...and still doing fine. So far I've worked with three separate crews in three day's, at three sites. One residential, and two commercial (hospital yesterday, and a church today), and each one had a different elevator make and/or model. I'm in full sponge mode. Just learnin' and learnin', and I'm loving it.
Everyone that I've worked with out at the sites has been real good to me, and so far there's noone that I foresee having a problem with. Good buncha guy's, and they aren't afraid to put me to work. Luckily, I'm not scared of getting a little sweaty, so it's all good. (Of course there are other, more fun, ways to get sweaty, and I ain't scared of them either.)
I'm looking forward to starting another job tomorrow, and this time the plan is for me to stay on it all the way through the construction of the elevator. I'm going to be working at the historic Tennessee Theater, and I'm really excited to be a part of the renovation/restoration going on there. (Check thn second bullet-point under "Backstage Renovation", and the first one under "Public Area Renovation and Restoration", and you'll see how much work we've got going on there.) This should be a really neat job, and it's something that I know I'll take tremendous pride in when it's done. That's the best payoff for me personally. Being able to take a step back after jobs like this are done and being able to say "I had a part in that." I'm really looking forward to that feeling of satisfaction. I've missed it since I went into supervising people over five years ago.
Sorry about the one track mind that I've got here lately. I've been eating, sleeping, and dreaming elevators for the past three days, and I don't see much of an end in sight. Ah well. I'll do my best to keep it interesting for you.
Posted by Johnny - Oh at October 20, 2004 07:41 PMBut it is interesting to us! We are all so happy for you.
It makes me smile to hear the excitement (ok, read the excitement, but you know what I mean)as you share. And I just told a friend today, the best part of the job is the pride that you can take in it's accomplishment.
:) So you just go right ahead and tell us the ups and downs of the elevator business. (sorry, but I knew if I didn't get it in here, some other family member would!)
Posted by: Tammi at October 20, 2004 09:36 PM(Of course there are other, more fun, ways to get sweaty, and I ain't scared of them either.) LOL!
I'm really really happy for you. Your excitement comes through on your posts. How cool is that?
My grandfather was brought in from Birmingham in the 1950s to help wire the plant I worked in down here in S. FL, 40 years later. (He was an electrician.) I used to love walking through the shop wondering if my grandpa had walked there 40 years before.
You have no idea how hard it has been for me to not use the old "ups and downs" thing. God it's cheesy, but that's what makes it funny. :^)
I got a little of the sense of accomplishment back when I was a software tech support rep, but it's definately not the same thing. I can drive around this town and point to a few buildings that I worked on when I was doing commercial masonry work. There's just somethng about making something that's tangible and lasting that gives me a great deal of satisfaction.
One of these day's I'll try to post some pictures, but my camera doesn't have a flash and it's almost always dark inside an elevator "Hoistway". :^( I've always got some jargon for my Tammi-licious. ;^)
Posted by: Johnny - Oh at October 20, 2004 11:02 PMGlad you liked it Bou! :^)
I think that it's really cool that you all are "getting" the excitement through just a few words. I haven't been this jazzed about a job in years. I'm really hoping that this thing turns into the thing I want to be when I grow up.
How cool is that with your grandpa? It's amazing how those little things can affect your outlook. That's just a fine way to be able to remember your grandad. I like to have something like that to remind me of my parents parents, but they were all working in New York (state) and I've been in the South practically all my life. Ah well, I still think of them from time to time anyway. Thanks for the warm fuzzy!
Posted by: Johnny - Oh at October 20, 2004 11:16 PMSounds like things are going very well, and that's great news. Best of luck on your new gig.
Posted by: Jim - PRS at October 21, 2004 01:05 AMNo need to apologise - we're glad you're doing well!
One thing confuses me though... An elevator in a Church??? How close to God do they need to get? Does it go ALL the way up? I shall stop with the crap jokes now!
Posted by: Alex at October 22, 2004 04:12 AMI'm really glad things are going well for you and most importantly that you're enjoying what you're doing.
I know what you mean about taking pride in work that you created. For me it was the buildings I did masonry, demolition and construction as part of a restoration project under Habitat for Humanity.
Today elderly and disabled people live in those apartment buildings that I helped tear down and fix up. It's still a great feeling.
Posted by: Michele at October 22, 2004 09:03 PM