My first love was, and remains, manual labor; sowing and harvesting, the pastures, the flock, and the cattle.
American computer science grads often have very little exposure to the human condition. They've rarely had manual labor or service jobs. They grow up in a bubble of privilege lulled into thinking this country is a true meritocracy.
I like painting, I think it's relaxing. I also like designing; I don't really like the manual labor, to be honest.
I worked full time jobs, basically doing manual labor until I could make enough money supporting myself as a musician.
Writing poetry is the hard manual labor of the imagination.
I knew that manual labor wasn't the career for me.
Physical labor, manual labor - if you can stay close to those folks, there's always plenty to write about, 'cause their issues are real issues.
Writing is manual labor of the mind - like laying pipe.
Many of the original New Deal programs required heavy manual labor. WPA workers built hundreds of schools, health clinics, roads, park facilities, and community centers. Much of what we now call our 'infrastructure' - highways, buildings, power plants, etc. - is here thanks to thousands of WPA workers.
Manual labor to my father was not only good and decent for it's own sake but, as he was given to saying, it straightened out one's thoughts.
