i find when you get a run of jobs going fine, more or less to plan, few fun challenges to overcome, pleasant customers who are very pleased, decent pay, you get in your van and think 'this is a good job really. i'm my own boss, doing a sociable job, making decent money, being of service...'
then when you've had a panic, or a serious of frustrations, a spirit-wilting set-back, an annoying customer, feel you've let somone down or let your standards slip, when you end up wasting your time, being called back to the same job several times, then suddenly it's a stressful, unforgiving, combative and often lonely job.
my over-riding opnion of this job - in the relatively brief amout of time i've been doing it - is it is very up and down. but i reckon better up than down than complete predictability (office job.)
and sometimes after a really tough day, when i get in the van mumbling to myself about quitting and giving up, i find when i get home, smarting and throbbing and barely able to walk about, i find i have this sort of buzz. like i may have gone ten rouns with tyson but i'm proud of it. it's a sense of achievement. so yeah, all in all, for now, i'm of the opinion it's a good job.
but let's give it 10 years...