A FUNNY STORY FROM THE T.O.E
As I was heading down for lunch today,my hands were especially dirty having spent the morning cutting away sheetrock placed over areas that I was:A)not done doing my electric work,but the sheetrockers think they are in a race,B)The plans changed...AGAIN
or...C)They like putting a fucking on me.
Anyway...I stopped by the bathroom on the second floor to wash my hands and 2 of my coworkers were there doing the same.One of them has a business on the side and regularly takes calls on his cell.It rang,he answered,having trouble hearing over the running water from the sinks,he stepped into a stall.Stalls that are equipped with motion sensing flushers.
My other co-worker started chuckling and said "you know what's gonna happen when he moves in there...that toilet gonna flush".
And he did,and it did and we lost it.
In an attempt to bow out gracefully,he said to the caller"Let me call you back in 5 minutes".This was cause for increased hilarity and loud guffaws from us.
And for the rest of the day every time we crossed paths in the satanic elevators one of us would say "***'* carpet cleaning....KA-FWOOOOOSH"!And fall out laughing.
Let me call you back in 5...man:)
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
The wheels on the bus go 'round and 'round
Let me see if I can remember what has happened since Friday. Saturday was my day off and I spent it doing laundry and working on tickets from home unpaid (yes, for free) because I am an idiot and cared way too much about the customers' line repair tickets getting done in a timely manner. People at work consider me crazy and I can't blame them, but it wasn't just an effort to keep the company from getting into hot water when the work wasn't done on time. It was also because the customers were the ones that were going to suffer and have serious delays in getting their problem fixed if those tickets weren't done. Yeah, I'm stupid enough to care if Joe Blow in Podunk, NY gets his DSL service back in one day instead of three.
Sunday it was back to the office and the new position at the moment consists primarily of supervisor calls either transferred to me or callbacks that I have to do. I get to spend my day listening to people yell at me about the horrible service or the horrible tech or whatever it is that happens to be horrible for them because sometimes it's not even related to the product or the tech support.
A customer asked me today why I was able to solve her problem in 15 minutes when she had spent almost 2 hours on the phone with other technicians. I told her it was because this particular type of installation can be a bit tricky on some computers and I had years of experience dealing with the issue. The customer was left to assume it was tricky from a technical aspect, but the truth is that the tricky part is getting a frustrated, computer illiterate person to perform the necessary steps to get the damn thing working properly. That is something I that I DO have years of experience doing (in fact, more years than the age of some of our techs.)
Now while that particular call required a small bit of technical expertise, most of them don't involve anything more than calming the customer down and doing whatever I can to make them happy (within reason.) This quite frequently involves poking another department with a sharp stick and that is probably the most difficult part. You see, this requires calling a customer service rep in another department who usually doesn't give a shit about the customer or their problem. I then have to convince this rep that they do need to give a shit and go the extra mile for my poor beleaguered customer. It can be a daunting task. Some companies are more service oriented than others and have reps that really do care about getting the customer fixed up; those are the easy ones that leave me with a warm fuzzy feeling. Others leave me with a sense of despair that my best efforts accomplished nothing more than yet one more dissatisfied customer. And how I feel at the end of the day generally depends on what mix I ended up with. Yesterday I was a happy camper. Today I could easily declare that this job sucks.
Outside of work, I've been studying for my ham radio exam and learning what I need to know to help my friend with his studying for the CCNA exam. I also got up early on Tuesday to see the eclipse of the moon. Original plans were to watch the whole thing with coffee and donuts, but I've been really short on sleep the last week, so I watched the shadow take the first bite and then went back to bed and napped until the time of the full eclipse. It was pretty cool, but I didn't watch long since getting more sleep before I went to work seemed a more attractive option at the time. In retrospect, I wish I had stuck with the coffee and donuts plan, but it was probably a bit much to expect a sleep-deprived brain to make a logical decision in the wee hours of the morning. I'll have to plan better for the next one.
Let me see if I can remember what has happened since Friday. Saturday was my day off and I spent it doing laundry and working on tickets from home unpaid (yes, for free) because I am an idiot and cared way too much about the customers' line repair tickets getting done in a timely manner. People at work consider me crazy and I can't blame them, but it wasn't just an effort to keep the company from getting into hot water when the work wasn't done on time. It was also because the customers were the ones that were going to suffer and have serious delays in getting their problem fixed if those tickets weren't done. Yeah, I'm stupid enough to care if Joe Blow in Podunk, NY gets his DSL service back in one day instead of three.
Sunday it was back to the office and the new position at the moment consists primarily of supervisor calls either transferred to me or callbacks that I have to do. I get to spend my day listening to people yell at me about the horrible service or the horrible tech or whatever it is that happens to be horrible for them because sometimes it's not even related to the product or the tech support.
A customer asked me today why I was able to solve her problem in 15 minutes when she had spent almost 2 hours on the phone with other technicians. I told her it was because this particular type of installation can be a bit tricky on some computers and I had years of experience dealing with the issue. The customer was left to assume it was tricky from a technical aspect, but the truth is that the tricky part is getting a frustrated, computer illiterate person to perform the necessary steps to get the damn thing working properly. That is something I that I DO have years of experience doing (in fact, more years than the age of some of our techs.)
Now while that particular call required a small bit of technical expertise, most of them don't involve anything more than calming the customer down and doing whatever I can to make them happy (within reason.) This quite frequently involves poking another department with a sharp stick and that is probably the most difficult part. You see, this requires calling a customer service rep in another department who usually doesn't give a shit about the customer or their problem. I then have to convince this rep that they do need to give a shit and go the extra mile for my poor beleaguered customer. It can be a daunting task. Some companies are more service oriented than others and have reps that really do care about getting the customer fixed up; those are the easy ones that leave me with a warm fuzzy feeling. Others leave me with a sense of despair that my best efforts accomplished nothing more than yet one more dissatisfied customer. And how I feel at the end of the day generally depends on what mix I ended up with. Yesterday I was a happy camper. Today I could easily declare that this job sucks.
Outside of work, I've been studying for my ham radio exam and learning what I need to know to help my friend with his studying for the CCNA exam. I also got up early on Tuesday to see the eclipse of the moon. Original plans were to watch the whole thing with coffee and donuts, but I've been really short on sleep the last week, so I watched the shadow take the first bite and then went back to bed and napped until the time of the full eclipse. It was pretty cool, but I didn't watch long since getting more sleep before I went to work seemed a more attractive option at the time. In retrospect, I wish I had stuck with the coffee and donuts plan, but it was probably a bit much to expect a sleep-deprived brain to make a logical decision in the wee hours of the morning. I'll have to plan better for the next one.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
GUB'NER PERRY,THE E.U. AND THE DEVOE CASE
Recently the European union sent a plea to our gub'ner admonishing him to place a moratorium on the death penalty (cause,you know everything is bigger in Texas,and that includes the state sanctioned body count).Perry said,through a spokesman,to the E.U.-"fuck off,the death penalty is why we broke with you 238 years ago and came here,so we could execute tons of people.Some guilty,some decidedly not,but hey,our death penalty statutes are modeled after the charter of the lottery commission...sometimes you win,sometimes you lose".Or words to that effect.
Enter Paul Devoe...
The rampage began Friday in Llano County, where officials say Devoe held a woman at gunpoint and fired several shots in her home.
Police say he then drove the woman's pickup to Marble Falls, where he fatally shot bartender Michael Jay Allred, 41, at O'Neill's Sports Tavern on Main Street.
His next stop, officials said, was an ex-girlfriend's home in Jonestown, where police say Devoe killed four people. Among the dead were Devoe's former lover, Paula Marie Griffith, and her 15-year-old daughter, Haylie Marie Faulkner, a member of the victims' family said.
The other two victims were identified late Monday as 17-year-old Danielle Hensley and 48-year-old Jay Feltner, who was described in a police affidavit as Griffith's boyfriend.
Officials say the four were planning to go to Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio for the day Saturday. Hensley's father told police he had not heard from his daughter for an unusual amount of time and asked them to check on her. Travis County sheriff's deputies eventually discovered the four bodies in Griffith's home.
According to Devoe's arrest affidavit, the bullets discovered by medical examiners at Griffith's home were jacketed hollow-point bullets similar to the ones recovered after the Marble Falls incident.
Davoe told a Travis County sheriff's informant in a phone call Saturday, "I've killed six people and I'm getting the ... out of here," the affidavit said. It also says he told his mother over the phone that he had killed five people.
A carpenter and Harley-Davidson enthusiast with a criminal record, including jail time for drunken driving, Devoe moved to Austin two years ago from New York. Bearded and muscular with a thick Long Island accent, Devoe said in Web profiles that he was self-employed and looking for women.
As of Thursday, he was living outside Llano and doing carpentry work for Sharon Wilson, the woman he assaulted, according to Llano authorities.
Though people who knew him were aware of his criminal record, they said they were shocked by the vicious attacks police say they've connected him to in Llano, Burnet and Travis counties.
In what authorities believe was the first incident, Wilson called the sheriff's office at 7:50 p.m. Friday and reported that a distraught Devoe had held a gun to her head, threatened to shoot her and himself, and fired several shots at her home in the Wild Oak Acres subdivision.
She was able to escape unharmed and hide from Devoe, eventually calling 911 from a neighbor's house, sheriff's officials said. Devoe took off in Wilson's Dodge Dakota pickup, which was later identified at the murder scene in Jonestown, officials said
Twenty minutes later, authorities said, Devoe strode into O'Neill's in Marble Falls with a gun and in a feverish rage. They said he planned to kill a former girlfriend but instead shot bartender Allred in the chest after he intervened.
In online profiles, Devoe cultivated a ladies' man mystique while emphasizing his down-to-earth personality. He called himself "Wolf" and stressed the importance of just "being myself." On a dating Web site, Devoe wrote he was "looking to met a friend and what ever happens from there."Among his interests listed on that site were cuddling, dancing and "setting by the fire."
He also had a raunchier side. He called himself a swinger on one site, and his MySpace friends included several scantily clad women whose pages feature lewd photos and Playboy bunny icons. The youthful face of Haylie Marie, Griffith's daughter, stood out among the other women's. Her defiantly sexy pose couldn't hide her 15 years.
Griffith had dated Devoe for about three months two years ago, her ex-husband told police. Her son Jonathon said that he had warned her about Devoe but that she told him she was glad to have a boyfriend who treated Haylie well.
Eric Griffith, Paula Griffith's brother, said he thinks Devoe called on Paula for refuge after the Marble Falls killing. He thinks his sister refused and paid with her life.
Investigators say Devoe probably fled in Griffith's 2001 Saturn station wagon.
Jonathon Griffith, 29, of San Antonio, Paula's son and Haylie's brother, said the pair loved spending time at the lake and were "always kind to everybody."
Griffith and other relatives of the victims took solace in Devoe's capture.
"At least he's going to fry Texas style," said Danielle Hensley's father, Darryl Gribble.
Investigators said Devoe may have decided to return to familiar territory when he began driving to Long Island over the weekend. They said it appears he drove the Saturn as far as Greencastle, Pa., near the Maryland border. There he acquired another car, possibly after killing the owner, officials said.
He drove that vehicle to Shirley, where he has many family members, including his ex-wife, Charlene Purdoski, and their teenage son, also named Paul.
Neither was at home Monday, but a friend of the teen's, 16-year old Doug Jensen, said that the two knew Devoe was being sought in Texas and were afraid he was headed to their home to do them harm.
Devoe was captured at the home of a 61-year-old friend, Gerard Baldoni. U.S. marshals said a gun was found in the home, but they did not know if it was related to any crimes.
Devoe was charged with murder in the Marble Falls slaying and faces a federal charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Hector Gomez said. Marshals said he was expected to be arraigned today in New York's Suffolk County.
For Doug Powell, an engineer who rented a West Austin house to Devoe from the fall of 2005 to October 2006, the violence was hard to fathom. He said Devoe was a courteous tenant who worked as a handyman and did renovations to the home on a wooded cul-de-sac near Barton Creek Elementary School. Powell's own house is on the same property.
Powell said he never saw the crowd of motorcyclists Devoe claimed on his MySpace page to have run with. He was aware of Devoe's criminal history but never saw any violent tendencies.
"I just could not believe he may have shot someone in a bar," Powell said. "But this other crime had so many other levels of terrible."
Powell was so spooked that he stayed up all night with a shotgun, he said.
District Attorney Sam Oatman, who serves both Llano and Burnet counties, said people in the area were very glad Devoe had been captured.
"This is a very dangerous person, and we are looking into other possible victims," Oatman said.
Oatman said he plans to file murder charges against Devoe in the Marble Falls killing and possibly assault or attempted murder charges because of threats made at the bar. He said he also plans to file aggravated assault with a deadly weapon or attempted murder charges for shooting at Wilson.
Devoe has two warrants out for his arrest in Suffolk County for a criminal contempt charge and a charge of disorderly conduct, according to District Court records. He also had three drunken driving convictions in New York state and served about five years for his third conviction in 1997. In 2003, he was convicted of aggravated harassment and criminal trespass, according to the records.
Having some ambivalence about the death penalty myself,especially here in the killingest state in the union(Texas accounts for a THIRD of executions nationwide since the death penalty was reactivated)I have some serious problems with this asshole.
I'm leaning strongly toward the "fry Texas style" solution.
Recently the European union sent a plea to our gub'ner admonishing him to place a moratorium on the death penalty (cause,you know everything is bigger in Texas,and that includes the state sanctioned body count).Perry said,through a spokesman,to the E.U.-"fuck off,the death penalty is why we broke with you 238 years ago and came here,so we could execute tons of people.Some guilty,some decidedly not,but hey,our death penalty statutes are modeled after the charter of the lottery commission...sometimes you win,sometimes you lose".Or words to that effect.
Enter Paul Devoe...
The rampage began Friday in Llano County, where officials say Devoe held a woman at gunpoint and fired several shots in her home.
Police say he then drove the woman's pickup to Marble Falls, where he fatally shot bartender Michael Jay Allred, 41, at O'Neill's Sports Tavern on Main Street.
His next stop, officials said, was an ex-girlfriend's home in Jonestown, where police say Devoe killed four people. Among the dead were Devoe's former lover, Paula Marie Griffith, and her 15-year-old daughter, Haylie Marie Faulkner, a member of the victims' family said.
The other two victims were identified late Monday as 17-year-old Danielle Hensley and 48-year-old Jay Feltner, who was described in a police affidavit as Griffith's boyfriend.
Officials say the four were planning to go to Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio for the day Saturday. Hensley's father told police he had not heard from his daughter for an unusual amount of time and asked them to check on her. Travis County sheriff's deputies eventually discovered the four bodies in Griffith's home.
According to Devoe's arrest affidavit, the bullets discovered by medical examiners at Griffith's home were jacketed hollow-point bullets similar to the ones recovered after the Marble Falls incident.
Davoe told a Travis County sheriff's informant in a phone call Saturday, "I've killed six people and I'm getting the ... out of here," the affidavit said. It also says he told his mother over the phone that he had killed five people.
A carpenter and Harley-Davidson enthusiast with a criminal record, including jail time for drunken driving, Devoe moved to Austin two years ago from New York. Bearded and muscular with a thick Long Island accent, Devoe said in Web profiles that he was self-employed and looking for women.
As of Thursday, he was living outside Llano and doing carpentry work for Sharon Wilson, the woman he assaulted, according to Llano authorities.
Though people who knew him were aware of his criminal record, they said they were shocked by the vicious attacks police say they've connected him to in Llano, Burnet and Travis counties.
In what authorities believe was the first incident, Wilson called the sheriff's office at 7:50 p.m. Friday and reported that a distraught Devoe had held a gun to her head, threatened to shoot her and himself, and fired several shots at her home in the Wild Oak Acres subdivision.
She was able to escape unharmed and hide from Devoe, eventually calling 911 from a neighbor's house, sheriff's officials said. Devoe took off in Wilson's Dodge Dakota pickup, which was later identified at the murder scene in Jonestown, officials said
Twenty minutes later, authorities said, Devoe strode into O'Neill's in Marble Falls with a gun and in a feverish rage. They said he planned to kill a former girlfriend but instead shot bartender Allred in the chest after he intervened.
In online profiles, Devoe cultivated a ladies' man mystique while emphasizing his down-to-earth personality. He called himself "Wolf" and stressed the importance of just "being myself." On a dating Web site, Devoe wrote he was "looking to met a friend and what ever happens from there."Among his interests listed on that site were cuddling, dancing and "setting by the fire."
He also had a raunchier side. He called himself a swinger on one site, and his MySpace friends included several scantily clad women whose pages feature lewd photos and Playboy bunny icons. The youthful face of Haylie Marie, Griffith's daughter, stood out among the other women's. Her defiantly sexy pose couldn't hide her 15 years.
Griffith had dated Devoe for about three months two years ago, her ex-husband told police. Her son Jonathon said that he had warned her about Devoe but that she told him she was glad to have a boyfriend who treated Haylie well.
Eric Griffith, Paula Griffith's brother, said he thinks Devoe called on Paula for refuge after the Marble Falls killing. He thinks his sister refused and paid with her life.
Investigators say Devoe probably fled in Griffith's 2001 Saturn station wagon.
Jonathon Griffith, 29, of San Antonio, Paula's son and Haylie's brother, said the pair loved spending time at the lake and were "always kind to everybody."
Griffith and other relatives of the victims took solace in Devoe's capture.
"At least he's going to fry Texas style," said Danielle Hensley's father, Darryl Gribble.
Investigators said Devoe may have decided to return to familiar territory when he began driving to Long Island over the weekend. They said it appears he drove the Saturn as far as Greencastle, Pa., near the Maryland border. There he acquired another car, possibly after killing the owner, officials said.
He drove that vehicle to Shirley, where he has many family members, including his ex-wife, Charlene Purdoski, and their teenage son, also named Paul.
Neither was at home Monday, but a friend of the teen's, 16-year old Doug Jensen, said that the two knew Devoe was being sought in Texas and were afraid he was headed to their home to do them harm.
Devoe was captured at the home of a 61-year-old friend, Gerard Baldoni. U.S. marshals said a gun was found in the home, but they did not know if it was related to any crimes.
Devoe was charged with murder in the Marble Falls slaying and faces a federal charge of unlawful flight to avoid prosecution, Supervisory Deputy U.S. Marshal Hector Gomez said. Marshals said he was expected to be arraigned today in New York's Suffolk County.
For Doug Powell, an engineer who rented a West Austin house to Devoe from the fall of 2005 to October 2006, the violence was hard to fathom. He said Devoe was a courteous tenant who worked as a handyman and did renovations to the home on a wooded cul-de-sac near Barton Creek Elementary School. Powell's own house is on the same property.
Powell said he never saw the crowd of motorcyclists Devoe claimed on his MySpace page to have run with. He was aware of Devoe's criminal history but never saw any violent tendencies.
"I just could not believe he may have shot someone in a bar," Powell said. "But this other crime had so many other levels of terrible."
Powell was so spooked that he stayed up all night with a shotgun, he said.
District Attorney Sam Oatman, who serves both Llano and Burnet counties, said people in the area were very glad Devoe had been captured.
"This is a very dangerous person, and we are looking into other possible victims," Oatman said.
Oatman said he plans to file murder charges against Devoe in the Marble Falls killing and possibly assault or attempted murder charges because of threats made at the bar. He said he also plans to file aggravated assault with a deadly weapon or attempted murder charges for shooting at Wilson.
Devoe has two warrants out for his arrest in Suffolk County for a criminal contempt charge and a charge of disorderly conduct, according to District Court records. He also had three drunken driving convictions in New York state and served about five years for his third conviction in 1997. In 2003, he was convicted of aggravated harassment and criminal trespass, according to the records.
Having some ambivalence about the death penalty myself,especially here in the killingest state in the union(Texas accounts for a THIRD of executions nationwide since the death penalty was reactivated)I have some serious problems with this asshole.
I'm leaning strongly toward the "fry Texas style" solution.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Friday, August 24, 2007
Things that have happened
Still working at the old place in the demotion job and quite frankly I am bored out of my mind. This week I had my first tardy (car trouble) and absence (miserable due to allergies) in years which shouldn't surprise anyone that has a clue about human nature. Went on two job interviews last week (on my lunch hours), but turned down one and haven't heard on the other.
Went to the doctor today to get the dreaded prescription drugs for the allergies. Seems silly to have to take a drug for something that could be resolved with some rest and alternative treatments, but the 40 hour (or more) a week grind necessitates a quicker recovery than I can do on my own. I also had her take a look at a recurring rash I've had off and on for the last five years. The rash doesn't itch or otherwise give me any trouble other than being ugly. It goes away after 6 months or so and stays gone for a year or more, but this was it's third recurrence in the same spots so I figured I ought to have a doctor look at it. The doctor says that most likely it's something called Granuloma Annulare, but there is also a very slim chance that it's a fungal infection. Rather than going the scraping and lab testing route to determine fungal infection (costs money), I'm going to apply a very cheap, but strong prescription anti-fungal to the affected areas three times a day for two weeks and see what happens. If it doesn't clear up, then we'll take the even more expensive biopsy route to confirm Granuloma Annulare or other causes. And although the name sounds scary, Granuloma Annulare is nothing more than an ugly rash and causes no problems other than cosmetic concerns so a confirmed diagnosis isn't anything to worry about.
I also met a friend of mine for happy hour this afternoon. I haven't seen her in a very long time due to the crazy job (has it really been almost two years?) and we hadn't even kept up by email during this time. But we picked right up just as if time hadn't passed at all and that's something I've always found to be true with my good friends. One month, one year, two years - it doesn't matter. Somehow we are still on the same page even without any regular contact. Hopefully now that I'm getting back a life outside of work we can stay in touch on a more regular basis.
Still working at the old place in the demotion job and quite frankly I am bored out of my mind. This week I had my first tardy (car trouble) and absence (miserable due to allergies) in years which shouldn't surprise anyone that has a clue about human nature. Went on two job interviews last week (on my lunch hours), but turned down one and haven't heard on the other.
Went to the doctor today to get the dreaded prescription drugs for the allergies. Seems silly to have to take a drug for something that could be resolved with some rest and alternative treatments, but the 40 hour (or more) a week grind necessitates a quicker recovery than I can do on my own. I also had her take a look at a recurring rash I've had off and on for the last five years. The rash doesn't itch or otherwise give me any trouble other than being ugly. It goes away after 6 months or so and stays gone for a year or more, but this was it's third recurrence in the same spots so I figured I ought to have a doctor look at it. The doctor says that most likely it's something called Granuloma Annulare, but there is also a very slim chance that it's a fungal infection. Rather than going the scraping and lab testing route to determine fungal infection (costs money), I'm going to apply a very cheap, but strong prescription anti-fungal to the affected areas three times a day for two weeks and see what happens. If it doesn't clear up, then we'll take the even more expensive biopsy route to confirm Granuloma Annulare or other causes. And although the name sounds scary, Granuloma Annulare is nothing more than an ugly rash and causes no problems other than cosmetic concerns so a confirmed diagnosis isn't anything to worry about.
I also met a friend of mine for happy hour this afternoon. I haven't seen her in a very long time due to the crazy job (has it really been almost two years?) and we hadn't even kept up by email during this time. But we picked right up just as if time hadn't passed at all and that's something I've always found to be true with my good friends. One month, one year, two years - it doesn't matter. Somehow we are still on the same page even without any regular contact. Hopefully now that I'm getting back a life outside of work we can stay in touch on a more regular basis.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
I LIVE FOR THESE "SAFETY" MEETINGS
Every Thursday morning we start the day in the T.O.E with a safety meeting right out of the box.A supervisor for the general contractor usually presides with the safety guy I mentioned yesterday to act as translator for the roughly 85% of workers in attendance that don't speakee the englee.
This supervisor is an orator with mad skills and the issues covered carry some serious weight.
Some recent quotes:
"Now you try explaining to your family and loved ones why you got fired for using the wrong restroom,do yourself a favor and stay off of the forth floor".
"Now you try explaining to your family and loved ones why you got run off the job for using the wrong elevator".
"I was reading a recent OSHA report and wanted to share these highlights with you"...He then goes on to admonish us to try explaining to our families and loved ones how we got:Crushed by a snorkel lift,impaled on a giant spike in a ditch,and electrocuted by a faulty extension cord that was in a puddle of water.And more to the point:"why you got run off for not wearing your hard hat".
The bilingual safety guy translates between each threat to our livelihoods presumably verbatim,but since I don't understand a word he's saying beyond har' ha',he could be telling jokes or talking about what a dumb ass the supervisor is.
But the reason I like these meetings so much is the fact that work starts later,morning break comes faster and I've got fodder to make my equally hot and stressed coworkers laugh.
Every Thursday morning we start the day in the T.O.E with a safety meeting right out of the box.A supervisor for the general contractor usually presides with the safety guy I mentioned yesterday to act as translator for the roughly 85% of workers in attendance that don't speakee the englee.
This supervisor is an orator with mad skills and the issues covered carry some serious weight.
Some recent quotes:
"Now you try explaining to your family and loved ones why you got fired for using the wrong restroom,do yourself a favor and stay off of the forth floor".
"Now you try explaining to your family and loved ones why you got run off the job for using the wrong elevator".
"I was reading a recent OSHA report and wanted to share these highlights with you"...He then goes on to admonish us to try explaining to our families and loved ones how we got:Crushed by a snorkel lift,impaled on a giant spike in a ditch,and electrocuted by a faulty extension cord that was in a puddle of water.And more to the point:"why you got run off for not wearing your hard hat".
The bilingual safety guy translates between each threat to our livelihoods presumably verbatim,but since I don't understand a word he's saying beyond har' ha',he could be telling jokes or talking about what a dumb ass the supervisor is.
But the reason I like these meetings so much is the fact that work starts later,morning break comes faster and I've got fodder to make my equally hot and stressed coworkers laugh.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
GANG BOX "SAFE CRACKER" UPDATE
The safety guy for the general contractor got my version of events this morning,his "eenvasteegayshawn" to quote him.Basically this guy walks around all day in his yellow hard hat (designates safety guy) making sure we are all safe.Which amounts to him saying "Yew muss ware yewr har' ha'".(hard hat,for the uninitiated).He's actually a very friendly personable fella,and I'd wager he's got a green card if not actual citizenship.
Then,all the beaners had a meeting to discuss (I'm guessing) why it's not a good idea to steal other peoples stuff,and then it was back to work.The little rat fuck still has a job is the long and short of it,and judging from the looks I got from him as we passed in the hallways today,he knows I ratted him out.I glared right back at him.I'll have to be a little more cautious in stairwells and leading edges from now on.So much for doing the right thing,eh?
The safety guy for the general contractor got my version of events this morning,his "eenvasteegayshawn" to quote him.Basically this guy walks around all day in his yellow hard hat (designates safety guy) making sure we are all safe.Which amounts to him saying "Yew muss ware yewr har' ha'".(hard hat,for the uninitiated).He's actually a very friendly personable fella,and I'd wager he's got a green card if not actual citizenship.
Then,all the beaners had a meeting to discuss (I'm guessing) why it's not a good idea to steal other peoples stuff,and then it was back to work.The little rat fuck still has a job is the long and short of it,and judging from the looks I got from him as we passed in the hallways today,he knows I ratted him out.I glared right back at him.I'll have to be a little more cautious in stairwells and leading edges from now on.So much for doing the right thing,eh?
Monday, August 20, 2007
Old hobbies never die
I come from a family of ham radio operators. As a kid, I fell asleep each night hearing Morse code or conversations with other operators from far off places drift into my room from the "ham shack" down the hall. My dad, my mom and my brother are all licensed. I too had a license, but when I moved in with Rob, the radio went in the closet and I let my license expire.
But a couple of days ago, I stumbled across the episodes of a TV show called Jericho which had a snippet of Morse code in each show and man, did that ever bring back the memories. It also got me to wondering if I could still pass the test and get a license again because even though my code is extremely rusty, I knew there had been a change and you could get a Technician's class license that didn't require the code. A little bit of research revealed that these days there is no longer a code element required for any license class.
Just for grins I took a few practice tests and although I have forgotten a great deal, I breezed through the Technician class test and discovered I could also pass the General class tests at about 80%. I need the General class license to get good use out of my old rig (if it even still works after sitting for all these years) since only it covers only a tiny bit of the bandwidth allowed for Technician's, but has tons of opportunities for a General class license holder. I've got some time to study up since the next exams are in September. It's on a Saturday when I'm scheduled to work, but I figure I'll either be gone from this job or will have figured out a way to get the time off. And to make things even better, exam day is also on my birthday so I'm bound to score well on the test, right?
I come from a family of ham radio operators. As a kid, I fell asleep each night hearing Morse code or conversations with other operators from far off places drift into my room from the "ham shack" down the hall. My dad, my mom and my brother are all licensed. I too had a license, but when I moved in with Rob, the radio went in the closet and I let my license expire.
But a couple of days ago, I stumbled across the episodes of a TV show called Jericho which had a snippet of Morse code in each show and man, did that ever bring back the memories. It also got me to wondering if I could still pass the test and get a license again because even though my code is extremely rusty, I knew there had been a change and you could get a Technician's class license that didn't require the code. A little bit of research revealed that these days there is no longer a code element required for any license class.
Just for grins I took a few practice tests and although I have forgotten a great deal, I breezed through the Technician class test and discovered I could also pass the General class tests at about 80%. I need the General class license to get good use out of my old rig (if it even still works after sitting for all these years) since only it covers only a tiny bit of the bandwidth allowed for Technician's, but has tons of opportunities for a General class license holder. I've got some time to study up since the next exams are in September. It's on a Saturday when I'm scheduled to work, but I figure I'll either be gone from this job or will have figured out a way to get the time off. And to make things even better, exam day is also on my birthday so I'm bound to score well on the test, right?
TUMORS
Theo's got them,and they just keep popping up,little pea sized black tumors on his tail and his back.Now Theo,to quote Jon Stewart,is old as fuck.He's been and is an awesome dog...challenged from the beginning with the hip dysplasia common to large breeds,but in his case left him with a VERY narrow ass and problems with mobility early on.
But now he's got tumors.And we all know what that means.The end is near.
And I'm not ready for it to end.He's my boy...sleeping close to me every night for years now and the thought of him not being there reduces me to tears.
Like now.
Theo's got them,and they just keep popping up,little pea sized black tumors on his tail and his back.Now Theo,to quote Jon Stewart,is old as fuck.He's been and is an awesome dog...challenged from the beginning with the hip dysplasia common to large breeds,but in his case left him with a VERY narrow ass and problems with mobility early on.
But now he's got tumors.And we all know what that means.The end is near.
And I'm not ready for it to end.He's my boy...sleeping close to me every night for years now and the thought of him not being there reduces me to tears.
Like now.
TELL ME WHY...I DON'T LIKE MONDAYS
I got home Friday and the truck sat in the driveway all weekend.With a door ajar,effectively killing my battery.By the time I went to HEB and bought some cheap jumper cables and got it going I was 45 minutes late for work.
Whoever pulled the wire for 7 D,fucked up and pulled in the wrong wire from one box to another in the bedroom.What made this a big deal is the wall was no longer open.I had to remove 3 4x8 ft. sheets of drywall,move the insulation out of the way and pull in the correct wire.Major surgery.
I was installing the service disconnect for the water heater,there's a pass through in the wall where you can see into the other unit.One of our gang boxes was in plain view as was the fucking wetback who was dialing in different combinations on the lock,trying to get into our gang box.I watched him for a solid 5 minutes before I slammed the disconnect down hard on the pass through,scaring the shit out of him.I said"Why are you trying to open OUR gang box?"He of course gave me that deer in the headlights "no comprende" look,but I had a bilingual helper.I called him over and said "Tell this motherfucker in spanish to quit trying to break into our gang box".
He did,but judging from the look on his face beforehand,he understood motherfucker perfectly well.
Then,at the end of the day,this other wetback took my water bottle off our cart,filled it with water from our igloo and drank it and then left with my bottle.
I just threw my arms in the air at that point.
I ratted the would be thief out to my foreman...so at the very least,he'll be fired.
Tools are stolen on a regular basis,as is copper.I have been fortunate to not have any tools stolen so far,but a member of my crew had his entire tool bag stolen a while back.If you have the required tools according to union rules,it adds up to around a 1000 dollars.
Fuck those guys...and monday.
I got home Friday and the truck sat in the driveway all weekend.With a door ajar,effectively killing my battery.By the time I went to HEB and bought some cheap jumper cables and got it going I was 45 minutes late for work.
Whoever pulled the wire for 7 D,fucked up and pulled in the wrong wire from one box to another in the bedroom.What made this a big deal is the wall was no longer open.I had to remove 3 4x8 ft. sheets of drywall,move the insulation out of the way and pull in the correct wire.Major surgery.
I was installing the service disconnect for the water heater,there's a pass through in the wall where you can see into the other unit.One of our gang boxes was in plain view as was the fucking wetback who was dialing in different combinations on the lock,trying to get into our gang box.I watched him for a solid 5 minutes before I slammed the disconnect down hard on the pass through,scaring the shit out of him.I said"Why are you trying to open OUR gang box?"He of course gave me that deer in the headlights "no comprende" look,but I had a bilingual helper.I called him over and said "Tell this motherfucker in spanish to quit trying to break into our gang box".
He did,but judging from the look on his face beforehand,he understood motherfucker perfectly well.
Then,at the end of the day,this other wetback took my water bottle off our cart,filled it with water from our igloo and drank it and then left with my bottle.
I just threw my arms in the air at that point.
I ratted the would be thief out to my foreman...so at the very least,he'll be fired.
Tools are stolen on a regular basis,as is copper.I have been fortunate to not have any tools stolen so far,but a member of my crew had his entire tool bag stolen a while back.If you have the required tools according to union rules,it adds up to around a 1000 dollars.
Fuck those guys...and monday.
Saturday, August 18, 2007
Friday, August 17, 2007
MADE IT
Through another week in the tower of evil(T.O.E).Today and Thursday weren't so bad heat wise because of the rain.The elevators continue to malfunction which is unnerving and it seems the elevator defliction has spread to the parking garage.The dayshift security guard is a nazi and we have been relegated to a stinky alley to smoke,no longer allowed to gather on the street (because we are construction workers and therefore are a blight,while the other smoking occupants of the building are left alone to do as they please).
There are signs on the stairwell doors on every floor that say "this door to remain closed at all times" in english and...wait for this...fucking french because the building is literally crawling with undocumented french workers.
The stupidity of this is not lost on somebody,who has added the same in latin.
One of my old work buddies from UT has transferred to T.O.E and we've been working on the same crew this week.It's nice to have an old friend around.We both come from a social work background as well,so are perceptions are shared and frequently hilarious.To us anyway.
And I have learned some new things this week in regard to wiring and receptacles in series.
I'm looking forward to the weekend.
Through another week in the tower of evil(T.O.E).Today and Thursday weren't so bad heat wise because of the rain.The elevators continue to malfunction which is unnerving and it seems the elevator defliction has spread to the parking garage.The dayshift security guard is a nazi and we have been relegated to a stinky alley to smoke,no longer allowed to gather on the street (because we are construction workers and therefore are a blight,while the other smoking occupants of the building are left alone to do as they please).
There are signs on the stairwell doors on every floor that say "this door to remain closed at all times" in english and...wait for this...fucking french because the building is literally crawling with undocumented french workers.
The stupidity of this is not lost on somebody,who has added the same in latin.
One of my old work buddies from UT has transferred to T.O.E and we've been working on the same crew this week.It's nice to have an old friend around.We both come from a social work background as well,so are perceptions are shared and frequently hilarious.To us anyway.
And I have learned some new things this week in regard to wiring and receptacles in series.
I'm looking forward to the weekend.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
NEW BLOG !
Do you like cowboys and injuns?Sick humor?Well,if you do,then The adventures of Clem and Jane is just for you!
I was surprised that I had 25 episodes to transfer...and while they kinda follow a thread,albeit twisted and frayed,I hope you'll be exclaiming HOO WHEE or GOLL DANG IT as part of your daily interactions.
Do you like cowboys and injuns?Sick humor?Well,if you do,then The adventures of Clem and Jane is just for you!
I was surprised that I had 25 episodes to transfer...and while they kinda follow a thread,albeit twisted and frayed,I hope you'll be exclaiming HOO WHEE or GOLL DANG IT as part of your daily interactions.
NOW THAT'S A GOOD WAY OF SPENDING TIME WITH YOUR KID
The guy that's been mowing our front yard for awhile now had a family emergency and had to go back to his home town.Which left me with a dilemma.While I'm not inclined to mow it myself after a week in the tower of evil,I needed to come up with a solution before our yard reverted back to it's Cambodia days.
Yesterday there was a knock at the door.I answered to find a man I had worked with at UT and his 12 year old son.It seems his son asked for and got a lawnmower for his birthday.Now it's not like he knew where I lived...this was door to door salesmanship.
We entered into the same agreement I had with my former guy and this evening he cut my lawn for the first time with Dad on hand to help out.
It looks great!They edged!They swept the sidewalk!
The kid learned the value of a dollar!Developed his work ethic!And started on the road of business.
I don't know about you,but I'm impressed.
The guy that's been mowing our front yard for awhile now had a family emergency and had to go back to his home town.Which left me with a dilemma.While I'm not inclined to mow it myself after a week in the tower of evil,I needed to come up with a solution before our yard reverted back to it's Cambodia days.
Yesterday there was a knock at the door.I answered to find a man I had worked with at UT and his 12 year old son.It seems his son asked for and got a lawnmower for his birthday.Now it's not like he knew where I lived...this was door to door salesmanship.
We entered into the same agreement I had with my former guy and this evening he cut my lawn for the first time with Dad on hand to help out.
It looks great!They edged!They swept the sidewalk!
The kid learned the value of a dollar!Developed his work ethic!And started on the road of business.
I don't know about you,but I'm impressed.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
MONKEY BUSINESS
(click to enlarge)
You can see the rest of this series and daily updates at FULL METAL JACKASS.
(click to enlarge)
You can see the rest of this series and daily updates at FULL METAL JACKASS.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
WELLY,WELLY,WELL,WELL MY DROOGIES...
As you well already know,Karl Rove tendered his resignation yesterday,effective 31 aug 07.Before you start jumping for joy (if you haven't already)let me say that after my third virtual jump I stopped short and realized that while he won't be the deputy chief of staff or policy czar or architect or whatever you prefer to call him (my fav is corrupt criminal asshat),he will still very much be at the beck and call of the giggling murder monkey hisself-King Bush.
While it does signal yet another downturn for this "administration" as it were and sharpens the focus on their ne'er do well ways,trust me...it ain't over yet.Far from it in fact.Bestowing more authority to that sham of an attorney general (like the authority to fast track the appeals process in regard to death row inmates and having the final say so in this whole FISA wiretapping fiasco)is just a glimmer of the horse shit to come rolling on down the pike.One can only hope that bushco implodes on itself before it causes whats left of our country to do the same.I'm not holding my breath.
As you well already know,Karl Rove tendered his resignation yesterday,effective 31 aug 07.Before you start jumping for joy (if you haven't already)let me say that after my third virtual jump I stopped short and realized that while he won't be the deputy chief of staff or policy czar or architect or whatever you prefer to call him (my fav is corrupt criminal asshat),he will still very much be at the beck and call of the giggling murder monkey hisself-King Bush.
While it does signal yet another downturn for this "administration" as it were and sharpens the focus on their ne'er do well ways,trust me...it ain't over yet.Far from it in fact.Bestowing more authority to that sham of an attorney general (like the authority to fast track the appeals process in regard to death row inmates and having the final say so in this whole FISA wiretapping fiasco)is just a glimmer of the horse shit to come rolling on down the pike.One can only hope that bushco implodes on itself before it causes whats left of our country to do the same.I'm not holding my breath.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST?*
I've been catching these jeep commercials on TV corrupting a truly wonderful song from 1970 by Jonathan Edwards,but they cut out the best part of the song.
"He can't even run his own life,I'll be damned if he'll run mine".Funny,ironic even,that this song is used to sell something...running our lives in a sense.
I did a bit of searching and found this video of Jon performing his song at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels Texas,right down the road from Austin.
Enjoy the irony...
*The 2007 Jeep Wrangler costs $29,990.00...nicely equipped.
I've been catching these jeep commercials on TV corrupting a truly wonderful song from 1970 by Jonathan Edwards,but they cut out the best part of the song.
"He can't even run his own life,I'll be damned if he'll run mine".Funny,ironic even,that this song is used to sell something...running our lives in a sense.
I did a bit of searching and found this video of Jon performing his song at Gruene Hall in New Braunfels Texas,right down the road from Austin.
Enjoy the irony...
*The 2007 Jeep Wrangler costs $29,990.00...nicely equipped.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
One foot in front of the other
These last two days were some of the longest in my life. It didn't help that I couldn't sleep Friday night despite the 12 pack of beer. Nor could I sleep last night despite the lack of sleep from the night before. I was on an emotional roller coaster yesterday and while there were errands that I needed to run, I just couldn't bring myself to set foot out of the house. I did apply online or by email for about 10 jobs and sent an email to my old neighbor to see if she still worked for the temp agency, but that was about all that got accomplished. However, today it was back to business as usual. I got the errands done and applied for about 5 more jobs. On two of these, I know someone who works for the company which might help my chances a bit. The rest pay so low that they'd be a fool not to hire me and get way more than what they're paying for. I don't want to be bored at a new job, but I don't want a challenge at this point either so low pay is okay as long as it's an easy job. Just give me something that's a 40 hour work week, 8am to 5pm, with weekends and holidays off. Benefits and a retirement plan would be a plus, but I don't even care about that. Rob's worried and depressed about the hit our finances are going to take, but there are plenty of ways I can save money to make up the difference. I've already cut our cell phone bill by $40/month and cut another $60 in other upcoming monthly expenses. I do regret losing the twice a month shipment of fabulous coffee, but at least I'll be healthier for the lack of it. Though that means I'll be drinking a lot more peppermint tea. Heck, I suppose I could grow a few peppermint plants and save that expense as well. I'd have to say that overall this day went pretty well even if it was a bit long. Tomorrow I go back to work and pretend everything is normal (except for the cleaning out my desk part - not sure how I'll explain that since no one is supposed to know yet) and then wait for Monday when I'll get some details on my future fate. But for now, I'm just going to try and forget all about that and go give myself a good soak in the tub with a cup of hot chamomile tea to get some of this tension out of my system before I head to bed. I suppose I'll throw some movies in the bedroom DVR player, perhaps with the Spanish or French soundtrack just to make things more interesting. And who knows, maybe I'll get lucky and actually fall asleep. See ya on the flip side....
These last two days were some of the longest in my life. It didn't help that I couldn't sleep Friday night despite the 12 pack of beer. Nor could I sleep last night despite the lack of sleep from the night before. I was on an emotional roller coaster yesterday and while there were errands that I needed to run, I just couldn't bring myself to set foot out of the house. I did apply online or by email for about 10 jobs and sent an email to my old neighbor to see if she still worked for the temp agency, but that was about all that got accomplished. However, today it was back to business as usual. I got the errands done and applied for about 5 more jobs. On two of these, I know someone who works for the company which might help my chances a bit. The rest pay so low that they'd be a fool not to hire me and get way more than what they're paying for. I don't want to be bored at a new job, but I don't want a challenge at this point either so low pay is okay as long as it's an easy job. Just give me something that's a 40 hour work week, 8am to 5pm, with weekends and holidays off. Benefits and a retirement plan would be a plus, but I don't even care about that. Rob's worried and depressed about the hit our finances are going to take, but there are plenty of ways I can save money to make up the difference. I've already cut our cell phone bill by $40/month and cut another $60 in other upcoming monthly expenses. I do regret losing the twice a month shipment of fabulous coffee, but at least I'll be healthier for the lack of it. Though that means I'll be drinking a lot more peppermint tea. Heck, I suppose I could grow a few peppermint plants and save that expense as well. I'd have to say that overall this day went pretty well even if it was a bit long. Tomorrow I go back to work and pretend everything is normal (except for the cleaning out my desk part - not sure how I'll explain that since no one is supposed to know yet) and then wait for Monday when I'll get some details on my future fate. But for now, I'm just going to try and forget all about that and go give myself a good soak in the tub with a cup of hot chamomile tea to get some of this tension out of my system before I head to bed. I suppose I'll throw some movies in the bedroom DVR player, perhaps with the Spanish or French soundtrack just to make things more interesting. And who knows, maybe I'll get lucky and actually fall asleep. See ya on the flip side....
Friday, August 10, 2007
THE PARTY NEVER STOPS IN THE TOWER OF EVIL
After the morning break the entire crew (12 today) got on the only working elevator and began our climb to various floors (I'm currently on 12),half way between 5 and 6 said elevator let out a groan,shuddered and stopped.We were trapped inside for about 10 minutes,not really a long time but when you factor in the elevator free fall from a couple months ago (involving electricians,a transformer and a trip to the ER)that 10 minutes was an eternity.When they finally pried the doors open I leapt out of that fucker as if I was leaping from the jaws of death his own self.This kind of shit seriously freaks me out.
I don't think OSHA would approve of it either.
After the morning break the entire crew (12 today) got on the only working elevator and began our climb to various floors (I'm currently on 12),half way between 5 and 6 said elevator let out a groan,shuddered and stopped.We were trapped inside for about 10 minutes,not really a long time but when you factor in the elevator free fall from a couple months ago (involving electricians,a transformer and a trip to the ER)that 10 minutes was an eternity.When they finally pried the doors open I leapt out of that fucker as if I was leaping from the jaws of death his own self.This kind of shit seriously freaks me out.
I don't think OSHA would approve of it either.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Several beers later...
So I'm thinking all kinds of crazy things now like how I can now get those lime green streaks in my hair that I've always wanted. And hey, I could start smoking pot again (haven't done it since I was a teen) since I don't need my smarts anymore. Besides, rumor has it that smoking pot is a great sleep aide and stress reducer - that's something I could use these days, but it would be better if it had the side effect it had when I was in my teens which was I never wanted to eat and was skinny. I'll have all this extra time on my hands now so the possibilities are endless. I could sew my own clothes, weave those blankets I always wanted to make, take up pottery, go back to batiking and tie-dying clothing, practice my bass more, get those Cisco certifications, go back to school or... gasp, even clean the house once and awhile - WOOT! This change has the potential to be fun (well, maybe not the housework part) and I should definitely make the most of it.
So I'm thinking all kinds of crazy things now like how I can now get those lime green streaks in my hair that I've always wanted. And hey, I could start smoking pot again (haven't done it since I was a teen) since I don't need my smarts anymore. Besides, rumor has it that smoking pot is a great sleep aide and stress reducer - that's something I could use these days, but it would be better if it had the side effect it had when I was in my teens which was I never wanted to eat and was skinny. I'll have all this extra time on my hands now so the possibilities are endless. I could sew my own clothes, weave those blankets I always wanted to make, take up pottery, go back to batiking and tie-dying clothing, practice my bass more, get those Cisco certifications, go back to school or... gasp, even clean the house once and awhile - WOOT! This change has the potential to be fun (well, maybe not the housework part) and I should definitely make the most of it.
SWIM THROUGH IT WITH MUSIC
As you've read,My Annabelle got "demoted" today.Something I see as a blessing in disguise.She's mourning the bruise to her ego and celebrating the reduction in stress all at once by having some beers and playing songs that mean something to her (and me in some cases)on her computer.It's fairly annoying,but hey...it's her moment and the rev abides.
It can be a very cleansing experience.Music has always been an integral part of our lives together and back when we weren't.
We have been semi stable for too many years financially,the impetus being that crown jewel of assholes andy hines.But we have managed to survive.
Juggle juggle juggle is the name of the game,juggle all the time.And I'm tired of keeping the balls in the air,something's gonna break soon.
Cue up the Nailbomb honey!
I got a plan and here it is:
Sell the house
Pay off our debt
Get the fuck out of Texas in a RV (or converted school bus) that we buy with the proceeds and I travel the books around Colorado and New Mexico.
This takes balls and a giant leap of faith,but I'm almost there.
I'm nearing the end of my rope,and I suspect Annabelle is as well.
As you've read,My Annabelle got "demoted" today.Something I see as a blessing in disguise.She's mourning the bruise to her ego and celebrating the reduction in stress all at once by having some beers and playing songs that mean something to her (and me in some cases)on her computer.It's fairly annoying,but hey...it's her moment and the rev abides.
It can be a very cleansing experience.Music has always been an integral part of our lives together and back when we weren't.
We have been semi stable for too many years financially,the impetus being that crown jewel of assholes andy hines.But we have managed to survive.
Juggle juggle juggle is the name of the game,juggle all the time.And I'm tired of keeping the balls in the air,something's gonna break soon.
Cue up the Nailbomb honey!
I got a plan and here it is:
Sell the house
Pay off our debt
Get the fuck out of Texas in a RV (or converted school bus) that we buy with the proceeds and I travel the books around Colorado and New Mexico.
This takes balls and a giant leap of faith,but I'm almost there.
I'm nearing the end of my rope,and I suspect Annabelle is as well.
Demoted
Yep, I'm not a manager anymore and will be moved back to being a tech. There are some real advantages to this. No more 60 hour work weeks and my work day will be over when I walk out the door. I can wear jeans and t-shirts and sandals to work again. I'll have a set schedule even though weekend work will still be required. The pay is so low for "upper level" techs (equivalent to starting pay at other call centers) that it won't take much for another job to look attractive enough to leave. And I can take my vacation time when I want to rather than when upper management sees fit. But even though there are advantages, there are plenty of disadvantages and I'm not happy with the situation. However, I'm not in a position to outright quit since the monthly bills exceed Rob's income and I'll just have to deal with it. I couldn't decide if I should buy beer or champagne on the way home since this actually could be a really good thing for me once the sting of failure wears off. But good or bad, you can bet I'm getting drunk tonight.
Yep, I'm not a manager anymore and will be moved back to being a tech. There are some real advantages to this. No more 60 hour work weeks and my work day will be over when I walk out the door. I can wear jeans and t-shirts and sandals to work again. I'll have a set schedule even though weekend work will still be required. The pay is so low for "upper level" techs (equivalent to starting pay at other call centers) that it won't take much for another job to look attractive enough to leave. And I can take my vacation time when I want to rather than when upper management sees fit. But even though there are advantages, there are plenty of disadvantages and I'm not happy with the situation. However, I'm not in a position to outright quit since the monthly bills exceed Rob's income and I'll just have to deal with it. I couldn't decide if I should buy beer or champagne on the way home since this actually could be a really good thing for me once the sting of failure wears off. But good or bad, you can bet I'm getting drunk tonight.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
A FEW WORDS ABOUT MITT ROMNEY
This guy is poison for our country,what a pile of shit he is...and in this time of war he excuses his sons from not enlisting in the military by focusing on the voluntary enlistment and his sons choice to show their support by helping him with his campaign.
You can read the pathetic article here.
I don't support a draft,but one is probably coming and the one redeeming factor I can see in it is chickenhawk piles of shit like Romney will lose sons to an unjust war.
Let one of those little Romney pussy bastards get blown up and you'll see a flip flop like never before.
If this pile comes to Austin to spout his horse shit, you can be sure I'll be there.
Seriously...fuck that guy.And his chicken shit peckerwood sons.
This guy is poison for our country,what a pile of shit he is...and in this time of war he excuses his sons from not enlisting in the military by focusing on the voluntary enlistment and his sons choice to show their support by helping him with his campaign.
You can read the pathetic article here.
I don't support a draft,but one is probably coming and the one redeeming factor I can see in it is chickenhawk piles of shit like Romney will lose sons to an unjust war.
Let one of those little Romney pussy bastards get blown up and you'll see a flip flop like never before.
If this pile comes to Austin to spout his horse shit, you can be sure I'll be there.
Seriously...fuck that guy.And his chicken shit peckerwood sons.
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Monday, August 06, 2007
NEW CLEM AND JANE
Seems they been in the hoosgow nigh on 4 months for cruelty to injuns.Did they change their injun rapin' killin' ways? Go find out here:
LESSONS LEARNED
HOO WHEE!!!
Seems they been in the hoosgow nigh on 4 months for cruelty to injuns.Did they change their injun rapin' killin' ways? Go find out here:
LESSONS LEARNED
HOO WHEE!!!
CAT AND MOUSE GAMES
As I was turning onto my street this afternoon,I came face to face with the police.They saw my expired inspection and registration stickers and immediately did a u turn.I managed to pull into my driveway and jump out of my truck just as he pulled in front of my house,rolled to an almost complete stop,glared at me and then drove away.
In dodging a bullet,I made a tactical error:Now he knows where I live and will lie in wait for me to leave again to give me the tickets.
Some background at this point.I have been horrible about keeping my registration and inspection current since I started driving 30 plus years ago. It's almost a hobby,fuck it...it is a hobby.Back in the 80's I once went 2 years before I got a ticket!Ha!Take that authority!
So,after about 3 hours I ventured out to the liquor store and took an alternate route to throw off the cops.I was 20 feet from the parking lot when POOF! there he was on a side street as I passed.I managed to get into the parking lot and out of the truck just as he was pulling in.He blocked me in and waited.
I pointed him out to the store owners and explained why he was out there (waiting for me)and they were having none of that.They made me wait him out and then watched to see which direction he turned.He went north so I went south and took another route back to the house.As soon as I turned on my street,there he was in my rear view mirror,2 cars behind me!I made it to my driveway again,just in the nick o' time.
He's out there circling...I can feel it in my bones.
As I was turning onto my street this afternoon,I came face to face with the police.They saw my expired inspection and registration stickers and immediately did a u turn.I managed to pull into my driveway and jump out of my truck just as he pulled in front of my house,rolled to an almost complete stop,glared at me and then drove away.
In dodging a bullet,I made a tactical error:Now he knows where I live and will lie in wait for me to leave again to give me the tickets.
Some background at this point.I have been horrible about keeping my registration and inspection current since I started driving 30 plus years ago. It's almost a hobby,fuck it...it is a hobby.Back in the 80's I once went 2 years before I got a ticket!Ha!Take that authority!
So,after about 3 hours I ventured out to the liquor store and took an alternate route to throw off the cops.I was 20 feet from the parking lot when POOF! there he was on a side street as I passed.I managed to get into the parking lot and out of the truck just as he was pulling in.He blocked me in and waited.
I pointed him out to the store owners and explained why he was out there (waiting for me)and they were having none of that.They made me wait him out and then watched to see which direction he turned.He went north so I went south and took another route back to the house.As soon as I turned on my street,there he was in my rear view mirror,2 cars behind me!I made it to my driveway again,just in the nick o' time.
He's out there circling...I can feel it in my bones.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
PIERCINGS ARE A PAIN IN THE ASS
I've had my ears pierced for a long time.At one point,shortly after becoming an electrician,I decided I would let my 00 gauge holes close up so I would blend in better.
Well,guess what?They didn't.So after about a year I went back to wearing 8 gauge eyelets because it looked better than having cat buttholes on my earlobes.
Any of you who have larger piercings know that if you don't remove them,clean them and the holes on a regular basis you will begin to notice a smell.A distinctive odor.An odor that I like to call "skanky pussy" and I'm not talking about cats.
I was in line at the grocery the other day and this dude behind me said "Dude!Have you been eating skanky pussy?"I replied "No dude,it's my ears...sorry."And then I motioned to the q-tips and alcohol in my basket.He nodded in agreement then said something about his prince albert smelling the same way.Just kidding,but you get the point.
I have cleaned them not once,but twice and I'm still catching a fishy whiff.
This never happened when I had "regulation" piercings.
Life's just so unfair sometimes.
I've had my ears pierced for a long time.At one point,shortly after becoming an electrician,I decided I would let my 00 gauge holes close up so I would blend in better.
Well,guess what?They didn't.So after about a year I went back to wearing 8 gauge eyelets because it looked better than having cat buttholes on my earlobes.
Any of you who have larger piercings know that if you don't remove them,clean them and the holes on a regular basis you will begin to notice a smell.A distinctive odor.An odor that I like to call "skanky pussy" and I'm not talking about cats.
I was in line at the grocery the other day and this dude behind me said "Dude!Have you been eating skanky pussy?"I replied "No dude,it's my ears...sorry."And then I motioned to the q-tips and alcohol in my basket.He nodded in agreement then said something about his prince albert smelling the same way.Just kidding,but you get the point.
I have cleaned them not once,but twice and I'm still catching a fishy whiff.
This never happened when I had "regulation" piercings.
Life's just so unfair sometimes.
Saturday, August 04, 2007
SILLY ME
I took a closer look at the headlines posted from CNN and realized it was Ving Rhames dogs that mauled that guy to death and not Ving.I'm sure he's capable of mauling someone to death,and I'm still glad I'm not him.
Or the guy that got mauled to death,for that matter.
What,exactly,does mauled mean anyway?A quick trip to m-w dot com gave me this:
Main Entry: maul
Function: transitive verb
1 : BEAT, BRUISE
2 : MANGLE 1
3 : to handle roughly
OK...I think in the case of 4 bull mastiffs,definition 2 fits the bill perfectly.
transitive verb indeed.
Here's a list of banned/restricted dog breeds from the responsible dog owners of the western states website:
Banned or restricted breeds )(link is working now,click on menu to left side of their page for the list)
While they don't explain why these breeds are banned and/or restricted,they appear to promote responsible ownership regardless of breed which I agree with completely.
For example,Irene is a people friendly social dog and is treated accordingly.She's not so good with other dogs and we have provisions for that.Theo,on the other hand,is a grumpy old bastard who loves me and Ann and Irene and is very protective otherwise.His social activity is far more limited and controlled as a result.
Mastiffs fall to #27 on this list,and one can infer from this (rather fuzzily)that they are not so prone to mauling as say the pit bull or the Akbash
So,anyway,my point (and question) is:
What would you do if you were a victim (directly or otherwise)of a dog attack?
Does breed even matter?
Discuss...
I took a closer look at the headlines posted from CNN and realized it was Ving Rhames dogs that mauled that guy to death and not Ving.I'm sure he's capable of mauling someone to death,and I'm still glad I'm not him.
Or the guy that got mauled to death,for that matter.
What,exactly,does mauled mean anyway?A quick trip to m-w dot com gave me this:
Main Entry: maul
Function: transitive verb
1 : BEAT, BRUISE
2 : MANGLE 1
3 : to handle roughly
OK...I think in the case of 4 bull mastiffs,definition 2 fits the bill perfectly.
transitive verb indeed.
Here's a list of banned/restricted dog breeds from the responsible dog owners of the western states website:
Banned or restricted breeds )(link is working now,click on menu to left side of their page for the list)
While they don't explain why these breeds are banned and/or restricted,they appear to promote responsible ownership regardless of breed which I agree with completely.
For example,Irene is a people friendly social dog and is treated accordingly.She's not so good with other dogs and we have provisions for that.Theo,on the other hand,is a grumpy old bastard who loves me and Ann and Irene and is very protective otherwise.His social activity is far more limited and controlled as a result.
Mastiffs fall to #27 on this list,and one can infer from this (rather fuzzily)that they are not so prone to mauling as say the pit bull or the Akbash
So,anyway,my point (and question) is:
What would you do if you were a victim (directly or otherwise)of a dog attack?
Does breed even matter?
Discuss...
THE "MOST TRUSTED NAME IN NEWS" DOES IT AGAIN...
* Mom makes underwater escape from car
* Passengers helpless as tragedy unfolded
* Dark, dangerous waters slow divers
* Marine sentenced in Iraqi's death
* Senate passes Bush terrorism spy bill
* CNNMoney: Fire fear forces huge Ford recall
* SI: No homer for Bonds
* Police: Muslim bakery tied to reporter's slaying
* Ticker: Tancredo: Hit Mecca if attacked
* Man mauled to death at Ving Rhames' home
* Pros recruit YouTube soccer phenom Video
* WISN: Police: 2-year-old eats mom's LSD candy
* Strange-looking sub spotted near luxury ship
* Couple welcome their 17th child
* Eddie Murphy concedes paternity
Now this is news...streamlined and edited,but the same old shit.Let me just say I'm a bit shocked that Eddie Murphy didn't cop to being scarey's baby daddy sooner...I bet she fucks like a snake!
I'm glad I'm not Ving Rhames.
We still prosecute soldiers as "war criminals" while the real perps get away with war crimes by invoking executive privelege.
Bridge collapse stories = "hey!look over there!!!" or..."What goldfish?"
Tancredo is an asshat.
Where can I get some candy?
Were they serving it on the luxury ship?
17 kids????god damn...it's a canyon at this point,now I think I know what J-Rod meant by "fucking a mud puddle"
Fuck Barry Bonds.
And that's the news sheeple...
* Mom makes underwater escape from car
* Passengers helpless as tragedy unfolded
* Dark, dangerous waters slow divers
* Marine sentenced in Iraqi's death
* Senate passes Bush terrorism spy bill
* CNNMoney: Fire fear forces huge Ford recall
* SI: No homer for Bonds
* Police: Muslim bakery tied to reporter's slaying
* Ticker: Tancredo: Hit Mecca if attacked
* Man mauled to death at Ving Rhames' home
* Pros recruit YouTube soccer phenom Video
* WISN: Police: 2-year-old eats mom's LSD candy
* Strange-looking sub spotted near luxury ship
* Couple welcome their 17th child
* Eddie Murphy concedes paternity
Now this is news...streamlined and edited,but the same old shit.Let me just say I'm a bit shocked that Eddie Murphy didn't cop to being scarey's baby daddy sooner...I bet she fucks like a snake!
I'm glad I'm not Ving Rhames.
We still prosecute soldiers as "war criminals" while the real perps get away with war crimes by invoking executive privelege.
Bridge collapse stories = "hey!look over there!!!" or..."What goldfish?"
Tancredo is an asshat.
Where can I get some candy?
Were they serving it on the luxury ship?
17 kids????god damn...it's a canyon at this point,now I think I know what J-Rod meant by "fucking a mud puddle"
Fuck Barry Bonds.
And that's the news sheeple...
Thursday, August 02, 2007
THE ENDLESS INVOCATION
King Bush has really gone off the deep end with this executive privilege business.The latest being the Karl Rove invocation,which,if I am keeping an accurate count,brings it to 6 in the last month or so.
Nixon tried to pull this off (he lost),so did Clinton (he lost too).But I'm not so sure the idiot king will suffer the same result.
Why?
It's a combination of most of us not giving a shit anymore,because this democracy is doomed thanks to his royal highness and the medias ability to bullshit us,distract us and otherwise steer the spin.Rearranging the priorities to misdirect us from what's most important.
Here are the headlines from CNN today:
Latest News
* Bridges overused and under stress
* First rescuers felt bridge shift
* Survivor fell 30-ft into bridge wreckage
* Gas stop saved my life, I-Reporter says
* Bridge inspection warning goes nationwide
* Doomed bridge going under microscope
* MSP: State chose inspections over repairs
* Electrodes prod brain-injured man to speak, eat
* U.S. Marine ringleader convicted of murder
* Ticker: Obama draws fire from '08 Dems
* Cloning fraud produced real advance
* Hit man's bullet kills outspoken editor
* Rove snubs subpoena, aide skirts questions
* $100M robbery caught on camera Video
* WFTV: 'Porno' mannequins raise temperatures
Seven are about the bridge collapsing in Minnesota...Sure,it's a tragic event,but do we really need SEVEN reports about it?
Rove shining on his subpoena ranks 2 above some bullshit story about porno mannequins.Please.
What we really need to be focusing on is how this country is going to hell in a hand basket because our ruling administration is a den of corrupt lying piles of monkey shit...oh!wait!!A $100M robbery caught on video?!?!?I gotta go check that out...
Jeez,are we stupid or what?
King Bush has really gone off the deep end with this executive privilege business.The latest being the Karl Rove invocation,which,if I am keeping an accurate count,brings it to 6 in the last month or so.
Nixon tried to pull this off (he lost),so did Clinton (he lost too).But I'm not so sure the idiot king will suffer the same result.
Why?
It's a combination of most of us not giving a shit anymore,because this democracy is doomed thanks to his royal highness and the medias ability to bullshit us,distract us and otherwise steer the spin.Rearranging the priorities to misdirect us from what's most important.
Here are the headlines from CNN today:
Latest News
* Bridges overused and under stress
* First rescuers felt bridge shift
* Survivor fell 30-ft into bridge wreckage
* Gas stop saved my life, I-Reporter says
* Bridge inspection warning goes nationwide
* Doomed bridge going under microscope
* MSP: State chose inspections over repairs
* Electrodes prod brain-injured man to speak, eat
* U.S. Marine ringleader convicted of murder
* Ticker: Obama draws fire from '08 Dems
* Cloning fraud produced real advance
* Hit man's bullet kills outspoken editor
* Rove snubs subpoena, aide skirts questions
* $100M robbery caught on camera Video
* WFTV: 'Porno' mannequins raise temperatures
Seven are about the bridge collapsing in Minnesota...Sure,it's a tragic event,but do we really need SEVEN reports about it?
Rove shining on his subpoena ranks 2 above some bullshit story about porno mannequins.Please.
What we really need to be focusing on is how this country is going to hell in a hand basket because our ruling administration is a den of corrupt lying piles of monkey shit...oh!wait!!A $100M robbery caught on video?!?!?I gotta go check that out...
Jeez,are we stupid or what?
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