose to . Thanks for sharing Dan
Peace and good luck clammy

DanHolohan

Good thoughts, Clammy. Thanks.

Voyager

I came up in engineering, not HVAC, but the same thing applies. I had some fairly crusty old engineers that taught me some harsh lessons early on. Not very pleasant, but fast, efficient and effective. I worry about today’s young people who are so concerned about “feelings” and being “politically correct” that they may never learn such lessons at all or will take many years rather than a few hours to do so.

DanHolohan

Amen, @Voyager

Raymond C. Wockley

Dan, this is great, I am sending it to each of my four grandchildren. I think all of us have had an experience such as this, ever in my case as an over educated college graduate with a lot of book learning telling my infantry platoon sergeant just how to go about talking the bad guys to go away. I am now a retired US Army Infantry officer and business owner, started reading your newsletters decades ago when I became interested in radiant heating for a property I own. Don't stop doing the good communicating until the light on your desk is turned off...

DanHolohan

Thanks for sharing your experiences, guys. I hope it all gets read and shared. For me, that was the last day I hung out with my ego. Haven’t seen him since. 

Solid_Fuel_Man

Great story Dan! Thank you Ray for your hand at making Dan who he is for us all. I sure can relate, I've bumbled through a few lessons early on, and occasionally still do. My thick skull is wearing a bit thinner these days.

One question Mr. Holohan, what size room holds 30 large people? 🤔 

Voyager

Solid_Fuel_Man said:

Great story Dan! Thank you Ray for your hand at making Dan who he is for us all. I sure can relate, I've bumbled through a few lessons early on, and occasionally still do. My thick skull is wearing a bit thinner these days.

One question Mr. Holohan, what size room holds 30 large people? 🤔 

A “30 Large” size, of course.

DanHolohan

Exactly! 😂

dopey27177

Dan, I loved this story. I attended several of your classes in Long Island. Dan, you let me attend the classes for free because when I met you at the New York City Housing Authority to view my the installation of the condensate syphon loop and to raise a condensate pump out of the a deep pit that always got flooded. You thought that was a great idea and encouraged me to write an article about that installation,

Dan you even edited the article and I submitted it and got paid $500.00 for it and was given an opportunity to write another article.

Through all of our meetings and discussions you helped me learn and taught me to help other people as you helped me.

We both come from a shared back round its called the Service Industry, a place where one can make a good living and be rewarded for excellence.

I am for ever thankful for what you taught me and opened the door for me into a consulting business.

Jake

DanHolohan

Thanks, Jake. The feeling is mutual. I treasure our friendship.