Right now, my car says it’s 102 degrees. I don’t know if that’s the actual number, but I’ll tell you what—it feels like 102. It’s disgusting out here. The heat is oppressive, relentless, and honestly, it can break you if you’re not careful. And so today, I just want to take a moment to give a shout out to the men and women who are out there working in this—baking under the sun, covered in sweat, staying on their grind through the worst of it.
I’ve been fortunate. These past few years, I’ve mostly been working inside. Climate control, AC, shade—it makes a huge difference. But I haven’t forgotten where I came from. The first eight years of my career? I was in it every single day. Working in the elements. I mean real labor. Blazing summers, freezing winters, sideways rain, brutal wind. No one handed us a break—we had to earn it, every single day, one shift at a time.
Then there was a stretch, maybe six years or so, where I bounced back and forth. Some weeks were inside jobs, other weeks I was right back out under that sun or sky. I’ll be honest, I still carry some of that with me. The sunburns that peeled, the soaked shirts that clung to your back, the boots full of sweat or rainwater. You don’t forget that.
That work? That was blood money. It’s hard. It drains you, physically and mentally. It takes a toll most people don’t even see. But it’s honest. It’s real. And the people doing it deserve more than just a paycheck—they deserve respect. Because without them, everything stops.
So if you’re one of those out there today—laying concrete, fixing roofs, hauling trash, working on the road, farming, delivering, whatever it is—please take care of yourself. Don’t try to be a hero. Nobody’s handing out medals for pushing through heat stroke. Take your breaks. Drink your water. Find the shade when you can. Listen to your body. You gotta make it home at the end of the day. That’s the goal.
You’re not alone. I see you. I appreciate you. I remember what it was like. And I’ll never stop giving props to the people keeping this world running, even when the weather is trying to beat them down.
Stay safe out there. One day at a time.
