Sign in Subscribe

Joe Durst

Joe Durst

Joe Durst is a Tennessee contractor, father, writer, and a man with more opinions than good sense. He writes about life, work, raising a teenager, and whatever else pisses him off. He doesn't sugarcoat a damn thing.

This Is Me — Part Four — What Made You Who You Are?

This Is Me — Before We Start

Before We Start — the free introduction to THIS IS ME by Joe Durst.

This Is Me — Start Here

This Is Me — Start Here

You asked the questions. I ended up telling you my life. Read THIS IS ME by Joe Durst, one chapter at a time.

A bicycle resting beside a weathered wooden house in a quiet yard.

Your Kid Ain't That Damn Special

I'm probably gonna piss off a whole bunch of parents with this one. Oh well. Somebody ought to say it. Your kid ain't that damn special. There. I said it. Now before some pissed-off mama comes charging up my driveway with a Stanley cup in one…

Basic hand tools and fasteners arranged on a worn wooden workbench.

A Grown-Ass Man Ought to Know How to Fix a Few Things Around His Own Damn House

I got a question for some of you fellas. What the hell happened to people knowing how to fix shit around their own houses? I'm serious. I'm not talking about building a house from the ground up. I'm not expecting everybody to know how to wire a…

Two empty wooden chairs on a quiet porch in warm evening light.

The Older I Get, the More I Understand Why Old Men Sit Outside and Stare at Shit

When I was a kid, I used to think old men were some strange motherfuckers. You'd drive down some back road and there'd be some old bastard sitting in a lawn chair in front of his house. Just sitting there. Not doing a goddamn thing.

An everyday diner counter with empty stools and condiment bottles.

Some of My Favorite People Are Folks I Barely Know

You know what's funny? There's people I've known for twenty damn years that I wouldn't particularly care if I ever saw again. And then there's people I see for about three minutes a week that I'd actually miss if they disappeared.