So...what's been going on Johnny? Well I'm glad you asked. So here's the 411...
A few day's ago, I resumed an old bad habit ie: I chew my cuticles. I know it's a bad habit, but I just can't seem to stop. Well I inadvertantly decided to gnaw on my injured finger, and realized that I couldn't feel it. At all. Hell, I knew that I'd cut it pretty frickin' deep, and I was aware that I'd "knicked a nerve" but I didn't think it was something as bad as losing all the feeling in the tip of my index finger. Ah Crap, I guess I'll just have to live with it. However...today it seems that some of the sensation has actually returned. Whoopee! I may actually heal yet.
After this morning's Safety Meeting, ford stopped me and said that his son had a couple of Nissan Pickup's that he was going to haul off this evening, and I should stop by after work. There was no way that I was going to let an opportunity to get ahold of another truck like I'd had slip by, so I dropped in on him. I found out that his boy had already promised them to someone else, but we decided to call on him anyway and check out his transmission shop that's in it's final construction phase. We eased on over there, and took a gander at things. Sjhops comin' on nice, but what floored me was the trucks. One was a two wheel drive, and the other was a four-by-four. They both were the same ignorant Burnt Orange color that my last one was. It was surreal. I just lost my other truck, and then I find two more. Freaky.
Work's been allright lately, But there's a few snags. We're kinda doing an anti-modernization on this 10-year-old Dover. You see, we are taking the existing system and merely adding a few components to it, along with a rudimentary software upgrade. We also added an additional landing, and that's where all the problems stem from. The old software was only equipped to handle a total of seven floors, but now there's eight. We have a piece of software installed on an ancient laptop (a 486 that's overclocked up to 50 screaming megahertz, Windows 3.1 straight up (not 3.11 or 3.14...3.1), obviously not the latest and/or greatest) but it is only capable of recognizing a 7 floor setup. The new software for the elevator mainboard was installed by taking out four ROM chips, and installing new ones, so if you were to say that this is a rudimentary control system for this elevator, you'd have a positive penchant for understatement. The old laptop can interface with the new chips, but is completely incapable of recognizing the eighth landing. I bring it home and attempt to do a software upgrade on it. I use all my year's experience as a software technician to bring about the transition from v1.8 to v4.2 of the interface software, but to no avail...and now the original software is boned. We've got some newer laptops that have a different tool on them, but none of them will establish communication with the old board. Sure, we've got all the new bells and whistles installed, and everything is wired up and functional, but we can't turn it loose because we're unable to configure the new program properly. The elevator doesn't know where it is in the hoistway, so none of the hall calls or car calls will respond. Hopefully a way to talk to this elevator is provided soon, or this job will be physically complete, but unable to function at all. I'm sure we'll come up with something.
So tonight, Jennifer (My roommate's SO) started drinking a little early, and decided to get "lippy" with me. It's all in fun though, and it's a way that we decompress from just everything that people deal with on a daily basis. Since I went and looked at trucks, I almost wound up late for dinner, so she started giving me crap about that. We kept on bantering back and forth through the evening until things finally escalated to the physical. (backstory: just like all women, she's been obsessing about her weight. She put on a few pounds during the holiday season, and has been complaining about it. Although she was a few pounds lighter five months ago, at the time she was miserable and possibly shopping for another man. now she's back up to her "fighting weight", and that tells me things are much better for her emotionally.) She orderred me from her sight as I'd stepped into the kitchen to grab another beer, and me being an obstinate sort, I decide to stand my ground and talk some trash. She didn't do anything until I walked back into my living room. I decided that "I'd like a bourbon just now" and attempted to go back into the kitchen for some ice. She decided that it was time for a good old-fashioned shoving match in the doorway, and I'm alway's game. She's barefoot, and I'm in socks, so I started to slide under the pressure. Taht's when I couldn't stop myself from quipping "No fair! You threw your weight into it!" I hope her hand is okay in the morning, as she cuffed me mercilessly about the head and shoulders for a good ten minutes. Sure, I deserved it, and it was worth it to "get off a good one" on a friend.
I've been remiss here lately in spending time with my parents, but I'm proud to say taht I got a chance to stop by and spend a half-hour with my Momma and get caught up on things in their life. It was good to spend some time with her, and I need to get back around there when Dad's not at work so I can see him. I realized shortly after I'd left, that I forgot to tell her something, so if you're reading (Dad or Mom)..."I Love You."
I guess that brings us up to speed, and I've left out quite a bit for the sake of (cough) brevity. Alas, having a "life" does affect my blogging, but I'll not trade any of it for the world.
Susie of Practical Penumbra.
Mainly due to the fact that I can't wait to see what kind of quote she puts up for Harvey.
It's kinda strange...I mean, I feel like I've just had to put a bullet in my best horse 'cuz it pulled up lame, and then had to load up the carcass to send over to the glue factory. Now all that's left are the memories of the many miles and adventures that I shared with that trusty steed.
You see, my previous ride had a bad transmission, and after the third time it went out, I washed my hands of it. I think I had $900 bucks in the bank at the time, and I was disposessed! My good friend April assisted me in my plight. Saved me, as it were. She carried me around to a couple of dealerships until I found what seemed to be the perfect thing. A 1985 Nissan 720 pickup. Burnt Orange in color it was, but the body was straight, and it ran pretty good. April made up the difference for the $1,100 price tag, and I drove that old truck out of there.
Once I got it off the lot, I realized that the speedometer wasn't functioning, therefore the odometer wasn't counting the miles. It read 182,000 and change when I bought it, and I never did fix it. I drove that pickup to work... forty miles a day for at least a year (maybe two), then I moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I spent nine months out there, and made four trips back home (Knoxville, TN) in that truck during my stay. My contract ran out, and I moved home. Before too long I got on with another technical firm, but it was two counties away. 100 miles a day for two years. Then I was promoted, and moved to Nashville. My girlfiend (at the time) lived over here, so I would drive home every other weekend (around 300 miles one way) to see her. I did this for roughly six months before the head gasket finally gave up.
Although I bought the minivan, I still held on to the pickup. It got dragged home behind my Uncle's pickup, and has been sitting in the side yard since then. I got the new head gasket, and attempted to fix it, but I ran out of tools, and ran out of time. Not to mention the fact that I was working on it out in the yard, which is not the best circunstance to rebuild the top-end of a motor. I've had people ask if it was for sale before, but none of them ever bit.
Towards the beginning of last week, I found a note laying on my computer desk that said " if you're interested in selling your truck call ...-.... . I was too tired to call the person back, so I disregarded it. On Wednesday, there was a knock at my door, and I found a DHL driver outside, so I expected him to give me a package. Instead, he told me he was the one who left the note, and so I showed him my truck. Anyway's, I sold him the pick-up, and it's one of the hardest things I've had to do.
If I'd had a proper shop, and a little more time, I'd have made something of that truck, but I didn't, and it was rotting. I sold it for $200. Good return on my investment, but damn! I hated to see it go.
But Nooooo! Some dang chick tag's me with the "Fours" meme. It's a good thing she's hot, or else I'd be really pissed right now. What follows is my (meager) attempt at flexing the arms (and sucking in the gut) in order to impress her:
Four Jobs That I've Had:
1. Elevator Mechanic...as you all know, this is my current profession, and so far my favorite.
2. Global Operations Analyst...This was for a large "Customer Contact Outsourcing" firm, and it involved sitting in front of big computer displays and crunching numbers...in a shirt and tie. The money was good, but I refused to "ass-kiss" my way into a position higher up the food chain. It sucked, and I'm glad I'm not there anymore.
3. Truck Driver/Warehouse Manager...The first parlayed into the second. This was at a Factory Service branch for a large consumer electronics company. It was pretty dang fun, but there wasn't any future in it, so I found another gig.
4. Fast Food Restaurant Assistant Manager...I was just a kid at the time, but I learned a lot about the corporate world and how to move in it. Perfect place for a high-schooler to cut his teeth.
Bonus-Round "The rest of the professions I've had": Sewing belt loops onto women's Levi's at a Jeans factory, Sewing Machine Mechanic, Laborer for a commercial masonry comnpany, Sunroom builder, Parts Driver/Counterman for a Honda (Automobile) Dealership, Breakdown of Locomotive/Train Car bearings for remanufacture, and Ubnderwater fire Control Technician for the US Navy. I think you can say that I've "Been Around".
Four Movies I can watch over and over again:
1. Casablanca...Bogey, Ingrid and a wonderfullky quoteable script. Can't go wrong (If you own a Ted Turner "Colerized" version, then you should be burned at the stake...until dead).
2. Mad Max...Man "Wig's Out" and goes on a killing spree to avenge his wife and son...I'm starting to tear up.
3. Blazing Saddles...I don't think I need to say anymore on that subject.
4. The Big Lebowski...somethign about the word "fuck" being used well over 200 times in the course of the film just "speaks" to me.
Four T.V. Shows I love to watch:
1. DeadWood...Great Western theme, and the proliferation of the word "cocksucker". What's not to like?
2. Penn and Teller's BullShit!...It's on Showtime. If you get a chance to, Watch it!
3. I don't watch a lot of T.V., so that's all I've got.
Four Website's I read Daily:
1. Daily?!?!? As in...365? I don't think so. Every now and again, I (actually) have a life, so there's noone that I read every day.
Four Places I've Been on Vacation:
1. Tampa, Florida...My Dad's Parent's lived there, and let me tell you that 70+ degree's at Christmastime was bliss.
2. Key West, Florida...My big brother dove into the ocean and landed on a jellyfish. You can't buy entertainment like that at any price.
3. Binghamton, New york...Pretty-much all of my family lived in that area during my formative years. I went there many times, and had to spend time with my extended fambly. Sometimes it was allright, but...
4. Everytime I've planned a vacation sin my adult life...the other fucking shoe drops. "I'm gonna drive to New Orleans" is met with the transmission falling out of the vehicle I'm to take, and the money I'd saved is used to repair the vehicle. I'm not very lucky with "my" vacations.
Four Favorite Foods:
1. Hot Wings aka. Buffalo Wings...and if you try to give me Ranch dressing with them, I'll shoot you in the face with a bazooka.
2. Southern Style Steak...whether it's deep fried with breading, or just covered with gravy, there's nothing better than "dead cow parts" prepared in a Southern way.
3. Beans and Cornbread...Emn hmnn. Just flat out, good eatin'.
4. My Grandma's Swedish Meatballs...I ain't had'em since long before she passed, but they made an impression.
Four places I’d rather be:
1. On a Yacht...One big enough to be impressive, but small enough for me to handle alone. Something with the ability to carry enough food/fuel to go for a month solid, and yet allow me to get to those secluded places that everyone wants to find.
2. I can't think of another right now.
Four People I tag (if they haven't been already):
Don't know nobody who ain't already done it.
After a couple of day's working with Kev, he wound up describing himself as "Independant Kev" during one of our conversations. I kinda liked the "ring" of the statement, so it stuck in my head. I mentioned before that I had a helper on Tuesday, but it seems that he's not happy with working with me. He managed to talk the "Construction Coordinator" into sending him somewhere else. That's keen. I had him on the "Jail Job", and of the three things I let him do.. he fucked up two. (The third thing was "sticking" magnets to the selector tape, and I had to beat the bracket that holds it with a hammer, thereby misaligning all the magnets anyway, so I'll never know if he did THAT job correctly.) That's not to say that I "complained" when I learned that I'd be going it alone.
The worst part of the deal is the fact that I don't have anyone to "Send" to get the things that I forgot I needed. "Boy! I need you to run to the van and get me a "Left-handed, Metric, Crescent Wrench... and make it snappy!" As I'm working along, I realize that I need a tool that's two floor's down, and seventy feet away. It's nice to have a lackey to go and get that stuff for you, but when he ain't there, you've only the single course. Gogedddityourdamnself. Hell... I did less work when I was a "helper".
I'd like to have him around, if I could trust the work that he does... but if he can't be counted upon to put "Tab A- into - Slot B", then I'd rather be by myself. Unfortunatley, my legs and back feel much differently. Good Lowered, I'm tired. Damnit! I need another tool! Trudge out to van and retrieve it. Trudge back. I need to move the car! Clinb up stairs, access car, climb up ladder top car-top, use inspection station to move car where I need it, reverse prosess to get back where I can do my actual work.
Despite the fatigue... Despite the aches and pains... Sometimes I think that this is a blessing, It makes me think of what I need before I get to it. It makes me consider every contingency before it happens. It makes me be a better "Mechanic-In-Charge". If it's to better me in so many way's.. I'd rather be "Independant".
I went over to help out Kev with the latest elevator "remodernization" on Friday, and got roped into staying on with him this week. It's "keen" though. I like Kev quite a bit, and we work well together. Unfortunately, he began feeling under the weather yesterday, and decided that he would sit today out, in hopes that he'll feel better soon. I suddenly went from "Helper" to "Mechanic-In-Charge" in the blink of an eye. No biggie though, I just kept powering on until the shop sent me out a helper. I got to figure out all the intricacie's of a Dover Door-Clutch with Car Gate Retainer, and had big fun doing it. My helper wasn't as irritating as he was on the Jail Job, so that was a plus as well (I guess if I take him in small doses, he's liveable to work with).
Toward the end of the day today, I realized that I would need to get some supplies from the shop before I head back over there in the morning, so I stopped by on my way home. I got some "electric eye's" (the infrared widgit that makes the door open back up when you stick your hand in front of it) orderred, and picked up some wiring conduit and fittings that I'll need, but the bifg thing was electrical schematics so I can take the old "Car Operating Panel" out and put the new one in. The "Papers (formerly known as) Prints" (aka: Wiring Prints) are kinda vital to ensuring that the new push buttons, both the door operator's, and the selector will actually you know, function, after the replacement. I have to be able to rewire them and such.
I go to rich (Who sells the Modernization's) and ask after the prints, and he directs me to my Sister who has them. She guives over the papers, and we discover that they are stapled together in three of the four corners. I ciommence on them with the staple-puller so I can make copies for out in the field. The first staple comes halfway out, and the second is stucjk in such a fashion that I can't even get the staple-puller under it. It's a Nightmare! I pull out my pocket-knife, and proceed to prize ion the ends of the staples in order to bend them into position for extraction. I get distracted by Rich's storytelling and WHAM! The blade slipped, and suddenly I'm bleeding. Suck finger-Suck finger (That'll make an intersting Google Search) and check the damage. Abbatoir! Suck finger-Suck finger and check the damage. Slaughterhouse! Head to the restroom for a quick "Run some water over it" and discover that I've cut myself pretty bad. I get some paper-towels,a nd quickly make myself a compress for it, and heaed back out into the office area. Whereas... I discover that I've left a blood-trail all the way from my sister's desk to the bathroom. I guess it's a good thing that there weren't any wolves in the office, or else I'd've been their supper this evening.
With a little assistance from Jennifer (The new office chick) I had a bandage on my boo-boo to make the Mummy proud. There ain't no stitches as there were the last time I hurt my finger, but there probably SHOULD be. When I decided to rejoin the blogosphere this evening, I realized that it's difficult to type with a huge bandage attached to your right index finger, so I decided on taking Eric's route to fixing these little issue's, and applied some super-glue to seal the wound (If you haven't read his post on that episode, well just start at the beginning of his archive's, and read forward. not only will you find it, you'll find so much more that's good, you'll probably have a aneurism and die... In a good way). I'm typing with the FIQ (Finger In Question) right now, and I must admit that it's an astonishing fix. Sure it tingles and aches, but it's most-tolerable at this juncture (I have a high pain threshold, so your mileage may vary) and working fine.
Here's hoping I don't cut my finger...again.
Saw it at Machelle's, and thought it would be interesting so...
| Your EQ is |
Pheh. Dr Phil's an idiot.
I got a call this morning from my Brother-In-Law, who is looking for some help. You see, his son is graduating from high school this year, and they are shopping for colleges for him to attend. BIL has made some DVD's of his boy's feats on the football field, and is sending them around to the schools in hopes of landing him a scholarship. His problem is the fact that the different film clips are not very smooth in the transition from clip tio clip, and he'd like to add some music to amp things up as well. He called me to get some advice on some software to assist him in this endeavor. Unfortunately I've not had to do any video editing with my PC, so I don't know what to tell him.
Anybody got any recommendations? Drop me an email, or leave a comment if you can help.
It seems that here lately, I've gotten into a streak of sheer "absent-mindedness" of near epic proportions. Little things that are not part of my daily routine are just getting left by the wayside. It's all stuff that's in my personal life, so that's good (can't be getting all forgetful when on the job, now can I?), but it's freakin' irritating. I'm still driving on tags that expired last month, I've been to the store three times and didn't get any lightbulbs, I didn't buy any beer on the way home tonight so I'm almost out, I've only got two packs of cigarettes left, and letting the blog slide. Nothing life-threatening or anything, but just a pain in my butt.
Here's the worst one though. I was sitting on the couch just a few minutes ago (watching DVR'd episodes of Cold Case Files) and it hit me that I'd forgotten something. Hmmnn...what could it be...? I started mentally running down the things that I'd told myself I needed to do in the near future (listed above) and then it hit me like a bolt out of the blue...Shit, I was supposed to make a meeting of the Eagle Glen Social Club this evening. Boy do I feel like an idiot.
Here's me... Only an hour away from one of the friendliest, most entertaining, sharpest, and verbose people who've ever extended me thier hospitality, and my excuse for not heading down there...I forgot. Lame to the N'th degree, but there it is. For what it's worth Eric, I apologize. If it makes you feel any better, I just checked and saw that I've gotten my first comment spam in a long while. Nothing like a little Karmic Retribution to help one back on the path. Ah well. Here's looking forward to next week.
That I haven't been very verbose over the last few day's. It's just that work has been a tax on me, and when I arrive back at the "closet", I'm merely too pooped to post. All I need is a frickin' way to relax, but it seems that all I get are more responsibilities.
My Job (This Week) has been to change out a car door that was wrong from the factory for a new one. Then I've had to take out a residential elevaor that was caught on fure by a man who didn't pay attention. he was welding a hole closed int he jack, when the sparks that resulted from said welding, caught the balnket that was utilized for collecting the leakage, leapt aflame. The results are not pleasant.
It'l be muy privelage to complete the demolition of this elrvator on the morrow, then the clean up crew will swoop in to get the burned smell out of the house. At any rate.. it's been uinteresting, lately.
I'll leave it with an e-mail that my sister (She is the manager for the Service
Department in the company that I work with. She dispatches the "Service" guy's out to whatever installation that has a problem, and is really..I mean Realy, good at her job.) who said it all when she wrote:
Hey John, I just wanted to thank you for your blog tonight. Before going to C's ballgame (we won) I tried looking at the local stations to find out anything I could about what happened. State Elevator Inspector D D called me this morning and told me about the death and that there was an injured worker. He didn't have a name for the injured party but did tell me the relation between Sammy & R from N (The competing Company. Ed.) . He didn't tell me the elevator company the men were working for. I became a little concerned about an exemployee that now works for R. (I did find out tonight from his father in law that he was okay but still) I found the news very disturbing this morning and thought about it all day. It has only been a matter of weeks since the Chief of Elevator Inspectors passed away. I talked to him many times and was depressed by his death. During the holidays I thought of his family and coworkers very often. He seemed to be a very decent person and was always very helpful to me. I have no idea where things will go with the new one. I hear he is a lot more strict on codes and I don't mean the biggie safety ones I mean the silly ones. I guess we shall see. Thanks again for the blog, it helped me a lot. 13 men in a mine and it's all you hear for a week but something happening in the elevator industry and you hear very little. I guess it really is a good thing for our profession but you know what I mean. Hope you have a great night and weekend. Love ya,
Thanks Sis'. I catch your meaning.
Looks like it was a gentleman by the name of Sammy Williams who lost his life yesterday. Here's some more detail's (From the Nashville Tennessean):
Davidson County briefs: Elevator accident kills one, hurts oneAn accident in an elevator shaft of a Nashville office building yesterday killed one maintenance worker and injured another.
Authorities said Sammy Williams, 53, of Fairview was killed when the elevator he was working under fell on him about 10 a.m.
Another worker, Rodney Gentry, 36, of White House was injured.
The accident occurred at the three-story Bank of New York building at 420 Woodfolk Ave.
Emergency crews found the two workers trapped under the elevator, which was resting three or four feet above the floor of the shaft, Nashville Fire Department spokesman Charles Shannon said.
According to Metro police, the elevator car was secured by a chain at the third floor while the two men worked below. Police said Williams was entering the shaft on a ladder when the chain broke. Police believe the elevator hit him in the head as it fell. Gentry was in the shaft when the chain broke.
He was in stable condition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center yesterday afternoon, a hospital spokesman said. Gentry, who suffered leg and arm injuries, was conscious and talking when emergency workers found him, Shannon said.
The elevator was one of two in the lobby that share a common shaft. Shannon said emergency workers disconnected power to the other elevator, braced it and climbed into the shaft underneath it to tend to the two men.
The maintenance men worked with Nashville Machine Elevator Co., a firm that maintains the elevators.
— CLAY CAREY
At least this gives me a little more info on the situation. I found out it was Sammy this morning, as the boss had already heard about it. Sammy's brother owns a company that compete's with ours in the Knoxville, TN area. I feel for him, and the rest of his family.
I'm still not sure why they had to hang the car up that high, but they obviously used a chain that was not rated to carry the load, or was too old. Another mistake that was made is they didn't have redundant rigging. There should have been something else that was holding the car up there...Rail chocks, towing straps, something. Chains are notorious for the fact that they give you no warning that they are about to snap. One second, solid as a rock, the next, crash! Sammy'd been in this business for twenty year's or so, and he knew that. It appears that he got complacent, and this is a fine example of how complacency can get you killed.
Despite all that, he was a brother tradesman. We are a small (unsung) community, we elevator men. As far as I'm concerned, every one of them deserves respect. "Fast ride" brother, and may it stop at the top.
I had just pulled into the parking lot at the shop this afternoon, when my phone rang. It was Harvey (Da Blog Fadda) of all people. It seems that his lovely wife had run across a news story about an accident that happened in Nashville, and brow-beat him into calling me and checking to see if I was allright. For posterity, here's the whole news story:
Elevator Crushes Two in Tenn. Accident Thursday, January 05, 2006NASHVILLE, Tenn. — One elevator technician was killed and another injured when an elevator fell on top of them while they worked at a Nashville office building.
The workers were in the elevator shaft below the first floor shortly before 10 a.m. when a car fell and trapped them, Nashville Fire Department spokesman Charles Shannon said.
Fire officials shut off power and secured a second elevator, which was stopped between the third and second floors. The elevators were side by side in the same shaft in the building, which houses a processing center for Bank of New York.
The second worker is listed in stable condition at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, hospital spokesman Jerry Jones said.
The surviving worker was conscious when fire officials removed him and appeared to have leg injuries, Shannon said. The workers' names have not been released.
Shannon said that state elevator inspectors were on the scene investigating the cause of the accident.
Firefighters said they didn't know for which company the men worked.
I just love the plethora of information that we're given here. I'd like to know things like, if this is a traction or hydraulic, whether they were doing maintenance or a modernization, and mostly, why the hell weren't the safeties in place? I hate the fact that one guy was killed and the other injured, but I'll not be surprised if it is found that they did something stupid to get themselves into that situation. I'll se if the Boss can talk to the State inspector's, and find out more about what happened.
All in all, I'm happy to still be with you.