There's been a couple of storms here lately some weather related some not.
The last weather related storm was an ice storm and it was frightening to be in a snowplow sliding sideways down a 6.5% grade hill and wondering if I would make it without harming anyone. This went on all night long. It was so bad I thought I might quit.
Ice is the great equalizer.
People believe that large vehicles have better traction, the truth is that no vehicle has better traction or any traction on ice.
The other "storm" is one when I was on-call. I was mis-informed by a co-worker that there was a north on-call and a south on-call. I would be the south "guy." I was called at 2:30am and informed to move a light post off I-25 and Baptist Road, which is north. Unfortunately, I dared to question the "authority" about why the north guy was not taking care of it. ooops. I was taken to task this morning at work, my bad. The TMIII had to show me who was "boss." I got the message, loud and clear.
Send me all the news and I hope your days are better than mine have been lately.
Love, L
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Friday, November 2, 2018
Dear Friend...
It's been awhile since I posted about work. Work has had it's ups and downs.
I told my co-worker A about my cartoon with him and E53. I have him in one truck and E in the other truck and A asking E if the truck he's driving makes his butt look fat. A is really skinny so this is never going to happen. The idea for this cartoon came when the guys were talking about their better half stating that when they ask you if an outfit makes them look fat it's a no win situation and A said, "yeah, what if they're fat in the first place, which would mean that every outfit makes them look fat." I had an incredible light bulb moment just after A said this and E53 is his BFF at work and came up with the cartoon. I am refining now. A looks too much like a praying mantis and E looks like Mr. Potato Head. Although, to be fair E does have a long face. I hope to share one day when it's refined to my liking.
A recently transferred to another Patrol. No, he wasn't upset about the cartoon and I occasionally tell him that the truck he's driving makes his butt look fat. He laughs.
My snowplow is broken. I blew the turbo in it (it was old and nothing to do with me) and it would be a quick fix but management refuses to fix because it would cost too much, which bothers me a lot as they have no trouble paying administrative assistants more than me by almost a thousand dollars and buying new office equipment, yet, emergency snow equipment can sit in the yard and rot. My apologies for the run-on sentence this really bothers me.
My TMIII and TMII, hounded me so much last week about how wrong I am for any idea that I have even though on one idea was the same as they had only stated in different wording. I was so fed up I took Friday off last week.
Today my TMII and I went out to fix a sign that's been down for months and I mistakenly understood "fix" to really mean fix. Instead it meant look at it, stare at it for awhile (smoke break), stare at it some more. Oh, my teeth barely made it without being broken I was gritting them so hard. I just want to work. sigh Anyway, needless to say I made my TMII so mad at me about this standing around that he barely spoke to me and acted like such a baby when we got back to the shop he wouldn't speak to me the whole way back and I had to approach him regarding work since he changed his mind about what we would do that day after I pissed him off and he wouldn't tell me about his new work plans.
Things eventually worked out, the sign did get fixed, and my realization is that I need to keep my ideas and opinions to myself and the desire to get some work done. OMG, I still have a hard time believing we are actually in the 21st century with this type of neanderthal attitude. No idea is a good idea unless it's a male idea. ugh.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
I told my co-worker A about my cartoon with him and E53. I have him in one truck and E in the other truck and A asking E if the truck he's driving makes his butt look fat. A is really skinny so this is never going to happen. The idea for this cartoon came when the guys were talking about their better half stating that when they ask you if an outfit makes them look fat it's a no win situation and A said, "yeah, what if they're fat in the first place, which would mean that every outfit makes them look fat." I had an incredible light bulb moment just after A said this and E53 is his BFF at work and came up with the cartoon. I am refining now. A looks too much like a praying mantis and E looks like Mr. Potato Head. Although, to be fair E does have a long face. I hope to share one day when it's refined to my liking.
A recently transferred to another Patrol. No, he wasn't upset about the cartoon and I occasionally tell him that the truck he's driving makes his butt look fat. He laughs.
My snowplow is broken. I blew the turbo in it (it was old and nothing to do with me) and it would be a quick fix but management refuses to fix because it would cost too much, which bothers me a lot as they have no trouble paying administrative assistants more than me by almost a thousand dollars and buying new office equipment, yet, emergency snow equipment can sit in the yard and rot. My apologies for the run-on sentence this really bothers me.
My TMIII and TMII, hounded me so much last week about how wrong I am for any idea that I have even though on one idea was the same as they had only stated in different wording. I was so fed up I took Friday off last week.
Today my TMII and I went out to fix a sign that's been down for months and I mistakenly understood "fix" to really mean fix. Instead it meant look at it, stare at it for awhile (smoke break), stare at it some more. Oh, my teeth barely made it without being broken I was gritting them so hard. I just want to work. sigh Anyway, needless to say I made my TMII so mad at me about this standing around that he barely spoke to me and acted like such a baby when we got back to the shop he wouldn't speak to me the whole way back and I had to approach him regarding work since he changed his mind about what we would do that day after I pissed him off and he wouldn't tell me about his new work plans.
Things eventually worked out, the sign did get fixed, and my realization is that I need to keep my ideas and opinions to myself and the desire to get some work done. OMG, I still have a hard time believing we are actually in the 21st century with this type of neanderthal attitude. No idea is a good idea unless it's a male idea. ugh.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
Friday, October 12, 2018
Random Thoughts...Nairobi, Kenya
The bad thing about Nairobi, Kenya is arriving...the good thing about Nairobi, Kenya is being able to leave on the day to the airport without being kidnapped and held for ransom... true story.
some items from Nairobi
The stone chess set is really cool, the ebony wood knife - way cool, and the pottery - very cool, and the bookmarks - so cool, it's all really cool.
...remember that African time is different than regular time. It's waaaaa-aaay slower.
Recommendations:
first tip - remember to barter for everything, everywhere even at the mall. ask fixed price? If it's fixed price (which is very rare) don't barter, but even then you may be able to barter. Be careful when bartering that the person "helping" you doesn't do something sneaky and steal from his own employer to get you a "good deal" because you will be the one going to jail for stealing.
second tip - if you go to the slums get out before dark (leave plenty of time for this) otherwise you will be kidnapped, held for ransom, and when the ransom is paid, your eyes will be poked out so that you cannot recognize whoever held you against your will.
third tip - when leaving be aware that you may be taken (kidnapped) to a "check point," held for ransom, until you pay your ransom and then taken to the airport (save some foreign money ($200) for this third tip). part of this tip is that there is no seat belt law in all of Kenya and the convincing story is that you will be arrested for not wearing your seat belt so you must pay the ransom or you will miss your flight because you will supposedly be taken to jail for not wearing your seat belt.
fourth tip - don't go to Kenya.
Regards, L
...oh, and by the way, it was an Uber driver that kidnapped two of them until they paid the ransom.
some items from Nairobi
The stone chess set is really cool, the ebony wood knife - way cool, and the pottery - very cool, and the bookmarks - so cool, it's all really cool.
...remember that African time is different than regular time. It's waaaaa-aaay slower.
Recommendations:
first tip - remember to barter for everything, everywhere even at the mall. ask fixed price? If it's fixed price (which is very rare) don't barter, but even then you may be able to barter. Be careful when bartering that the person "helping" you doesn't do something sneaky and steal from his own employer to get you a "good deal" because you will be the one going to jail for stealing.
second tip - if you go to the slums get out before dark (leave plenty of time for this) otherwise you will be kidnapped, held for ransom, and when the ransom is paid, your eyes will be poked out so that you cannot recognize whoever held you against your will.
third tip - when leaving be aware that you may be taken (kidnapped) to a "check point," held for ransom, until you pay your ransom and then taken to the airport (save some foreign money ($200) for this third tip). part of this tip is that there is no seat belt law in all of Kenya and the convincing story is that you will be arrested for not wearing your seat belt so you must pay the ransom or you will miss your flight because you will supposedly be taken to jail for not wearing your seat belt.
fourth tip - don't go to Kenya.
Regards, L
...oh, and by the way, it was an Uber driver that kidnapped two of them until they paid the ransom.
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
Random thoughts...
Somebody came to town yesterday, that was important enough to have a police escort and for whom they shut down traffic. How do I know? I was in a vehicle that was just before the shut down and the two grey Chevy Suburbans and police escort passed me on their way to The Broadmoor and there was nothing on the news about this person and their entourage. I'll bet your tax dollars at work again. I'd also bet we get to pay for this very expensive stay. No Motel 6 for this guy, ugh. Which is where he should be, I'm betting.
the Electric Car LIE...along with the Television Digital LIE...and your tax dollars are paying for commercials to propagate this HUGE LIE
This is a rant...don't stay if easily offended...
It really ticks me off to no end when my hard earned tax dollars pay for lies.
Having and owning an electric car may be really neat, the truth about ALL electric cars is that the lithium batteries are in actuality MORE HARMFUL to the environment than fossil fuel vehicles.
I know that you just quit reading because you don't want to know the truth that the acid in the batteries are 1000 more times harmful for the environment (and that's being generous) than fossil fuels and I haven't even mentioned the contaminated plastic used to house the acid.
The batteries and acid must go somewhere. They do have an end life and can only be recharged for so many times. Where do they go? Do they really recycle them? Somewhat, not enough to prove the false value. To the dump is where they go and leak into the environment and do cause much more harm.
And guess what? Have you heard the radio promotions yet? How great it would be to own an electric car and how clean it is? The commercials do not promote any single brand. So guess what? That means as in the digital vs analog television lie --- that digital is better --- NOT.... those commercials are paid by you and me. Yep your tax dollars. Yep, you pay.
Just as you paid for cell phones for supposedly poor people so that they could be reached just in case they got a job, ugh. Where in the budget where those cell phones hidden...in the agriculture budget. Makes me sick. Especially, since I know as I watched it happen since I drove a city bus, your government set up free cell phone stations at the city bus hub and anyone could walk up and get a free phone. The idea was that the person who got a free phone would pay to recharge it and keep the one phone. Is that truly what happened??? NOPE, NO WAY and excuse my language HELL NO!!!!
What truly happened is that you and I, paid for billions of dollars worth of cell phones (thank you Obama) in which people would obtain a free smart phone and then they would go get another one when that time and data was gone, ditching the previous phone. The "free" phone station people did not check names or income. I am incredulous and speechless that my tax dollars were used for such waste. Please write "sucker" on my forehead. For trusting congress to be better than this failure.
Or how about the diesel fuel failure wherein the EPA has way too much power and insists on placing an additive in the fuel that is harmful on the equipment and more harmful to the environment since the additive means the equipment gets worse fuel mileage and the equipment has less life usage. ugh.
So, in conclusion, don't fall for the LIE that electric cars are "better" for the environment. Or I'll feel obligated to write "sucker" on your forehead.
...Or the digital TV or the epic failure of "free" smart phones for everyone. Or the big EPA lie for diesel fuels. I am offended by all the above and that YOU and I had to pay for it and keep paying for it. Please stop the madness!!
Rant over, Regards.
L
It really ticks me off to no end when my hard earned tax dollars pay for lies.
Having and owning an electric car may be really neat, the truth about ALL electric cars is that the lithium batteries are in actuality MORE HARMFUL to the environment than fossil fuel vehicles.
I know that you just quit reading because you don't want to know the truth that the acid in the batteries are 1000 more times harmful for the environment (and that's being generous) than fossil fuels and I haven't even mentioned the contaminated plastic used to house the acid.
The batteries and acid must go somewhere. They do have an end life and can only be recharged for so many times. Where do they go? Do they really recycle them? Somewhat, not enough to prove the false value. To the dump is where they go and leak into the environment and do cause much more harm.
And guess what? Have you heard the radio promotions yet? How great it would be to own an electric car and how clean it is? The commercials do not promote any single brand. So guess what? That means as in the digital vs analog television lie --- that digital is better --- NOT.... those commercials are paid by you and me. Yep your tax dollars. Yep, you pay.
Just as you paid for cell phones for supposedly poor people so that they could be reached just in case they got a job, ugh. Where in the budget where those cell phones hidden...in the agriculture budget. Makes me sick. Especially, since I know as I watched it happen since I drove a city bus, your government set up free cell phone stations at the city bus hub and anyone could walk up and get a free phone. The idea was that the person who got a free phone would pay to recharge it and keep the one phone. Is that truly what happened??? NOPE, NO WAY and excuse my language HELL NO!!!!
What truly happened is that you and I, paid for billions of dollars worth of cell phones (thank you Obama) in which people would obtain a free smart phone and then they would go get another one when that time and data was gone, ditching the previous phone. The "free" phone station people did not check names or income. I am incredulous and speechless that my tax dollars were used for such waste. Please write "sucker" on my forehead. For trusting congress to be better than this failure.
Or how about the diesel fuel failure wherein the EPA has way too much power and insists on placing an additive in the fuel that is harmful on the equipment and more harmful to the environment since the additive means the equipment gets worse fuel mileage and the equipment has less life usage. ugh.
So, in conclusion, don't fall for the LIE that electric cars are "better" for the environment. Or I'll feel obligated to write "sucker" on your forehead.
...Or the digital TV or the epic failure of "free" smart phones for everyone. Or the big EPA lie for diesel fuels. I am offended by all the above and that YOU and I had to pay for it and keep paying for it. Please stop the madness!!
Rant over, Regards.
L
Sunday, September 16, 2018
Dear Friend...
This past week at work was very hot. It was nice and quiet as most everyone is gone to meetings in Pueblo or to the Academy in Golden and we have a skeleton crew and makes work very pleasant.
The internet was down so no work orders were completed and my TMII set out a lot of work for me to get done by myself. I picked 11 bags of trash(these are big bags) which helps to prepare for the TMII to mow and learned to change the oil in the one-ton Ford pickup. F37 showed me how to do this and D37 was there too. I told my daughter the story and she laughed and laughed. Suffice it to say I created a big mess of oil on the floor that I had to clean up.
I find myself nervous for the coming week. I'll probably have a panic attack tomorrow morning.
Send me all the news,
Love L
PS last month I got to help with paving in La Veta, Colorado. This photo is at the top of Cucharra Pass 9995 feet. It was great to help out in this area.
here's a photo.
The internet was down so no work orders were completed and my TMII set out a lot of work for me to get done by myself. I picked 11 bags of trash(these are big bags) which helps to prepare for the TMII to mow and learned to change the oil in the one-ton Ford pickup. F37 showed me how to do this and D37 was there too. I told my daughter the story and she laughed and laughed. Suffice it to say I created a big mess of oil on the floor that I had to clean up.
I find myself nervous for the coming week. I'll probably have a panic attack tomorrow morning.
Send me all the news,
Love L
PS last month I got to help with paving in La Veta, Colorado. This photo is at the top of Cucharra Pass 9995 feet. It was great to help out in this area.
here's a photo.
Monday, September 10, 2018
Dear Friend...
Irony is at it's weirdest this week right now for me.
Work is work, in which I try to "fit in" and not bring too much attention to myself. Case in point or is that point in case, no matter, the boys at work are very into baseball and football but most especially football. They have a weekly NFL pickem'pot and I thought it would be a good idea to participate since psychologically it might bring me into the "fold" a bit more. Little did I realize that my picks for the week have set me up to WIN!!!
oi-vey
The irony is I made my choices based on losing. I mean how ironic is that???? Yep, my intention was to lose.
After 14 games, I've picked 9 correct winners! That's better than 50%!!! whew-whoooo!!
There are five of us left and I'm one of them. snort.
Tonight will tell the tale. Although I picked Detroit and NY Jets stomped them. Next game tonight is LA Rams vs Oakland Raiders and I chose Raiders. crossing fingers. I have mixed emotions over which way I want this to go because if I win, it could give me more attention than I need and if I lose, well that was the whole goal anyway. Win-win, I guess, except if I win - irony.
Send me all the news,
Love L
PS for work I cleaned and washed and washed and cleaned and washed Little Lulu (my patrol,s big tandem for plowing snow). She still needs cleaned better but I did what I could. It's a two man job and it was just me. We are getting ready for winter operations, Yay!
Work is work, in which I try to "fit in" and not bring too much attention to myself. Case in point or is that point in case, no matter, the boys at work are very into baseball and football but most especially football. They have a weekly NFL pickem'pot and I thought it would be a good idea to participate since psychologically it might bring me into the "fold" a bit more. Little did I realize that my picks for the week have set me up to WIN!!!
oi-vey
The irony is I made my choices based on losing. I mean how ironic is that???? Yep, my intention was to lose.
After 14 games, I've picked 9 correct winners! That's better than 50%!!! whew-whoooo!!
There are five of us left and I'm one of them. snort.
Tonight will tell the tale. Although I picked Detroit and NY Jets stomped them. Next game tonight is LA Rams vs Oakland Raiders and I chose Raiders. crossing fingers. I have mixed emotions over which way I want this to go because if I win, it could give me more attention than I need and if I lose, well that was the whole goal anyway. Win-win, I guess, except if I win - irony.
Send me all the news,
Love L
PS for work I cleaned and washed and washed and cleaned and washed Little Lulu (my patrol,s big tandem for plowing snow). She still needs cleaned better but I did what I could. It's a two man job and it was just me. We are getting ready for winter operations, Yay!
Monday, September 3, 2018
Urban Sketching...
This is HWY 24 looking East. I am sitting at the West gate closure that we use for floods and too much snow. I am here for flash flood watch.
I love this sketch. It gives a good perspective at how bad the dirt that's been and still being washed out from the Waldo Canyon fire (2012), which was a few years ago. Nature always wins. That loader and Tandem truck are huge and so is the washout. Waldo Canyon will never be reopened as too much earth is being washed away and the area is too unstable. It was a beautiful hike and I'm glad I took my daughter on it many years before this tragedy. Such a shame this fire was caused by arson and we will have problems from it for years to come. You can see the burned out trees in my sketch.
Happy sketching!
L
I love this sketch. It gives a good perspective at how bad the dirt that's been and still being washed out from the Waldo Canyon fire (2012), which was a few years ago. Nature always wins. That loader and Tandem truck are huge and so is the washout. Waldo Canyon will never be reopened as too much earth is being washed away and the area is too unstable. It was a beautiful hike and I'm glad I took my daughter on it many years before this tragedy. Such a shame this fire was caused by arson and we will have problems from it for years to come. You can see the burned out trees in my sketch.
Happy sketching!
L
Urban Sketching...
Here's an August 2018 sketch. The background on this is I'm tired of the guys complaining about every little thing and taking a really long time to get to the work site. And my co-worker A told me to go up on my own the previous week so I figured he would want the same thing even though I don't know where I am going, so I got ready and went to the job site. Anyway, I'm in the wrong spot, no surprise there. I am about a half-mile west of where I should be and have waited a good 40 minutes for the guys to arrive, which to be fair, isn't bad as they may have needed fuel, etc, etc.
Happy sketching,
L
Happy sketching,
L
Random Thoughts...
i finally figured it out...
i've been really angry lately about everything and anything.
angry at myself,
angry at my government,(substantiated)
angry at my coworkers...(possibly substantiated)
angry that i'm not bothered at my spelling mistakes in this post. (not)
What have I figured out, you ask?
I'm angry because 4 months ago DD purchased a smart TV for me for mother's day. How kind, how thoughtful how (fill in the blank here), yeah, I guess.
Only problem is I haven't had a television for six years and now I've been binge watching Netflix for four months. I have wasted four months of my life. It's made me constantly angry and depressed, which I didn't need. I already do that so well without anymore help. Plus those smart tv's don't have an on/off button why is that??? I'll tell you why, it's because they are never off. True story. It's a two-way mirror for anyone who cracks the code and government always has the code. True story again. I know you won't believe me and that's ok. Just don't say I didn't warn you.
I think what's really suspicious about it all is that Netflix set up all these touchy feely programs that "it's been watching for you" which is creepy to begin with and sucks you in and then I've noticed lately that it only gives me creepy violent sex shows now like Insatiable or Ozark. OMG, both shows are creepy and I'm thinking who watches this crap? Obviously, it's me that's who. And I also think well no wonder why there is all kinds of angry mentally ill crazy idiot crap in the real world because these shows tell us it's ok to be like this and do crazy crap like this and create a world with no conscience and no morals and definitely no compassion.
The government wants you to keep watching this crap so you don't question their actions. The epitome of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing until it's too late.
ok, back to me. I can't sleep either. I bet you can't either too.
Solution: I got up at midnight and disconnected it, yep that means unplugged it and removed it from my living room. Yeah, don't even get me started on the soap box of why you shouldn't have a tv in your bedroom.
I don't even know if I feel better because I've been so desensitized and overstimulated by all of it. I know I am better and I want it totally out. It has to go or I do.
You would be better too.
Good day and good luck,
L
i've been really angry lately about everything and anything.
angry at myself,
angry at my government,(substantiated)
angry at my coworkers...(possibly substantiated)
angry that i'm not bothered at my spelling mistakes in this post. (not)
What have I figured out, you ask?
I'm angry because 4 months ago DD purchased a smart TV for me for mother's day. How kind, how thoughtful how (fill in the blank here), yeah, I guess.
Only problem is I haven't had a television for six years and now I've been binge watching Netflix for four months. I have wasted four months of my life. It's made me constantly angry and depressed, which I didn't need. I already do that so well without anymore help. Plus those smart tv's don't have an on/off button why is that??? I'll tell you why, it's because they are never off. True story. It's a two-way mirror for anyone who cracks the code and government always has the code. True story again. I know you won't believe me and that's ok. Just don't say I didn't warn you.
I think what's really suspicious about it all is that Netflix set up all these touchy feely programs that "it's been watching for you" which is creepy to begin with and sucks you in and then I've noticed lately that it only gives me creepy violent sex shows now like Insatiable or Ozark. OMG, both shows are creepy and I'm thinking who watches this crap? Obviously, it's me that's who. And I also think well no wonder why there is all kinds of angry mentally ill crazy idiot crap in the real world because these shows tell us it's ok to be like this and do crazy crap like this and create a world with no conscience and no morals and definitely no compassion.
The government wants you to keep watching this crap so you don't question their actions. The epitome of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing until it's too late.
ok, back to me. I can't sleep either. I bet you can't either too.
Solution: I got up at midnight and disconnected it, yep that means unplugged it and removed it from my living room. Yeah, don't even get me started on the soap box of why you shouldn't have a tv in your bedroom.
I don't even know if I feel better because I've been so desensitized and overstimulated by all of it. I know I am better and I want it totally out. It has to go or I do.
You would be better too.
Good day and good luck,
L
Sunday, August 19, 2018
Urban Sketching...
On to better things. It's almost laughable that my rustic sketching is better than a movie...trust me it is... at least that last one anyway.
One sketch for the month of July:
"Frank, Frank" is the guy to the right. He's a big guy so suffice it to say that the skid steer is closer than Frank. Frank. FF is one of the good guys that works for the company.
We're doing a bridge joint repair this day, which is fancy talk for potholing on a bridge. It's still dangerous to do and probably more so since we had to close down a lane and driver's do not pay attention. Switch off the electronics while driving, please and thank you.
Happy Sketching,
L
One sketch for the month of July:
We're doing a bridge joint repair this day, which is fancy talk for potholing on a bridge. It's still dangerous to do and probably more so since we had to close down a lane and driver's do not pay attention. Switch off the electronics while driving, please and thank you.
Happy Sketching,
L
Random Thoughts...movie review...
The Hateful Eight...ugh
This is one of the worst movie's ever made. It's an angry man movie against women and then includes all humanity. I'm shocked that Kurt Russell and Samuel L. Jackson (along with other actors) agreed to do this movie. I thought they had some semblance of humanity, I guess I was wrong and there are a lot of angry actors out there too. Or maybe they're just broke.
I was sick to my stomach with disgust by the end of this movie. Don't bother watching it it will be 2 hours of your life that you will unfortunately never get back and would be better off spent watching a lava lamp.
The Weinstein Company (TWC) funded this film, yep THAT Weinstein, creepo Harvey and his bro, no surprise there, since this movie is all about hating women and then humanity. Directed by Quentin Tarantino and also puts his character in question here too.
Thank you Wikipedia for all the convoluted information regarding Miramax and TWC (now Lantern Entertainment), which is truly much more fascinating than this movie. Trust me, it is...
Regards,
L
PS I was going to insert a photo of the movie poster, but really, why bother???
Here's a lava lamp instead:
Image from SCI - YouTube, thank you.
This is one of the worst movie's ever made. It's an angry man movie against women and then includes all humanity. I'm shocked that Kurt Russell and Samuel L. Jackson (along with other actors) agreed to do this movie. I thought they had some semblance of humanity, I guess I was wrong and there are a lot of angry actors out there too. Or maybe they're just broke.
I was sick to my stomach with disgust by the end of this movie. Don't bother watching it it will be 2 hours of your life that you will unfortunately never get back and would be better off spent watching a lava lamp.
The Weinstein Company (TWC) funded this film, yep THAT Weinstein, creepo Harvey and his bro, no surprise there, since this movie is all about hating women and then humanity. Directed by Quentin Tarantino and also puts his character in question here too.
Thank you Wikipedia for all the convoluted information regarding Miramax and TWC (now Lantern Entertainment), which is truly much more fascinating than this movie. Trust me, it is...
Regards,
L
PS I was going to insert a photo of the movie poster, but really, why bother???
Here's a lava lamp instead:
Image from SCI - YouTube, thank you.
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Dear Friend...
today was a "Brad" day.
In my family (or in my mind) having a "Brad" day is synonymous with having a "bad" day.
Brad is a real person and someday I'll explain again. I explained a long time ago but it's been awhile.
Send me all the news,
L
In my family (or in my mind) having a "Brad" day is synonymous with having a "bad" day.
Brad is a real person and someday I'll explain again. I explained a long time ago but it's been awhile.
Send me all the news,
L
Urban Sketching...
June sketch:
I was "farmed" out to work at the main headquarters to help with inventory count. And finally felt inspired to catch my view that I had while eating lunch.
This month I didn't draw much as I've been struggling with depression for awhile and it depletes my inspiration and desire to draw. When I get into a funk like this at times I'll take a pencil and big piece of paper and just scribble on it, which helps.
Happy Sketching! L
Side note work comment: one of the guys I was working with in the inventory audit was perturbed that I sat outside and ate lunch instead of going inside to each lunch in the break room with them. It's frustrating to work with men because you're damned if you do and damned if you don't, as these guys would not have spoken to me in the break room even if I had had lunch with them. grrr
I was "farmed" out to work at the main headquarters to help with inventory count. And finally felt inspired to catch my view that I had while eating lunch.
This month I didn't draw much as I've been struggling with depression for awhile and it depletes my inspiration and desire to draw. When I get into a funk like this at times I'll take a pencil and big piece of paper and just scribble on it, which helps.
Happy Sketching! L
Side note work comment: one of the guys I was working with in the inventory audit was perturbed that I sat outside and ate lunch instead of going inside to each lunch in the break room with them. It's frustrating to work with men because you're damned if you do and damned if you don't, as these guys would not have spoken to me in the break room even if I had had lunch with them. grrr
Sunday, August 12, 2018
Urban Sketching..
and now for more sketching:
Spraying weeds. I'm in the coverage vehicle, which should be an attenuator but there is no budget for that so I am in a one-ton pickup. I guess someone has to lose their life before that happens. sigh.
Milling. I love hauling millings. Driving a dump truck is awesome! I wait my turn and while waiting I do a quick sketch. I later get to be on the milling machine too, which was interesting.
Happy sketching! L
Spraying weeds. I'm in the coverage vehicle, which should be an attenuator but there is no budget for that so I am in a one-ton pickup. I guess someone has to lose their life before that happens. sigh.
Milling. I love hauling millings. Driving a dump truck is awesome! I wait my turn and while waiting I do a quick sketch. I later get to be on the milling machine too, which was interesting.
Happy sketching! L
Dear Friend...
I can't sleep...so instead I'll try and write about the previous weeks work. I wrote posts in my head and didn't post them because even to me the truth sounded far fetched and with a little time maybe the weirdness has worn off.
Perhaps I'll just write my random thoughts that were created from my work experiences.
I hate to admit it but I have exchanged "Castle Rock's Hateful Eight" for "Stephen King's Strange Hillbilly Heaven," which is not necessarily a good thing. Things are so strange here that I just try to stay invisible. I think it's even weirder that all these strange men I work with are married and married for a long time to the same woman. I'm speechless and my hat is off to these women who must be saints in their own right for marrying them and these women all have my undying gratitude for taking the men off the market and saving the rest of us.
It is the beginning of football season so maybe the irritability and strange behaviors will slow down a bit as most of these men do not multi-task and love football.
Take Thursday: My TMII is a stickler for having time in each day and informed me that I would need to manually input a work order into my time sheet. I tried to do this because he is so bad about complaining if this isn't done. I then get the complaint from him that I need to tell him that I am doing this. Ugh. I don't get why I have to tell him I'm doing something he told me to do. Say what??? In fact my TMII's control attitude was so bad I thought he was going to tell me how and when and what time I could take a SH*T!!
Whatev or Whev...
Or take Wednesday, A driver drives around and brings a load to dump off of HWY 24 takes two of our loads and dumps, parks for two hours at a restaurant - possible morning constitutional?? --- highly doubtful --- but hey, I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt...Then leaves, drives for another hour and a half, passed a rock fall that he should have cleared from the road that was called in, but didn't clear it, and then drives around for another two hours. Really??? it was all very strange and I just didn't get it. I'm certain he was checking the road. Problem is the road he is assigned to is not the roads he was on. ugh... or Whev...
And now we have a memo from someone in an office who has never done our job putting into effect a directive that we have to shut down a lane for pot holing which means we will be in the way of traffic about 12 times more than if we do a "throw and go" plus it takes a lot longer and places us in more danger of traffic because we have to set up at least 4 sign and a lot of cones. Not to mention the angry drivers. This is a huge safety issue for us. Our jobs are already dangerous enough without having some pencil pusher making it more dangerous. He probably got a bonus for that idea too. oh, Whev...
Insert Big Sigh here.
my prediction is that potholes will not get filled.
Send me all the news,
Love L
Perhaps I'll just write my random thoughts that were created from my work experiences.
I hate to admit it but I have exchanged "Castle Rock's Hateful Eight" for "Stephen King's Strange Hillbilly Heaven," which is not necessarily a good thing. Things are so strange here that I just try to stay invisible. I think it's even weirder that all these strange men I work with are married and married for a long time to the same woman. I'm speechless and my hat is off to these women who must be saints in their own right for marrying them and these women all have my undying gratitude for taking the men off the market and saving the rest of us.
It is the beginning of football season so maybe the irritability and strange behaviors will slow down a bit as most of these men do not multi-task and love football.
Take Thursday: My TMII is a stickler for having time in each day and informed me that I would need to manually input a work order into my time sheet. I tried to do this because he is so bad about complaining if this isn't done. I then get the complaint from him that I need to tell him that I am doing this. Ugh. I don't get why I have to tell him I'm doing something he told me to do. Say what??? In fact my TMII's control attitude was so bad I thought he was going to tell me how and when and what time I could take a SH*T!!
Whatev or Whev...
Or take Wednesday, A driver drives around and brings a load to dump off of HWY 24 takes two of our loads and dumps, parks for two hours at a restaurant - possible morning constitutional?? --- highly doubtful --- but hey, I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt...Then leaves, drives for another hour and a half, passed a rock fall that he should have cleared from the road that was called in, but didn't clear it, and then drives around for another two hours. Really??? it was all very strange and I just didn't get it. I'm certain he was checking the road. Problem is the road he is assigned to is not the roads he was on. ugh... or Whev...
And now we have a memo from someone in an office who has never done our job putting into effect a directive that we have to shut down a lane for pot holing which means we will be in the way of traffic about 12 times more than if we do a "throw and go" plus it takes a lot longer and places us in more danger of traffic because we have to set up at least 4 sign and a lot of cones. Not to mention the angry drivers. This is a huge safety issue for us. Our jobs are already dangerous enough without having some pencil pusher making it more dangerous. He probably got a bonus for that idea too. oh, Whev...
Insert Big Sigh here.
my prediction is that potholes will not get filled.
Send me all the news,
Love L
Urban Sketching...
hello, despite not sharing any sketches for awhile, I have been doing some...
These were all done in April 2018:
This is "Cougar Ridge" so named because my TMII saw a large cougar lying on the rocks sunning himself and watching all movement below him. Nothing like being on the food chain for this beautiful animal. This is my first sketch done in my new Region.
I helped assist with a lane closure for the bridge crew doing work on Hwy 24 looking down into Manitou Springs. There are a lot more buildings but I didn't feel like drawing them. This is Patrol 37. Me and my other co-worker get "farmed" out a lot because our road is a "sleepy" road.
This scenery is directly across from "Cougar Ridge" and looks towards Ft Carson on Hwy 115. The Blackhawk helicopters like to pop over this ridge and do quick surveillance on people at the turn around that I am in. It's pretty cool when they do this as you don't even hear them.
This is Cheyenne Mountain drawn from the public archery range parking lot. This day was cool because I was on my own and the guys were still ignoring me and trying to figure out what to do with me at this point and it's only been a week into my transfer and my co-workers in my patrol are gone for today.
All sketches are done on down time like lunch or a break or wait time for equipment being fixed, etc.
Happy sketching!
L
These were all done in April 2018:
This is "Cougar Ridge" so named because my TMII saw a large cougar lying on the rocks sunning himself and watching all movement below him. Nothing like being on the food chain for this beautiful animal. This is my first sketch done in my new Region.
I helped assist with a lane closure for the bridge crew doing work on Hwy 24 looking down into Manitou Springs. There are a lot more buildings but I didn't feel like drawing them. This is Patrol 37. Me and my other co-worker get "farmed" out a lot because our road is a "sleepy" road.
This scenery is directly across from "Cougar Ridge" and looks towards Ft Carson on Hwy 115. The Blackhawk helicopters like to pop over this ridge and do quick surveillance on people at the turn around that I am in. It's pretty cool when they do this as you don't even hear them.
This is Cheyenne Mountain drawn from the public archery range parking lot. This day was cool because I was on my own and the guys were still ignoring me and trying to figure out what to do with me at this point and it's only been a week into my transfer and my co-workers in my patrol are gone for today.
All sketches are done on down time like lunch or a break or wait time for equipment being fixed, etc.
Happy sketching!
L
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Dear Friend...
last week I learned chipping. I also learned that my suggestions go unheard here as much as they did in my old Region. At least in my old Region they were honestly in my face about not giving a flying F@@@ in regards to my suggestions. Here I'm told they'll listen. NOT.
We chipped and I saw that the blotting crew needed help since our chipper wasn't working correctly and instead of having to throw a bit of chips occasionally they turned into being the chipping crew, which is way too much unless you want to "kill" them with a lot of work. I saw that we had too many on the traffic crew and lightly mentioned that the blotting crew needed help. No need to overwork that crew when you could switch a couple of people over to help and then switch them back when necessary. Boy, you would have thought that I suggested we rob the local 7-Eleven.
I later suggested that we fold up traffic signs for the second job because I could see that we were not going to get to it (if ever-especially with the chipping machine we were using) and I was informed that we would not be picking up traffic until we were told to pick up traffic and in no uncertain terms would we be picking up traffic (and how dare I even dare to be proactive especially since we had the manpower to do so). Two minutes later, I was told to go and fold up the traffic signs for the second job. grrr.
The second day got no better. Any suggestion was shot to H@@@ even if it would have relieved a slight traffic backlog. Lesson learned, it's not a good idea when it's my idea, keep mouth shut and idea's to my ownself even if asked.
This week I went to a training academy with a bunch of grumpy men and was relieved to find out that Thursday's class was canceled. I informed my TMII and he checked with the admin to see if this was true essentially pointing out that he felt I was a liar. GRRR. Just because he'll lie (of which I have caught him doing so for the silliest things) does not mean I do. sigh.
I can't sleep. I know I should just get on with life and forget.
Oh, and last week we had flood watch for a canyon and there are 5 of us at the shop waiting to be called up to help. no call, we leave, I am on the road and get a call while driving, I tried to answer my phone, almost have a head on collision, and decide it's not worth dying over and it's my TMII calling me up. REALLY??? grrrr again. and since I didn't answer my phone, I received scolding.
What am I doing here??? oh yeah, I can't find a job anyplace else. sigh.
Send me all the news,
Love L
We chipped and I saw that the blotting crew needed help since our chipper wasn't working correctly and instead of having to throw a bit of chips occasionally they turned into being the chipping crew, which is way too much unless you want to "kill" them with a lot of work. I saw that we had too many on the traffic crew and lightly mentioned that the blotting crew needed help. No need to overwork that crew when you could switch a couple of people over to help and then switch them back when necessary. Boy, you would have thought that I suggested we rob the local 7-Eleven.
I later suggested that we fold up traffic signs for the second job because I could see that we were not going to get to it (if ever-especially with the chipping machine we were using) and I was informed that we would not be picking up traffic until we were told to pick up traffic and in no uncertain terms would we be picking up traffic (and how dare I even dare to be proactive especially since we had the manpower to do so). Two minutes later, I was told to go and fold up the traffic signs for the second job. grrr.
The second day got no better. Any suggestion was shot to H@@@ even if it would have relieved a slight traffic backlog. Lesson learned, it's not a good idea when it's my idea, keep mouth shut and idea's to my ownself even if asked.
This week I went to a training academy with a bunch of grumpy men and was relieved to find out that Thursday's class was canceled. I informed my TMII and he checked with the admin to see if this was true essentially pointing out that he felt I was a liar. GRRR. Just because he'll lie (of which I have caught him doing so for the silliest things) does not mean I do. sigh.
I can't sleep. I know I should just get on with life and forget.
Oh, and last week we had flood watch for a canyon and there are 5 of us at the shop waiting to be called up to help. no call, we leave, I am on the road and get a call while driving, I tried to answer my phone, almost have a head on collision, and decide it's not worth dying over and it's my TMII calling me up. REALLY??? grrrr again. and since I didn't answer my phone, I received scolding.
What am I doing here??? oh yeah, I can't find a job anyplace else. sigh.
Send me all the news,
Love L
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
Dear Friend...
I've been working in our storeroom at HQ helping with counting inventory, which is harder than it sounds.
I find it's helpful to at least get an idea of perspectives of different careers here at the company because then I'll have a better understanding in my mind about why things can or cannot get done. It helps me with the visual, so to speak.
All has been well until today. I'm not the only one helping out and there are 6 of us and we are from all over the Region.
Today, something strange happened. We were all told to go to lunch and come back at noon. That there were places close by to obtain lunch or there was a break room over in the main building are. Plus there is a nice outside eating area too. I chose to sit out side and take my lunch break in this area besides it was finally a lovely cool day, at least for this area even though it was still in the 80s, a perfect day to sit outside and enjoy the weather. No big deal right?
Wrong.
When I get back from lunch, I get the third degree of why didn't I sit inside in the break room? By K2 from the La Veta area. Say what??? Really??? I can't seem to catch a break!!! even for lunch!
This totally caught me off guard and I wish I would have said, "what's it to you, MF?""so, I can sit inside and you can give me surly glances and ignore me there too?" and my observation about K2 is that he wasn't that nice to me to begin with so I deigned to stay out of his way.
but no, I meekly answer, "I'd rather be outside than inside."
ugh, how pathetic am I?
Anyway, it finally hit me that this must be the guy that may have gotten in trouble up at the tunnel while J1 was up there. As he did inform me quite gruffly that he knew J1 and that he never saw J1 do any work while up at the tunnel, which I find hard to believe. I said I like J1 and jokingly said he was the hardest working man in the company. This usually gets a laugh. K2 didn't laugh. K2 went so far at to state that J1 left the trucks a mess and didn't do anything, which is also hard to believe as I shared a truck with J1 in CR and J1 made certain it was always pristine for the next driver.
The tunnel story goes according to J1 that some guys from region 2 area took a company truck went to Keystone and disappeared for over 4 hours and got into trouble for this and got sent back to their region and were not allowed to come back to the tunnel. Yeah, the company does not fire people like this. Mostly because it's hard to find replacements.
Anyway, people don't like it if you may know dirt about them and they get mad at you and offended when it should be me who's offended for the misuse of taxpayer equipment. sigh
As for inventory it went well, if not a bit tedious. It was still interesting and I finally understand certain things about supplies, plus what supplies are available.
Send me all the news.
Love L
I find it's helpful to at least get an idea of perspectives of different careers here at the company because then I'll have a better understanding in my mind about why things can or cannot get done. It helps me with the visual, so to speak.
All has been well until today. I'm not the only one helping out and there are 6 of us and we are from all over the Region.
Today, something strange happened. We were all told to go to lunch and come back at noon. That there were places close by to obtain lunch or there was a break room over in the main building are. Plus there is a nice outside eating area too. I chose to sit out side and take my lunch break in this area besides it was finally a lovely cool day, at least for this area even though it was still in the 80s, a perfect day to sit outside and enjoy the weather. No big deal right?
Wrong.
When I get back from lunch, I get the third degree of why didn't I sit inside in the break room? By K2 from the La Veta area. Say what??? Really??? I can't seem to catch a break!!! even for lunch!
This totally caught me off guard and I wish I would have said, "what's it to you, MF?""so, I can sit inside and you can give me surly glances and ignore me there too?" and my observation about K2 is that he wasn't that nice to me to begin with so I deigned to stay out of his way.
but no, I meekly answer, "I'd rather be outside than inside."
ugh, how pathetic am I?
Anyway, it finally hit me that this must be the guy that may have gotten in trouble up at the tunnel while J1 was up there. As he did inform me quite gruffly that he knew J1 and that he never saw J1 do any work while up at the tunnel, which I find hard to believe. I said I like J1 and jokingly said he was the hardest working man in the company. This usually gets a laugh. K2 didn't laugh. K2 went so far at to state that J1 left the trucks a mess and didn't do anything, which is also hard to believe as I shared a truck with J1 in CR and J1 made certain it was always pristine for the next driver.
The tunnel story goes according to J1 that some guys from region 2 area took a company truck went to Keystone and disappeared for over 4 hours and got into trouble for this and got sent back to their region and were not allowed to come back to the tunnel. Yeah, the company does not fire people like this. Mostly because it's hard to find replacements.
Anyway, people don't like it if you may know dirt about them and they get mad at you and offended when it should be me who's offended for the misuse of taxpayer equipment. sigh
As for inventory it went well, if not a bit tedious. It was still interesting and I finally understand certain things about supplies, plus what supplies are available.
Send me all the news.
Love L
Friday, June 8, 2018
Random thoughts...
Today I am retrospective. I find being retrospective a dangerous undertaking for someone such as myself. It makes a person like me question their life choices and perhaps creates a little too much "shoulda coulda woulda" type wishful thinking, which could place me in a position of deep depression. For a person like me that's dangerous as I've been dealing with childhood depression now just depression for a very long time. I finally figured out how to conquer "the beast" and sometimes the "angry beast" raises it's ugly head and needs conquered again and again.
Depression like mine does not go away. I have learned how to keep it at bay and must be careful and controlled. I am on zero medication --- ironically, I don't know if I'm proud of that or not (smiles inside). Those of you with depression will smile at that statement as you know what I truly mean.
I am extremely sad that today is the ninth anniversary of my older brother's passing. Can it really only be nine? It seems like forever and yet the pain of it seems like yesterday. sigh
I have nothing further.
Good day, L
PS wanted to share a photo I took at my mum's last month in her backyard, it had just rained.
It's serene, simple, and takes my breath away and makes me quietly smile.
Depression like mine does not go away. I have learned how to keep it at bay and must be careful and controlled. I am on zero medication --- ironically, I don't know if I'm proud of that or not (smiles inside). Those of you with depression will smile at that statement as you know what I truly mean.
I am extremely sad that today is the ninth anniversary of my older brother's passing. Can it really only be nine? It seems like forever and yet the pain of it seems like yesterday. sigh
I have nothing further.
Good day, L
PS wanted to share a photo I took at my mum's last month in her backyard, it had just rained.
It's serene, simple, and takes my breath away and makes me quietly smile.
Friday, June 1, 2018
Dear Friend...
Had fun assisting on the milling machine. The man in the photo who is next to me has over 20 years experience and is quite bored with the whole process and happy to train anyone who wants to learn. For me however, the process is very interesting and convoluted. The machine is quite large and I got to run the conveyer belt as I watched this man go through the sequence of running this machine. The operating board looks like something you would find in an airplane. It looks like a lot but once you get it, it never changes.
The machine itself is like being on a machine built on stilts and then on tracks. I felt like I was on a machine from Star Wars: the Empire Strikes Back. It was extremely interesting, fun, and hot and very loud.
As for the sequence of running it if you get the sequence wrong you can blow out the engine that runs the rollers that mill the asphalt or a multiple of other issues. Also the stilt-like track legs are tricky as well. This machine needs them but since it's top heavy with the 700 gallons of water it must also carry to keep the chisel heads cool makes it easy to roll. Yes, as in roll over. In fact, on the first day a trainee was running the machine and one of the legs got turned around and all odd, I was driving a truck that was being loaded, noticed the issue and yelled to one of the ground crew. I got to see first-hand how easy this rolling factor could happen even on ground that was even. Quite sobering and not something I want to see or experience anytime soon.
During the two days that we were milling I wanted to get out of my tandem and help direct the drivers to pull forward or to hold still while the milling machine was working as it's tricky to get this right when there is no one on the ground directing. I knew the other drivers wouldn't take to having a girl direct them, which I was right about my feeling as when I was running the conveyor on the milling machine the one driver I was directing did not like me directing him. I finally left him to it and he got millings on the ground because he wouldn't take my direction. He took some direction from me after that. My TMIII was watching this and we spoke about it later and I am thankful that he noticed it too.
In this region they expect the truck drivers to get pulling forward or not while millings are being loaded in the truck right on their own, which is hard to do without help from the ground crew and the milling operator is supposed to direct the driver. Yikes, that's a lot for the milling operator to get right. The issues for the truck drivers are getting asphalt on the "headache" rack, which will need cleaned off before you go to where you are dumping the millings as it can bounce of and cause damage to traffic near you as you travel. Also, the millings get stuck in the tarp and need cleaned out too as each load must be tarped as well. Yep, got to climb up and into the box of your tandem to do this. I had to do this the on my first load of millings. Ugh. This is like climbing up top of a house.
There was lots of down time as we had too many drivers which is why I ended up on the machine the second day. I finally asked my TMIII if I could ride up top and maybe learn how it is ran. He was happy to see my interest and encouraged me to get with it and took a photo.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
Friday, May 25, 2018
Random thoughts...
I love this review of the movie, SPF 18.
I found the movie to be a bit cheesy.
Yet, I did watch it to the very end, and can I housesit with you too, pretty please?
PS... I watched it to the very end because it was bad, is that good? and what does that say about me? don't answer that, totally a rhetorical question.
I found the movie to be a bit cheesy.
Yet, I did watch it to the very end, and can I housesit with you too, pretty please?
PS... I watched it to the very end because it was bad, is that good? and what does that say about me? don't answer that, totally a rhetorical question.
Dear Friend...
I just read my last post, Eeek what a soap opera it seems and certainly not worth your while to read. double ugh
life seems to be fairly quiet I intend to still stay away from Rx2 and no longer carry revenge in my heart. I'll avoid instead so as not to confront his spiteful tone, ever. LA is acting a bit strange and ended the day on Thursday trying to encourage me to apply for a different job. REALLLY???? I hate switching jobs. You (as in me) are always the FNG, which means your co-workers believe (know) that you have nothing interesting or worthwhile to say.
Besides I love plowing snow, which means LA that unfortunately you are stuck with me and what does it mean? Why would he do that? Am I overthinking it? Or am I being foolish to not overthink? double ugh again.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
life seems to be fairly quiet I intend to still stay away from Rx2 and no longer carry revenge in my heart. I'll avoid instead so as not to confront his spiteful tone, ever. LA is acting a bit strange and ended the day on Thursday trying to encourage me to apply for a different job. REALLLY???? I hate switching jobs. You (as in me) are always the FNG, which means your co-workers believe (know) that you have nothing interesting or worthwhile to say.
Besides I love plowing snow, which means LA that unfortunately you are stuck with me and what does it mean? Why would he do that? Am I overthinking it? Or am I being foolish to not overthink? double ugh again.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Dear Friend...
I've had an unpleasant experience on Monday that bothered me so much that I couldn't sleep that night.
I've noticed that one certain man here is especially sharp tongued and mean and whom I deliberately avoid knowing that my time will come to experience his spiteful tongue as no one is exempt from it. Which brings back unpleasant memories from my old patrol. I've nicknamed this man Rx2.
This unpleasantness convinced me that perhaps Region 2 wasn't as great as I had first believed and my hopes seemed a bit dashed that this may be true. I could and can only hope that I am wrong. I still have one thing, I don't have that long and weary drive anymore.
My TMII noticed on Tuesday that I seemed preoccupied and quiet, which I was but I resolved not to say anything but to bring Rx2 down to his level because his type of mean words to others are demeaning and humiliating and needs to be stopped. The chance I take by doing this is that I get an even meaner vicious angry man to have to deal with. But really, what's one like this compared to the 8 exceptionally vicious mean angry mean (have I written mean enough? -- probably not) men I had to deal with for almost a year in my last patrol??? There were good days there, but they were very very very sparse.
Anyway, since I wasn't speaking to Lord A (LA), LA decided to switch tactics and had me chauffeur El Chapo around during the afternoon phase of work. I fell right into their plan, as I did confide in him. I did not confide what I would say or when. Just that it would be very good ie, vicious, and just as mean as Rx2 was. I stated that I was tired of mean angry men and that I was going to make a stand and I was even more tired of other people and their complacency for allowing these types of men to be mean. I further informed him that I would be cold, calculating and without emotion and that Rx2 would definitely rue the day that he was mean to me and that I would wait for the best possible moment for this humiliation. El Chapo was like, "uh-oh." I'm certain he imagined WWIII was about to begin or in the alternative lots and lots of drama.
Today is Wednesday, and since the unpleasantness, I have noticed a decidedly different attitude today of one not so mean. I have learned that when I left a bit early on yesterday that my TMII - Lord A, El Chapo and The Bruce had a clandestine meeting with Rx2 to discuss what I heard from him as these others were present when the offensive words were spoken. No one heard them but myself (he did say them rather lightly and quickly) and Rx2 denies saying them. Perhaps I heard incorrectly???
Anyway, "The Knights of the Round Table" have really been needing to have a discussion with Rx2 and used this opportunity to sort issues out with him and to inform Rx2 that my observation of him was that of a really mean and angry man and that I purposely try to stay out of his way. He was shocked to learn that I had such an impression of him and today seems resolved to make a kinder impression. It will be interesting to see how long he can keep the kinder tone I hear in his voice. In fact, I've noticed that he's actually kinder to everyone not just me.
I quietly mentioned to El Chapo that I noticed Rx2 seemed to have a new attitude and that someone must have spoken to him. El Chapo admitted that they had quick meeting yesterday. I then went to LA and he confirmed that they met with Rx2 and had a good discussion. Lord A stated that he wanted make certain that I enjoyed work and enjoyed coming to work and that he would make good on his first promise to me on my first day of work that he would take care of me by making certain that I enjoy coming to work.
How fascinating, I can only make the observation that this seems to have been handled gracefully and tactfully and that no one was humiliated or embarrased. I informed LA that I appreciated what he and the others had done and thanked him.
I look forward to work tomorrow and appreciate that the drama was avoided.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
PS - The words I thought I heard Rx2 say were: "look at that, look at P58. It only took less than a month and you are already fatter and lazier."
PPS - I don't know how I could have misheard such a long sentence but I'll give the benefit of the doubt, if only to keep a major drama from happening in my life.
I've noticed that one certain man here is especially sharp tongued and mean and whom I deliberately avoid knowing that my time will come to experience his spiteful tongue as no one is exempt from it. Which brings back unpleasant memories from my old patrol. I've nicknamed this man Rx2.
This unpleasantness convinced me that perhaps Region 2 wasn't as great as I had first believed and my hopes seemed a bit dashed that this may be true. I could and can only hope that I am wrong. I still have one thing, I don't have that long and weary drive anymore.
My TMII noticed on Tuesday that I seemed preoccupied and quiet, which I was but I resolved not to say anything but to bring Rx2 down to his level because his type of mean words to others are demeaning and humiliating and needs to be stopped. The chance I take by doing this is that I get an even meaner vicious angry man to have to deal with. But really, what's one like this compared to the 8 exceptionally vicious mean angry mean (have I written mean enough? -- probably not) men I had to deal with for almost a year in my last patrol??? There were good days there, but they were very very very sparse.
Anyway, since I wasn't speaking to Lord A (LA), LA decided to switch tactics and had me chauffeur El Chapo around during the afternoon phase of work. I fell right into their plan, as I did confide in him. I did not confide what I would say or when. Just that it would be very good ie, vicious, and just as mean as Rx2 was. I stated that I was tired of mean angry men and that I was going to make a stand and I was even more tired of other people and their complacency for allowing these types of men to be mean. I further informed him that I would be cold, calculating and without emotion and that Rx2 would definitely rue the day that he was mean to me and that I would wait for the best possible moment for this humiliation. El Chapo was like, "uh-oh." I'm certain he imagined WWIII was about to begin or in the alternative lots and lots of drama.
Today is Wednesday, and since the unpleasantness, I have noticed a decidedly different attitude today of one not so mean. I have learned that when I left a bit early on yesterday that my TMII - Lord A, El Chapo and The Bruce had a clandestine meeting with Rx2 to discuss what I heard from him as these others were present when the offensive words were spoken. No one heard them but myself (he did say them rather lightly and quickly) and Rx2 denies saying them. Perhaps I heard incorrectly???
Anyway, "The Knights of the Round Table" have really been needing to have a discussion with Rx2 and used this opportunity to sort issues out with him and to inform Rx2 that my observation of him was that of a really mean and angry man and that I purposely try to stay out of his way. He was shocked to learn that I had such an impression of him and today seems resolved to make a kinder impression. It will be interesting to see how long he can keep the kinder tone I hear in his voice. In fact, I've noticed that he's actually kinder to everyone not just me.
I quietly mentioned to El Chapo that I noticed Rx2 seemed to have a new attitude and that someone must have spoken to him. El Chapo admitted that they had quick meeting yesterday. I then went to LA and he confirmed that they met with Rx2 and had a good discussion. Lord A stated that he wanted make certain that I enjoyed work and enjoyed coming to work and that he would make good on his first promise to me on my first day of work that he would take care of me by making certain that I enjoy coming to work.
How fascinating, I can only make the observation that this seems to have been handled gracefully and tactfully and that no one was humiliated or embarrased. I informed LA that I appreciated what he and the others had done and thanked him.
I look forward to work tomorrow and appreciate that the drama was avoided.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
PS - The words I thought I heard Rx2 say were: "look at that, look at P58. It only took less than a month and you are already fatter and lazier."
PPS - I don't know how I could have misheard such a long sentence but I'll give the benefit of the doubt, if only to keep a major drama from happening in my life.
Thursday, May 10, 2018
Dear Friend...
the end of my fourth week in my new region has completed pleasantly enough.
I attended a meeting today and was innocently asked if I liked my new region. I said that I did. The person then took it further by asking why? (this is something I would do - looking for the details) Oh, how to answer this without it biting me in the butt. I said because I worked with grouchy men and in my new Region people here like coming to work and enjoy their work. I also said, "don't get me wrong, those men knew their jobs and did them well, and I learned a lot; they were just grouchy." The reply was "I understand, grouchy people are hard to work with."
I'm still trying to work out a decent reply to this question as it's asked a lot. I don't want to take away from the people who believed in me in my old region and I don't want to build it up into something false either. It's a rough place to be as I want to stay true to myself and what happened to me and also be objective too.
My co-worker and I worked on a sign inventory and putting the items that were taken off for the roadeo back on the snowplow. A pleasant day to finish a pleasant week.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
I attended a meeting today and was innocently asked if I liked my new region. I said that I did. The person then took it further by asking why? (this is something I would do - looking for the details) Oh, how to answer this without it biting me in the butt. I said because I worked with grouchy men and in my new Region people here like coming to work and enjoy their work. I also said, "don't get me wrong, those men knew their jobs and did them well, and I learned a lot; they were just grouchy." The reply was "I understand, grouchy people are hard to work with."
I'm still trying to work out a decent reply to this question as it's asked a lot. I don't want to take away from the people who believed in me in my old region and I don't want to build it up into something false either. It's a rough place to be as I want to stay true to myself and what happened to me and also be objective too.
My co-worker and I worked on a sign inventory and putting the items that were taken off for the roadeo back on the snowplow. A pleasant day to finish a pleasant week.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Dear Friend...
my third week finished out nice enough. The week had a lot of dead dear, which wasn't so great. The road kill was so badly mangled that it was hardly recognizable as a deer. I bid each one peace, there were four. I suppose the difference between the high speed of the Interstate and my now slower speed Highway is that when the animal is hit at such a high speed they get bounced off very quick and killed and at the slower speed they get dragged and mangled. ugh.
Today was our regional truck roadeo, wherein we are tested on our abilities and learn where to make improvements. We do a written test and then I tested on a snowplow and a loader. I didn't do very well on any of it but I usually don't do well on tests anymore. I hoped to do better but "it is what it is." I wasn't the worst and I wasn't the best and this was my first time going and I didn't know what to expect and it was extremely hot with no shade available. At one point I filled my hat with water and put it on my head. You couldn't even tell I did this after a few minutes. Next time I'm taking a kerchief that I can wet down and wear around my neck. It was really hot and my brain felt baked.
People kept asking me where I was from and right now that's hard to answer since I just transferred. Other people seem to have heard "all about me" or "good things about me" (which is a bit creepy, which means people are talking -- about me) and ask how I like my new region. I said too much to one lady in HR by saying that "it's much better than where I was since where I came from they think their sh*t don't stink, excuse my language." Which I need to keep my mouth shut since things like that can bite you in the butt later. Oh well, mean is mean and if my former patrol didn't act so proud about how badly they treat people (mainly me) then I wouldn't be telling the truth about same. sigh.
At the end of the day, I brought our snowplow back to the shop, since it was used for testing.
and tomorrow is the end of my work week, Yay!
Send me all the news.
Love, L
Today was our regional truck roadeo, wherein we are tested on our abilities and learn where to make improvements. We do a written test and then I tested on a snowplow and a loader. I didn't do very well on any of it but I usually don't do well on tests anymore. I hoped to do better but "it is what it is." I wasn't the worst and I wasn't the best and this was my first time going and I didn't know what to expect and it was extremely hot with no shade available. At one point I filled my hat with water and put it on my head. You couldn't even tell I did this after a few minutes. Next time I'm taking a kerchief that I can wet down and wear around my neck. It was really hot and my brain felt baked.
People kept asking me where I was from and right now that's hard to answer since I just transferred. Other people seem to have heard "all about me" or "good things about me" (which is a bit creepy, which means people are talking -- about me) and ask how I like my new region. I said too much to one lady in HR by saying that "it's much better than where I was since where I came from they think their sh*t don't stink, excuse my language." Which I need to keep my mouth shut since things like that can bite you in the butt later. Oh well, mean is mean and if my former patrol didn't act so proud about how badly they treat people (mainly me) then I wouldn't be telling the truth about same. sigh.
At the end of the day, I brought our snowplow back to the shop, since it was used for testing.
and tomorrow is the end of my work week, Yay!
Send me all the news.
Love, L
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Dear Friend...
my second week in my new region finished out pleasantly enough. I'm still nervous here but it's not even comparable to my extreme nervousness that I felt in my last region and no more panic attacks either.
This week everyone goes to a 4 day work week, 10 hour days. Yesterday was the start of that. My TMII is in training all week and my co-worker got permission to bug out early, which made for a pleasant afternoon for me. I ran the road, removed some items off a snowplow; had lunch at a favorite turn around and worked on delineation.
Today was the first day in May. My co-worker and I helped another patrol 53, clear brush and major tree overgrowth in an area that no one knew was the company's responsibility. When we first arrived on site my coworker parked in a spot where it was extremely overgrown with weeds on my side and completely clear on his side. I had flashbacks of my old patrol doing this to me where they would purposely put me on a steep embankment or overgrown weeds and calmly get out on their clearly no hazard side. I was grouchy and said "really??" to my new coworker and he was all apologetic and quickly moved the truck. I apologized too and said my old patrol did that to me a lot and I was finally tired of it.
I also had thoughts of thankfulness to J1 and J2 for their begrudging willingness who gave me decent enough training with the weed whips to be able to use one and be knowledgeable enough to start it and replace the plastic whip on it when I needed to. Such extreme thoughts and experiences confuse, daze and sadden me, in the sad fact that there was no pleasant ground in my former patrol, just extremes.
We also had a to clear a road kill this morning too, which I bid peace. And then Courtesy Patrol called in a phantom debris call on north I-25 at quitting time and since both patrols that take care of this corridor were busy with a culvert replacement, I got the honors. It really bothers me that Courtesy Patrol thinks this is amusing to do. I think it's creepy and wasteful of resources. And I know it was them because I caught them in the area before they left because I was out on this road assisting the I-25 patrol, and recognized the culprit.
side thought: I find it interesting how much the TMIIs have so much "power" here in this region and much less in the former region I came from. Perhaps I am naive and don't really get how things work here yet.
and I never thought that I would write the following: I look forward to work tomorrow.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
This week everyone goes to a 4 day work week, 10 hour days. Yesterday was the start of that. My TMII is in training all week and my co-worker got permission to bug out early, which made for a pleasant afternoon for me. I ran the road, removed some items off a snowplow; had lunch at a favorite turn around and worked on delineation.
Today was the first day in May. My co-worker and I helped another patrol 53, clear brush and major tree overgrowth in an area that no one knew was the company's responsibility. When we first arrived on site my coworker parked in a spot where it was extremely overgrown with weeds on my side and completely clear on his side. I had flashbacks of my old patrol doing this to me where they would purposely put me on a steep embankment or overgrown weeds and calmly get out on their clearly no hazard side. I was grouchy and said "really??" to my new coworker and he was all apologetic and quickly moved the truck. I apologized too and said my old patrol did that to me a lot and I was finally tired of it.
I also had thoughts of thankfulness to J1 and J2 for their begrudging willingness who gave me decent enough training with the weed whips to be able to use one and be knowledgeable enough to start it and replace the plastic whip on it when I needed to. Such extreme thoughts and experiences confuse, daze and sadden me, in the sad fact that there was no pleasant ground in my former patrol, just extremes.
We also had a to clear a road kill this morning too, which I bid peace. And then Courtesy Patrol called in a phantom debris call on north I-25 at quitting time and since both patrols that take care of this corridor were busy with a culvert replacement, I got the honors. It really bothers me that Courtesy Patrol thinks this is amusing to do. I think it's creepy and wasteful of resources. And I know it was them because I caught them in the area before they left because I was out on this road assisting the I-25 patrol, and recognized the culprit.
side thought: I find it interesting how much the TMIIs have so much "power" here in this region and much less in the former region I came from. Perhaps I am naive and don't really get how things work here yet.
and I never thought that I would write the following: I look forward to work tomorrow.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
Monday, April 23, 2018
Dear Friend...
today was a "Deliverance day."
Deliverance the movie, not the good kind of deliverance. I suppose it's better than the nightmarish "Dr. Seuss" days I had in Castle Rock.
By Deliverance I mean one guy had chew in his mouth and didn't care if when he spit where it landed including on himself. Yep, himself, yuk.
and that's all I'm going to say about that.
It does remind me of my last days at CR when the TMII joked about this new region, singing the Deliverance theme and talking with a heavy accent and pretending to spit on himself. There were six of us in the one-ton going to a Company memorial remembrance day. It wasn't funny to me at the time. All the guys laughed until they cried. I do kinda chuckle now even though I shouldn't. Especially since they said I'd laugh about it later and I hate it when the nightmarish "Dr. Seuss guys" are right. I had no idea how soon that would be. Irony, it's a heartless bitch.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
Deliverance the movie, not the good kind of deliverance. I suppose it's better than the nightmarish "Dr. Seuss" days I had in Castle Rock.
By Deliverance I mean one guy had chew in his mouth and didn't care if when he spit where it landed including on himself. Yep, himself, yuk.
and that's all I'm going to say about that.
It does remind me of my last days at CR when the TMII joked about this new region, singing the Deliverance theme and talking with a heavy accent and pretending to spit on himself. There were six of us in the one-ton going to a Company memorial remembrance day. It wasn't funny to me at the time. All the guys laughed until they cried. I do kinda chuckle now even though I shouldn't. Especially since they said I'd laugh about it later and I hate it when the nightmarish "Dr. Seuss guys" are right. I had no idea how soon that would be. Irony, it's a heartless bitch.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
Sunday, April 22, 2018
Urban Sketching...
I haven't shared my sketching in awhile.
I-25, Happy Canyon mile marker (mm) 187 - This sketch was given to my TMIII - just because.
and because I didn't care for my first attempt I tried sketching Happy Canyon again:
Patrol 03 and Hwy 86 looking East towards Franktown (I gave the second sketch to my LTC OPS - just because --- my daughter informed me that I was very generous to give them my originals. She informed me that she would not have done that).
Schweiger Ranch at I25 and Ridgegate
P25 inside shed looking out towards the east. 3803 Sander is in shed being washed.
There will be no more from this area as I have transferred regions.
happy sketching, L
I-25, Happy Canyon mile marker (mm) 187 - This sketch was given to my TMIII - just because.
and because I didn't care for my first attempt I tried sketching Happy Canyon again:
Patrol 03 and Hwy 86 looking East towards Franktown (I gave the second sketch to my LTC OPS - just because --- my daughter informed me that I was very generous to give them my originals. She informed me that she would not have done that).
Schweiger Ranch at I25 and Ridgegate
P25 inside shed looking out towards the east. 3803 Sander is in shed being washed.
There will be no more from this area as I have transferred regions.
happy sketching, L
Saturday, April 21, 2018
Dear Friend...
my first snow shift has gone well in my new patrol.
I will confess to being sneaky as we have a brand spanking new tandem in this patrol, which the TMII and the other guy drive. I took a photo of myself with it and sent it to someone in my old region, hoping he would unknowingly play into my mental game with my old cranky pants patrol and show them the photo (crossing fingers that he does)(smiles).
I get an old manual plow that is currently parked due to an exhaust leak. My TMII taught me the controls to the new tandem and we rode around a bit yesterday getting reading for snow shift. He asked me if I was wing certified and I asked what do you mean? He said the TMII is supposed to train the TMI on how to properly and safely use a wing, not allow a new employee to be on night shift, etc. I said my last TMII said this or these as was my case were the buttons to the wing this one makes it go up, this one makes it go down, now go out and plow and be careful and don't hit anything or we'll have a bunch of paperwork to fill out and filling out paperwork makes me really mad.
side note: I never did hit anything and I had also asked for additional training that I never got because to me this seemed a bit thin on the training.
My new TMII gave a disgusted noise and showed me the controls yesterday and after driving around early this morning (he drove) felt comfortable enough to send me out in the new tandem with the wing chained up. There wasn't much to do. I only cleared a few places and then took a sneaky selfie, and sent it to an acquaintance that I still keep in touch with hoping he'll share it with my old patrol, implying the impossible by only stating that I was driving it not that it was assigned to me.
Send me all the news,
Love, L
I will confess to being sneaky as we have a brand spanking new tandem in this patrol, which the TMII and the other guy drive. I took a photo of myself with it and sent it to someone in my old region, hoping he would unknowingly play into my mental game with my old cranky pants patrol and show them the photo (crossing fingers that he does)(smiles).
I get an old manual plow that is currently parked due to an exhaust leak. My TMII taught me the controls to the new tandem and we rode around a bit yesterday getting reading for snow shift. He asked me if I was wing certified and I asked what do you mean? He said the TMII is supposed to train the TMI on how to properly and safely use a wing, not allow a new employee to be on night shift, etc. I said my last TMII said this or these as was my case were the buttons to the wing this one makes it go up, this one makes it go down, now go out and plow and be careful and don't hit anything or we'll have a bunch of paperwork to fill out and filling out paperwork makes me really mad.
side note: I never did hit anything and I had also asked for additional training that I never got because to me this seemed a bit thin on the training.
My new TMII gave a disgusted noise and showed me the controls yesterday and after driving around early this morning (he drove) felt comfortable enough to send me out in the new tandem with the wing chained up. There wasn't much to do. I only cleared a few places and then took a sneaky selfie, and sent it to an acquaintance that I still keep in touch with hoping he'll share it with my old patrol, implying the impossible by only stating that I was driving it not that it was assigned to me.
Send me all the news,
Love, L
Thursday, April 19, 2018
Dear Friend...
it is day four and I have spoken more in the past four days at work than I have in the past year. How very sad is that?
Today was the first meeting for me to attend in my new Region. This would be another milestone for me as for the past ten months whenever we had a meeting I sat alone. There would be at least a four chair radius around me, like a "no man's land." It was strange. No one would sit by me or speak to me. I recall one meeting when I sat by one of the men in my patrol and he got up and moved to another seat. If I chose one side of the room to sit on my patrol would choose the other. It was as if I had the plague or at the very least cooties. I was sadly very isolated by my own patrol.
Here, I chose my seat and waited.
A gentleman actually chose to sit by me, unafraid, willingly. How refreshing that he did not lose his manhood nor was he kicked out of the man-club by choosing to do something so simple. At my old patrol he would have been considered insane. Perhaps he had no choice? Let's give him the benefit of the doubt shall we? I don't know who he was nor would I be able to pick him out of the 30 men or so that we have working here, as currently they all look alike to me. LOL. Kudos to him for being brave and knowing who he is. I didn't speak to him as that would have most likely crossed the "invisible" line of no return and caused fear and chaos for all who were present.
I kept quiet and tried to cause the least amount of fear & mayhem for everyone involved.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
side note: the meeting was on Pre-trips.
Today was the first meeting for me to attend in my new Region. This would be another milestone for me as for the past ten months whenever we had a meeting I sat alone. There would be at least a four chair radius around me, like a "no man's land." It was strange. No one would sit by me or speak to me. I recall one meeting when I sat by one of the men in my patrol and he got up and moved to another seat. If I chose one side of the room to sit on my patrol would choose the other. It was as if I had the plague or at the very least cooties. I was sadly very isolated by my own patrol.
Here, I chose my seat and waited.
A gentleman actually chose to sit by me, unafraid, willingly. How refreshing that he did not lose his manhood nor was he kicked out of the man-club by choosing to do something so simple. At my old patrol he would have been considered insane. Perhaps he had no choice? Let's give him the benefit of the doubt shall we? I don't know who he was nor would I be able to pick him out of the 30 men or so that we have working here, as currently they all look alike to me. LOL. Kudos to him for being brave and knowing who he is. I didn't speak to him as that would have most likely crossed the "invisible" line of no return and caused fear and chaos for all who were present.
I kept quiet and tried to cause the least amount of fear & mayhem for everyone involved.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
side note: the meeting was on Pre-trips.
Monday, April 16, 2018
Dear Friend...
It's like night and day; day and night or that I've walked into the twilight zone!
My new patrol is so inviting and all the men love working here and are so positive. We have 8 patrols working out of this "super shed." Now that's a lot of men!!!
And miracles of miracles, well adjusted happy men too! I'm still in shock and wondering where they keep all the cranky unhappy guys. Perhaps they'll turn up later as today they were on their best behavior to meet the 3 newbs.
In fact, when my TMII announced that "she" (meaning me) would be coming to this shed he said they all looked at him and went "wait, what??? She???"
I spent the day with my TMII and am very impressed by his positive attitude. It's so refreshing after having to deal with the negative culture that was promoted in my last patrol. I am so relieved.
I believe I have angels watching over me. There's lots to tell but I am truly speechless. Suffice it to know that this transfer will work out well.
Send me all the news,
Love, L
My new patrol is so inviting and all the men love working here and are so positive. We have 8 patrols working out of this "super shed." Now that's a lot of men!!!
And miracles of miracles, well adjusted happy men too! I'm still in shock and wondering where they keep all the cranky unhappy guys. Perhaps they'll turn up later as today they were on their best behavior to meet the 3 newbs.
In fact, when my TMII announced that "she" (meaning me) would be coming to this shed he said they all looked at him and went "wait, what??? She???"
I spent the day with my TMII and am very impressed by his positive attitude. It's so refreshing after having to deal with the negative culture that was promoted in my last patrol. I am so relieved.
I believe I have angels watching over me. There's lots to tell but I am truly speechless. Suffice it to know that this transfer will work out well.
Send me all the news,
Love, L
Saturday, April 14, 2018
Dear Friend...
I haven't posted in awhile. Things with the company have been a bit strange and the guys have been very grouchy for quite some time.
April 2-6
First, P25 has been working on a center wall replacement as two storms ago a semi-tractor trailer was going too fast in the wet snow and blasted through it. The wall broke like powder in places and to be fair cement is only good for so long. I recall speaking to a city engineer and he informed me that most governments never replace their bridges or any infrastructure when it needs to be and usually take the infrastructure 50 years past the replacement date or wait for it to fall down before replacement.
Back to the center wall replacement. Helped set traffic and then got sent back to the patrol to do shed work. C2 got sent back too. He was not happy as P24 got to stay. For him it made no sense that anyone in our patrol got sent away since its our road. He called us the D-Team. For two days this went on. On the third day I got extremely frustrated with J2 as instead of helping with traffic we just drove in circles as he said it wasn't safe to move to the center lane in two miles and that traffic was too busy. Oh ugh. He later sabotaged me being able to help C1 and C2 with traffic for the afternoon pick up. We just drove and drove and drove in circles. At one point I informed J2 that the night crew had a plan and I watched him go to the TMIII and "innocently" change the plan. J2 saw how well the night crew works together and put a wrench in that real quick.
Things happen fast on the Interstate and you must be ready to get things done, done quickly, efficiently and safely.
On the third day, C2, J2 and I were again the D-Team and I let J2 have it. C2 thought it was very funny that I called J2 the devil. C2 later told all the guys it was really funny and was like being with two kids who were fighting. Our TMII said it best about the patrol that we are like a bunch of siblings. That even if we don't like each other and say bad things about each other that no one else is allowed to say bad things about us but us. And of the TMIII, he said that the TMIII was like a brother that you dream of running over with the family car but never do because he's your brother and you would protect him with your life and you get to say bad things about him too but no one else does.
OMG!!! Yes it's very dysfunctional here! and a bit scary too.
On April 6, the night crew got to be on snow watch because the area expected an inch of snow. OMG they are so spoiled in the Denver Metro area it's not even funny. Just slow down people. I had fun joking with C2 and K (C1 was out of town and was not on night patrol with us). I had a good time calling P25 - Cranky Pants Castle Rock. C2 tried to sabotage my happy transfer by stating "wow, going from a 9 man patrol to a 3 man patrol. Yikes, what if you don't find anyone you like to hang out with? At least with a 9 man patrol you have choices with 3 your choices are few."
I was so happy he said this so I could drive an intensely sensitive point all the way to the heart. I said, "how is that any different than here? Who have I found here? I'm excluded from everything. At least there I only have to deal with 2 men with possible bad attitudes instead of 8 that actually do." C2 got real quiet and said,"good point." From that day on C2 made an effort to include me. Too bad it's too late. The others have ignored me the past two weeks and the filthy mouths are also back with a vengeance. It's as though I am invisible.
Remember my interview back on March 1? Well...
On April 3, the LTC OPS from Region 2 called me and asked if I would like to come work for him. Yay, I received my transfer and just got 10 hours of my life back!!! No more traveling 46.5 miles one way to work. Nor do I have to put up with 8 intensely bad male attitudes. Even Q speaks to me now that the end of tolerating me is near. 10 months and I can count on one hand how many times he's spoken to me. He even had another guy call me on my phone to tell me what he wanted done when he was "acting" TMII so he didn't have to speak to me.
At this point, I am smiling everyday at work, which is highly unusual, and really irritates the guys, which makes me smile more. Even one of the other guys from P26 informed me that there is a "spring" in my step.
The guys have been a bit perturbed since learning about my interview last month and one guy has been asking me everyday if I've heard anything. I finally shut that irritating behavior down one day by not even looking up from my phone and answering a succinct "no" and sighing real loud after answering, he quit asking me after that.
April 9-13 - was so miserable it's not even funny when working with 8 cranky guys. I still smiled. M-24 asked if I was taking Friday off. I said no and later thought what a great idea. the next day I asked for Friday off. I got a cranky answer of "well, we were going to do something nice for you."
Oh please please stop the hypocrisy!!!...I thought to myself. Anything "nice" from these guys is subject to a high sense of unease. Long story short on this subject, I got to attend a highly awkward lunch on Thursday that barely anyone attended. ugh. The TMII paid for my lunch, which is like taking food from someone evil and I would have rather paid for it myself. I did choose a place that I believed no one would go to: Pho 777. The food was good even though someone not very nice paid for it and it wasn't easy to eat because of that.
That was Thursday. Let me back up a bit.
Surprise among surprises, after setting traffic for the center wall replacement work this week and K volunteering to go with J2, he's better with a guy so as not to look so bad with the men, I was placed on the center wall replacement crew. I was not happy about this as I had plans for being at the shop and had my work week planned for that and I had many things in my head that I wanted to get done there. Nope. C2 and I got placed on the A-Team. grrrr. C2 was so happy I thought he was going to float away he was so happy.
After spending the day at the center wall on the second day I also got to run the loader to move concrete barriers. Boy, I was not happy about that at all. We have traffic illegally traveling at 90mph and you want a newb moving tons of concrete??? OMG!!! This training would have been better done at the shop when they were loading and unloading the forms for crying out loud. That way there would be no chance of the barriers swinging wildly with a chance of hitting a car or pushing a coworker out into traffic! Geez, these guys have no common sense at all when it comes to training safely. I did get the barriers moved back in place safely with no mishaps for anyone.
The next day (Wed) they also had me move the barriers for the morning concrete pour. M2 informed me that I did well I just need to be faster since there is a time crunch and I barely got this done in time before the concrete truck arrived. After the pour, I was asked if I wanted to move the barriers by the TMII and I succinctly said "no." It was pretty funny he was like "what???" I said "don't ask just tell, you asked if it's something I wanted to do, I don't want to do it." He said "ok, at least we got you on it a little and are familiar with how to move forms." He then told the guy who's been doing it from the beginning to do it. I swear these guys have no sense of when training needs to safely happen.
The rest of Wed and all of Thursday we are stuck at the shop doing busy work because of the high fire danger that a spark from anything even a car engine can create a fire. These guys smoke a lot and that says enough about that. but talk about even more cranky I am so thankful that I am taking Friday off it's not even funny.
K was sent to pick up supplies which was a cluster and I thought the TMIII was going to get a bad migraine from it all. I just laughed inside, a lot.
Thursday's lunch as mentioned above was very awkward. J2, myself, TMII, TMIII, TMIII-P24,26 attended.
I finished washing 3804 and happily cleaned out my locker. I gave original sketches to R-P24 - Greenland sketch , my LTC Ops here - Franktown sketch, and my TMIII - Happy Canyon sketch (I tried to match the road areas to the men), as thank you's for believing in me even though no one else at P25 did or does. I've learned a lot here. Sadly mostly about the male human nature instead of training even the TMII admitted in a meeting that he hasn't trained like he should. Geez that wasn't smart of him in front of everyone. Oh well, these cranky guys have been fairly easy to read as they are very predictable and I am happy to be leaving and they are happy to see me gone. I have a peace about it.
It's amazing to me that just one year ago I sat down with my TMII in Nederland and created this plan. He asked me what do you want? I at first said I don't know. He kept repeating what do you want? I said to get closer to home. He said ok, then let's make a plan. He said what's closest to your home? I said Castle Rock was the closest. He said, uh-oh, you don't really want to go there but they do know guardrail. They are the best in the state when it comes to guardrail. I said Castle Rock is closest right now. He said Ok. Let's do it and hope for the best. He informed me to be honest with my knowledge(which was very little) and to be open in any interview my plan to get closer to home. We came up with a plan and almost to the very day it has become a reality. I am truly humbled.
Send me all the news,
Love, L
April 2-6
First, P25 has been working on a center wall replacement as two storms ago a semi-tractor trailer was going too fast in the wet snow and blasted through it. The wall broke like powder in places and to be fair cement is only good for so long. I recall speaking to a city engineer and he informed me that most governments never replace their bridges or any infrastructure when it needs to be and usually take the infrastructure 50 years past the replacement date or wait for it to fall down before replacement.
Back to the center wall replacement. Helped set traffic and then got sent back to the patrol to do shed work. C2 got sent back too. He was not happy as P24 got to stay. For him it made no sense that anyone in our patrol got sent away since its our road. He called us the D-Team. For two days this went on. On the third day I got extremely frustrated with J2 as instead of helping with traffic we just drove in circles as he said it wasn't safe to move to the center lane in two miles and that traffic was too busy. Oh ugh. He later sabotaged me being able to help C1 and C2 with traffic for the afternoon pick up. We just drove and drove and drove in circles. At one point I informed J2 that the night crew had a plan and I watched him go to the TMIII and "innocently" change the plan. J2 saw how well the night crew works together and put a wrench in that real quick.
Things happen fast on the Interstate and you must be ready to get things done, done quickly, efficiently and safely.
On the third day, C2, J2 and I were again the D-Team and I let J2 have it. C2 thought it was very funny that I called J2 the devil. C2 later told all the guys it was really funny and was like being with two kids who were fighting. Our TMII said it best about the patrol that we are like a bunch of siblings. That even if we don't like each other and say bad things about each other that no one else is allowed to say bad things about us but us. And of the TMIII, he said that the TMIII was like a brother that you dream of running over with the family car but never do because he's your brother and you would protect him with your life and you get to say bad things about him too but no one else does.
OMG!!! Yes it's very dysfunctional here! and a bit scary too.
On April 6, the night crew got to be on snow watch because the area expected an inch of snow. OMG they are so spoiled in the Denver Metro area it's not even funny. Just slow down people. I had fun joking with C2 and K (C1 was out of town and was not on night patrol with us). I had a good time calling P25 - Cranky Pants Castle Rock. C2 tried to sabotage my happy transfer by stating "wow, going from a 9 man patrol to a 3 man patrol. Yikes, what if you don't find anyone you like to hang out with? At least with a 9 man patrol you have choices with 3 your choices are few."
I was so happy he said this so I could drive an intensely sensitive point all the way to the heart. I said, "how is that any different than here? Who have I found here? I'm excluded from everything. At least there I only have to deal with 2 men with possible bad attitudes instead of 8 that actually do." C2 got real quiet and said,"good point." From that day on C2 made an effort to include me. Too bad it's too late. The others have ignored me the past two weeks and the filthy mouths are also back with a vengeance. It's as though I am invisible.
Remember my interview back on March 1? Well...
On April 3, the LTC OPS from Region 2 called me and asked if I would like to come work for him. Yay, I received my transfer and just got 10 hours of my life back!!! No more traveling 46.5 miles one way to work. Nor do I have to put up with 8 intensely bad male attitudes. Even Q speaks to me now that the end of tolerating me is near. 10 months and I can count on one hand how many times he's spoken to me. He even had another guy call me on my phone to tell me what he wanted done when he was "acting" TMII so he didn't have to speak to me.
At this point, I am smiling everyday at work, which is highly unusual, and really irritates the guys, which makes me smile more. Even one of the other guys from P26 informed me that there is a "spring" in my step.
The guys have been a bit perturbed since learning about my interview last month and one guy has been asking me everyday if I've heard anything. I finally shut that irritating behavior down one day by not even looking up from my phone and answering a succinct "no" and sighing real loud after answering, he quit asking me after that.
April 9-13 - was so miserable it's not even funny when working with 8 cranky guys. I still smiled. M-24 asked if I was taking Friday off. I said no and later thought what a great idea. the next day I asked for Friday off. I got a cranky answer of "well, we were going to do something nice for you."
Oh please please stop the hypocrisy!!!...I thought to myself. Anything "nice" from these guys is subject to a high sense of unease. Long story short on this subject, I got to attend a highly awkward lunch on Thursday that barely anyone attended. ugh. The TMII paid for my lunch, which is like taking food from someone evil and I would have rather paid for it myself. I did choose a place that I believed no one would go to: Pho 777. The food was good even though someone not very nice paid for it and it wasn't easy to eat because of that.
That was Thursday. Let me back up a bit.
Surprise among surprises, after setting traffic for the center wall replacement work this week and K volunteering to go with J2, he's better with a guy so as not to look so bad with the men, I was placed on the center wall replacement crew. I was not happy about this as I had plans for being at the shop and had my work week planned for that and I had many things in my head that I wanted to get done there. Nope. C2 and I got placed on the A-Team. grrrr. C2 was so happy I thought he was going to float away he was so happy.
After spending the day at the center wall on the second day I also got to run the loader to move concrete barriers. Boy, I was not happy about that at all. We have traffic illegally traveling at 90mph and you want a newb moving tons of concrete??? OMG!!! This training would have been better done at the shop when they were loading and unloading the forms for crying out loud. That way there would be no chance of the barriers swinging wildly with a chance of hitting a car or pushing a coworker out into traffic! Geez, these guys have no common sense at all when it comes to training safely. I did get the barriers moved back in place safely with no mishaps for anyone.
The next day (Wed) they also had me move the barriers for the morning concrete pour. M2 informed me that I did well I just need to be faster since there is a time crunch and I barely got this done in time before the concrete truck arrived. After the pour, I was asked if I wanted to move the barriers by the TMII and I succinctly said "no." It was pretty funny he was like "what???" I said "don't ask just tell, you asked if it's something I wanted to do, I don't want to do it." He said "ok, at least we got you on it a little and are familiar with how to move forms." He then told the guy who's been doing it from the beginning to do it. I swear these guys have no sense of when training needs to safely happen.
The rest of Wed and all of Thursday we are stuck at the shop doing busy work because of the high fire danger that a spark from anything even a car engine can create a fire. These guys smoke a lot and that says enough about that. but talk about even more cranky I am so thankful that I am taking Friday off it's not even funny.
K was sent to pick up supplies which was a cluster and I thought the TMIII was going to get a bad migraine from it all. I just laughed inside, a lot.
Thursday's lunch as mentioned above was very awkward. J2, myself, TMII, TMIII, TMIII-P24,26 attended.
I finished washing 3804 and happily cleaned out my locker. I gave original sketches to R-P24 - Greenland sketch , my LTC Ops here - Franktown sketch, and my TMIII - Happy Canyon sketch (I tried to match the road areas to the men), as thank you's for believing in me even though no one else at P25 did or does. I've learned a lot here. Sadly mostly about the male human nature instead of training even the TMII admitted in a meeting that he hasn't trained like he should. Geez that wasn't smart of him in front of everyone. Oh well, these cranky guys have been fairly easy to read as they are very predictable and I am happy to be leaving and they are happy to see me gone. I have a peace about it.
It's amazing to me that just one year ago I sat down with my TMII in Nederland and created this plan. He asked me what do you want? I at first said I don't know. He kept repeating what do you want? I said to get closer to home. He said ok, then let's make a plan. He said what's closest to your home? I said Castle Rock was the closest. He said, uh-oh, you don't really want to go there but they do know guardrail. They are the best in the state when it comes to guardrail. I said Castle Rock is closest right now. He said Ok. Let's do it and hope for the best. He informed me to be honest with my knowledge(which was very little) and to be open in any interview my plan to get closer to home. We came up with a plan and almost to the very day it has become a reality. I am truly humbled.
Send me all the news,
Love, L
Friday, March 30, 2018
Random thoughts...
I've been thinking about my biological father lately. He passed away on January 25, 2018. We were not close and his second wife never liked us keeping in touch. He once confided in his sister who informed me that it made home life "easier" to not keep in touch. Her oldest son back in 2009 made contact which she nixed as well.
I did not go to the funeral out of respect for his second wife and her insecurity regarding my father's first family. It's sad and a bit disappointing that I did not attend as I am extremely curious what people said about him. I'm pretty certain it's not the same thoughts that I have. I would like to keep in touch with my brothers too--I won't due to the circumstance of her being insecure and my respect for her as a human being and this insecurity. I plan to visit Dad's grave in Texas to pay my respects even though by his actions his first wife, my brother and myself were easy to "throw away."
He was an interesting man and though highly intelligent he was not smart with his life. He did some amazing things and worked for Ampex International. The first Olympics he worked were the 1976 Montreal Olympics. He was really good at working and he worked hard. That is the best thing I can say about him. He drank a lot of alcohol too.
In 1973, he was sent to Red China now known as The People's Republic of China. He was one of the first Western people to enter China since they closed their borders in 1911. His visa was #48. He was part of a diplomatic exchange and was to work two weeks and fix television electronic equipment. This was a time when Nixon was President and was working to open relations with them on trade and tourism. Dad was very good at his job and fixed the equipment he was assigned in 3 days. He then started fixing other equipment as he had two weeks to do his job and he later told me he thought "what the heck I don't have anything else to do for two weeks." After the two weeks was up he went to the airport to catch his flight. He was met by the Chinese Secret Service and what happened next was quite amusing or amazing or unbelievable. China revoked his Visa and essentially kidnapped my father. They made him stay and work on additional equipment that no one knew how to fix.
He has amazing photos of this country. He is the only white guy in any of the photos as the tourism trade was non-existent at this time in China. The Great Wall of China, the Forbidden Palace and he was one of the first Westerners to see the famous Chinese Acrobats. He was in Peking now known as Bejiing. They even gave him a coolio expensive camera to capture all of these experiences. He informed me that every wish he had they fulfilled (I can only imagine -- insert deep sarcasm here). He also told me that he got very bored and sometimes he would drop his glass that he was drinking from late at night out his window (go figure -- that was Dad). He said one night it never landed. He told me he never went anywhere alone and he got a kick out of loosing the Secret Service guys. He informed me one shift would take it as a challenge and find "the hunt" challenging. Another shift was smart and wouldn't give a crap, station one guy at the airport and the rest drank, smoked and played poker. He said that even though he was lost in one of the biggest cities in the world he knew eventually the Secret Service would find him and take him back to his hotel or he would eventually find his way back. I bet they shit bricks when he ditched them the first time!! It makes me laugh to think of it. He eventually ended up having 12 men watching (escorting) him. He said it was a strange kind of prison because he was in the lap of luxury but was unable to do anything alone or what he wanted. Someone was always watching him and it was creepy.
Back home, Mom was wondering when she was going to get her husband back. As a young child, I can remember being frightened and that the authorities kept telling us it would be another two weeks another two weeks and another two weeks. Two weeks ended up being over 3 months. Finally, Mom had had enough of the empty governmental promises and called Dad's boss and threatened to go to the media in 3 days if her husband wasn't returned. I don't know who Dad's boss eventually spoke to or how "high" up the "issue" of my father being kidnapped went but the minute Mom mentioned the media, suddenly Dad was home, showing us these amazing photos of this beautiful country and no foreigners in the photos at all but him. He brought me and my brother a toy that when operated correctly whistles. I still have it. It's not an easy toy to operate, my brother and I were eventually very good at it. I also have some chopsticks and a tea set that he brought back and gave to my Grandmother, which I eventually received upon her passing. My mother and I recently found some beautiful silk fabric that he brought back from that same "trip", which I also now have.
Some day perhaps, maybe, I think I would like to take a trip to China and perhaps visit the places he went and additional ones. I would like to speak to the people he met, who "watched" him. Plus I would like to see their textile industry. This trip would be a "bucket list" trip and one that will most likely never come to fruition, just fun to imagine and I doubt they'd want to keep me. I'm just a snowplow driver. LOL
It's amazing and frightening what governmental powers can do to a normal person, isn't it?
side note: China still had to show how powerful they were/are and waited another two weeks before sending my Dad home. Ironic, huh?
second side note: I would want my trip to be two weeks...yeah, I get the irony of it too.
I did not go to the funeral out of respect for his second wife and her insecurity regarding my father's first family. It's sad and a bit disappointing that I did not attend as I am extremely curious what people said about him. I'm pretty certain it's not the same thoughts that I have. I would like to keep in touch with my brothers too--I won't due to the circumstance of her being insecure and my respect for her as a human being and this insecurity. I plan to visit Dad's grave in Texas to pay my respects even though by his actions his first wife, my brother and myself were easy to "throw away."
He was an interesting man and though highly intelligent he was not smart with his life. He did some amazing things and worked for Ampex International. The first Olympics he worked were the 1976 Montreal Olympics. He was really good at working and he worked hard. That is the best thing I can say about him. He drank a lot of alcohol too.
In 1973, he was sent to Red China now known as The People's Republic of China. He was one of the first Western people to enter China since they closed their borders in 1911. His visa was #48. He was part of a diplomatic exchange and was to work two weeks and fix television electronic equipment. This was a time when Nixon was President and was working to open relations with them on trade and tourism. Dad was very good at his job and fixed the equipment he was assigned in 3 days. He then started fixing other equipment as he had two weeks to do his job and he later told me he thought "what the heck I don't have anything else to do for two weeks." After the two weeks was up he went to the airport to catch his flight. He was met by the Chinese Secret Service and what happened next was quite amusing or amazing or unbelievable. China revoked his Visa and essentially kidnapped my father. They made him stay and work on additional equipment that no one knew how to fix.
He has amazing photos of this country. He is the only white guy in any of the photos as the tourism trade was non-existent at this time in China. The Great Wall of China, the Forbidden Palace and he was one of the first Westerners to see the famous Chinese Acrobats. He was in Peking now known as Bejiing. They even gave him a coolio expensive camera to capture all of these experiences. He informed me that every wish he had they fulfilled (I can only imagine -- insert deep sarcasm here). He also told me that he got very bored and sometimes he would drop his glass that he was drinking from late at night out his window (go figure -- that was Dad). He said one night it never landed. He told me he never went anywhere alone and he got a kick out of loosing the Secret Service guys. He informed me one shift would take it as a challenge and find "the hunt" challenging. Another shift was smart and wouldn't give a crap, station one guy at the airport and the rest drank, smoked and played poker. He said that even though he was lost in one of the biggest cities in the world he knew eventually the Secret Service would find him and take him back to his hotel or he would eventually find his way back. I bet they shit bricks when he ditched them the first time!! It makes me laugh to think of it. He eventually ended up having 12 men watching (escorting) him. He said it was a strange kind of prison because he was in the lap of luxury but was unable to do anything alone or what he wanted. Someone was always watching him and it was creepy.
Back home, Mom was wondering when she was going to get her husband back. As a young child, I can remember being frightened and that the authorities kept telling us it would be another two weeks another two weeks and another two weeks. Two weeks ended up being over 3 months. Finally, Mom had had enough of the empty governmental promises and called Dad's boss and threatened to go to the media in 3 days if her husband wasn't returned. I don't know who Dad's boss eventually spoke to or how "high" up the "issue" of my father being kidnapped went but the minute Mom mentioned the media, suddenly Dad was home, showing us these amazing photos of this beautiful country and no foreigners in the photos at all but him. He brought me and my brother a toy that when operated correctly whistles. I still have it. It's not an easy toy to operate, my brother and I were eventually very good at it. I also have some chopsticks and a tea set that he brought back and gave to my Grandmother, which I eventually received upon her passing. My mother and I recently found some beautiful silk fabric that he brought back from that same "trip", which I also now have.
Some day perhaps, maybe, I think I would like to take a trip to China and perhaps visit the places he went and additional ones. I would like to speak to the people he met, who "watched" him. Plus I would like to see their textile industry. This trip would be a "bucket list" trip and one that will most likely never come to fruition, just fun to imagine and I doubt they'd want to keep me. I'm just a snowplow driver. LOL
It's amazing and frightening what governmental powers can do to a normal person, isn't it?
side note: China still had to show how powerful they were/are and waited another two weeks before sending my Dad home. Ironic, huh?
second side note: I would want my trip to be two weeks...yeah, I get the irony of it too.
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Dear Friend...
I have just completed two days of snow shift, 12 hours each at night.
The first night was great as I got to plow 6-8 inches of nice wet snow. I loved it. I love watching the rooster tail fly off the plows. It's great fun. One must be careful when passing a vehicle or bridge deck and we slow down when we do as this as heavy snow can cause quite the damage plus it's very blinding on a windshield and you never know who is below on the underpass of a bridge deck. I was in the number 3 position so my truck was pushing a lot of snow by the time the number 1 & 2 pushed their snow over to me. At times my truck got behind don't know how K stayed up with us in the number 4 position at times he got behind too.
This night was also so dark we could hardly see where we were going. Our lights are LED lights and do not melt the snow off like the old ones used to, and this darkens the roadway even more along with blinding blowing snow. side note: LED lights need to go away for vehicles as they are not as great as everyone believes. At one point as I was plowing on/off ramps and meeting up with the guys later I was wandering down Happy Canyon wondering why I was so close to on-coming traffic turns out I was plowing the number one lane when I should have been on the number 4 lane. I was following the prior plows path and later after speaking with the guys that's exactly what happened with them too. Their comments were they had never seen it so dark. Usually there are reflections from the snow from lights, etc, not on this night. Yikes, no wonder the drivers behind me kept back tonight.
The next night, nightshift got assigned washing trucks and sanders since the weather was about 60 degrees this day and the snow melted and is mostly gone. That's why I love it here, snow one day, sunny and warm the next. I was sent down to the truck wash to safety wash my truck and sander. With a safety wash you are to get all the preliminary sand salt mixture off your truck as it will rust the metal on the truck and that's bad. I washed my truck for 2.5 hours and still didn't get all the dirt and muck and grim off and this is just the preliminary wash. Every time I do this I am mesmerized by the water and I think of all the nations and people that have no water and how spoiled we are in the United States as people will call and complain if we do not clear the road for them to speed by. I cringe and bear the burden of washing the truck all the while thinking about people who are thirsty and the land that is dry. It truly humbles me.
We then pull the sanders out of the trucks which is a dangerous business as these things are very top heavy and can easily tip over on top of someone if you are not very careful. Plus the trucks have lots of blind spots and are also very heavy and someone can get hurt very easily with these too. One must be ever watchful and alert when working with such large equipment. Once the sander is pulled the truck and sander are thoroughly hand scrubbed with soap and water and we use long handled scrub brushes to do this and then thoroughly rinse everything. We got 3 trucks/sanders done. So much water...sigh.
The night crew guys are pleasant to work with (they usually are - it's during the daytime that they change as they don't want to be thrown out of the "boys club" for enjoying working with me) and we laugh and joke throughout the night. We joke about the prior night's work and grumpiness as Q got sent to the mountains to "help" out and he was not happy about this especially since they don't really need the help. C2 was grumpy about J2 telling him how to do his job and the general nag-i-ness of the guys. Ironic that I'm not accused of this. C2 joked that he listens to me more than his own wife, we both laughed at this and I said yeah but to be fair I rarely talk here so when I speak it's usually to ask a question not nag.
It's a long night but the good news for me is I get the next 4.5 days off since I was on weekend duty last weekend unless snow shift is called, which it should be. I am watching it snow/rain out my window now. Although, we have lots of red-tagged trucks and plows so I was informed that even if snow shift is called I probably don't have a truck to drive anyway. I will only be called in if they have a dire need, which since we are only expecting flurries I get to stay home. Yay, me.
That's it for now. Send me all the news.
Love, L
The first night was great as I got to plow 6-8 inches of nice wet snow. I loved it. I love watching the rooster tail fly off the plows. It's great fun. One must be careful when passing a vehicle or bridge deck and we slow down when we do as this as heavy snow can cause quite the damage plus it's very blinding on a windshield and you never know who is below on the underpass of a bridge deck. I was in the number 3 position so my truck was pushing a lot of snow by the time the number 1 & 2 pushed their snow over to me. At times my truck got behind don't know how K stayed up with us in the number 4 position at times he got behind too.
This night was also so dark we could hardly see where we were going. Our lights are LED lights and do not melt the snow off like the old ones used to, and this darkens the roadway even more along with blinding blowing snow. side note: LED lights need to go away for vehicles as they are not as great as everyone believes. At one point as I was plowing on/off ramps and meeting up with the guys later I was wandering down Happy Canyon wondering why I was so close to on-coming traffic turns out I was plowing the number one lane when I should have been on the number 4 lane. I was following the prior plows path and later after speaking with the guys that's exactly what happened with them too. Their comments were they had never seen it so dark. Usually there are reflections from the snow from lights, etc, not on this night. Yikes, no wonder the drivers behind me kept back tonight.
The next night, nightshift got assigned washing trucks and sanders since the weather was about 60 degrees this day and the snow melted and is mostly gone. That's why I love it here, snow one day, sunny and warm the next. I was sent down to the truck wash to safety wash my truck and sander. With a safety wash you are to get all the preliminary sand salt mixture off your truck as it will rust the metal on the truck and that's bad. I washed my truck for 2.5 hours and still didn't get all the dirt and muck and grim off and this is just the preliminary wash. Every time I do this I am mesmerized by the water and I think of all the nations and people that have no water and how spoiled we are in the United States as people will call and complain if we do not clear the road for them to speed by. I cringe and bear the burden of washing the truck all the while thinking about people who are thirsty and the land that is dry. It truly humbles me.
We then pull the sanders out of the trucks which is a dangerous business as these things are very top heavy and can easily tip over on top of someone if you are not very careful. Plus the trucks have lots of blind spots and are also very heavy and someone can get hurt very easily with these too. One must be ever watchful and alert when working with such large equipment. Once the sander is pulled the truck and sander are thoroughly hand scrubbed with soap and water and we use long handled scrub brushes to do this and then thoroughly rinse everything. We got 3 trucks/sanders done. So much water...sigh.
The night crew guys are pleasant to work with (they usually are - it's during the daytime that they change as they don't want to be thrown out of the "boys club" for enjoying working with me) and we laugh and joke throughout the night. We joke about the prior night's work and grumpiness as Q got sent to the mountains to "help" out and he was not happy about this especially since they don't really need the help. C2 was grumpy about J2 telling him how to do his job and the general nag-i-ness of the guys. Ironic that I'm not accused of this. C2 joked that he listens to me more than his own wife, we both laughed at this and I said yeah but to be fair I rarely talk here so when I speak it's usually to ask a question not nag.
It's a long night but the good news for me is I get the next 4.5 days off since I was on weekend duty last weekend unless snow shift is called, which it should be. I am watching it snow/rain out my window now. Although, we have lots of red-tagged trucks and plows so I was informed that even if snow shift is called I probably don't have a truck to drive anyway. I will only be called in if they have a dire need, which since we are only expecting flurries I get to stay home. Yay, me.
That's it for now. Send me all the news.
Love, L
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Dear Friend...
just completed weekend shift with one of the guys from Patrol 03. I learned lots and should have written down some of it so I won't look so stupid if I get a transfer to a new Region. My patrol is so big that it does things a bit differently than the others. Oh well, hindsight is always 20/20.
The only tiring thing about weekend shift is that you work at least 10 days straight and if snowshift gets called it can be even longer.
And the bratty thing about weekend shift is that the "Courtesy Patrol" boys think it's funny to make fake calls to the CSP about things being in the road that are on opposite ends of our territory right before quitting time on Sunday. GRRR. Yeah, it's not funny.
Today they called about a fake box at I-25 & 168 and some real re-tread tire strips at the 172 and then debris on 225 and Mississippi. The box was not real the tire tread was there but on the side of the road and not necessary for it to be called in and then unknown to them we had already checked 225 and Mississippi debris, which they called in at the same time as the 168 and 172 issues. I did stop and pick up the tire tread even though it wasn't in the way.
Side note: retreads are very dangerous and I don't believe that they should be made anymore.
We also picked up a huge couch and love seat this morning. JL and I joked about the conversation the "man and wife" that lost the couch and love seat had, 'cause J is like, "don't they know they lost this stuff?" and I said, "sure they do. The conversation goes like this...wife: honey stop we lost our couch and love seat and a bunch of pillows, stop...stop...stop. Husband: I'm not stopping. We will just replace it. Wife: (after a ways) yeah, I guess."
J is all quiet and then laughs and says, "Yeah, he already loaded it up once and ain't doin' it again." We laugh and then pick up all this stuff.
Yesterday we had to pick up a doe. I bid her peace. Thankfully it was a fairly quiet day.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
The only tiring thing about weekend shift is that you work at least 10 days straight and if snowshift gets called it can be even longer.
And the bratty thing about weekend shift is that the "Courtesy Patrol" boys think it's funny to make fake calls to the CSP about things being in the road that are on opposite ends of our territory right before quitting time on Sunday. GRRR. Yeah, it's not funny.
Today they called about a fake box at I-25 & 168 and some real re-tread tire strips at the 172 and then debris on 225 and Mississippi. The box was not real the tire tread was there but on the side of the road and not necessary for it to be called in and then unknown to them we had already checked 225 and Mississippi debris, which they called in at the same time as the 168 and 172 issues. I did stop and pick up the tire tread even though it wasn't in the way.
Side note: retreads are very dangerous and I don't believe that they should be made anymore.
We also picked up a huge couch and love seat this morning. JL and I joked about the conversation the "man and wife" that lost the couch and love seat had, 'cause J is like, "don't they know they lost this stuff?" and I said, "sure they do. The conversation goes like this...wife: honey stop we lost our couch and love seat and a bunch of pillows, stop...stop...stop. Husband: I'm not stopping. We will just replace it. Wife: (after a ways) yeah, I guess."
J is all quiet and then laughs and says, "Yeah, he already loaded it up once and ain't doin' it again." We laugh and then pick up all this stuff.
Yesterday we had to pick up a doe. I bid her peace. Thankfully it was a fairly quiet day.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
Wednesday, March 21, 2018
Dear Friend...
today I did one of my favorite things which was to grease trucks and plows. They are supposed to be greased after every snowstorm. This doesn't happen all the time because either another snowstorm comes in or some other event happens that needs attended plus no one but me likes to grease trucks. I like it because it gets me away and yet I can watch and listen to what happens around the shop. Today was a bit different as everyone was gone but me. All doing other work someplace else. I still enjoyed it.
I did start the day out potholing with Patrol 08 and then when done there broke down in my attenuator on the way back to my patrol. It over heated because the belt ripped apart. Sat on the side of the road for about an hour and then the mechanic came and put a new belt on.
Not a whole lot of anything to report.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
I did start the day out potholing with Patrol 08 and then when done there broke down in my attenuator on the way back to my patrol. It over heated because the belt ripped apart. Sat on the side of the road for about an hour and then the mechanic came and put a new belt on.
Not a whole lot of anything to report.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
Random Thoughts...
sometimes I am surprised at how overwhelmed I am by my sadness and then there are days like today that I am happy to be me and I dance in the parking lot at work --- when no one is looking of course.
-Although I have a theory that there is always someone watching.
Quotes and ideas from the movie Elizabethtown:
Do you sometimes feel like you're the substitute person? What does this mean exactly? I'm not really certain.
"Men see things in a box, women see things in a round room."
"I'm impossible to forget, but I'm hard to remember." I especially like this quote as I feel like this a lot
-Although I have a theory that there is always someone watching.
Quotes and ideas from the movie Elizabethtown:
Do you sometimes feel like you're the substitute person? What does this mean exactly? I'm not really certain.
"Men see things in a box, women see things in a round room."
"I'm impossible to forget, but I'm hard to remember." I especially like this quote as I feel like this a lot
Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Dear Friend...
Thursday night to Friday morning ends up being more interesting than expected. We are the one of the very few working this night and it decides to snow in the southern and western parts of the Region. Since we are the ones in we get to go plow snow. Monument hill has about 6 inches and I get sent down to provide back up to Lake Gulch Road and am asked to continue further and then head over to Hwy 83. I am in a new-to-me plow truck that has a wing. I take County Line Road over to 83 and am shocked at the snow.
Even though this isn't our road and some people are real sticklers for not plowing roads that don't belong to them (which answers a long time question of mine) I decide to plow this road as it will give me good practice for using a wing plow as they are tricky. I head over to 83 which has no snow. It was an interesting little snow storm. Most areas were dry. Monument hill got 6 inches, Hwy 67 about 6 inches and the rest was clear, I got to practice with the wing plow as I would definitely need it for what was to come on Sunday.
Sunday rolls around and snowshift is called. We wonder why and later didn't need to wonder at all as my Patrol was blasted with about 10 inches of snow. We had crazy drivers everywhere as they still think they can go 90mph. This snow was wet and heavy and the flakes were as big as a quarter or more. I had a lot of fun and was tense with stupid drivers that like to drive right next to me or right behind. You are supposed to stay 500 feet behind and if you don't know how far that is that's about 13.5 skip lines which are the white dashes on the road. That's a long way behind people.
At one point, I was so tense from a driver that I accidentally brought my wing up as I try to keep my thumb on the button just in case it needed to come up because of a car or other object in the road or the road narrowing. I put it back down after noticing. It was fun to see the rail guys run as we had to blast snow over the wall to get it off the road and they were working this night. We tried to slow down so it wouldn't go over but there was just so much snow that there was no place to put it.
It's now Tuesday and the snow is now gone. That's what I love it about here as we are to get into the 70 degrees by tomorrow and that melts the snow pretty quick.
I got lucky with the wing truck because at one point I forgot it was down and was on a narrow on ramp and I didn't hear any scrapes like I should have if there wasn't any room for it. I leave the window all the way down on that side to listen for stuff like that. We plowed so much snow off the road it was incredible and fun. Love the nightshift crew.
Of note before shift we all got into trouble from the previous week because we didn't Zonar our trucks. Only one guy did. Boy was the TMIII not happy about it. He gave us all "the look." You know the one where you just want to crawl into a hole and hide because he's right and you are very, very wrong. Wouldn't you know it this is the first and only time I did not Zonar (eletronic pre/post-trip). My TMII admitted to laughing at me a little inside as he knew I was up Sh*t Creek without a paddle for my actions and thought it was funny as he knew it was the only time I had done this. He's right to laugh at me and I certainly deserved being laughed at no matter if it was quietly inside like he did. I almost feel part of the patrol that he was able to say this in front of the guys.
Ironic, that doing something wrong almost, almost makes me part of the crew.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
Even though this isn't our road and some people are real sticklers for not plowing roads that don't belong to them (which answers a long time question of mine) I decide to plow this road as it will give me good practice for using a wing plow as they are tricky. I head over to 83 which has no snow. It was an interesting little snow storm. Most areas were dry. Monument hill got 6 inches, Hwy 67 about 6 inches and the rest was clear, I got to practice with the wing plow as I would definitely need it for what was to come on Sunday.
Sunday rolls around and snowshift is called. We wonder why and later didn't need to wonder at all as my Patrol was blasted with about 10 inches of snow. We had crazy drivers everywhere as they still think they can go 90mph. This snow was wet and heavy and the flakes were as big as a quarter or more. I had a lot of fun and was tense with stupid drivers that like to drive right next to me or right behind. You are supposed to stay 500 feet behind and if you don't know how far that is that's about 13.5 skip lines which are the white dashes on the road. That's a long way behind people.
At one point, I was so tense from a driver that I accidentally brought my wing up as I try to keep my thumb on the button just in case it needed to come up because of a car or other object in the road or the road narrowing. I put it back down after noticing. It was fun to see the rail guys run as we had to blast snow over the wall to get it off the road and they were working this night. We tried to slow down so it wouldn't go over but there was just so much snow that there was no place to put it.
It's now Tuesday and the snow is now gone. That's what I love it about here as we are to get into the 70 degrees by tomorrow and that melts the snow pretty quick.
I got lucky with the wing truck because at one point I forgot it was down and was on a narrow on ramp and I didn't hear any scrapes like I should have if there wasn't any room for it. I leave the window all the way down on that side to listen for stuff like that. We plowed so much snow off the road it was incredible and fun. Love the nightshift crew.
Of note before shift we all got into trouble from the previous week because we didn't Zonar our trucks. Only one guy did. Boy was the TMIII not happy about it. He gave us all "the look." You know the one where you just want to crawl into a hole and hide because he's right and you are very, very wrong. Wouldn't you know it this is the first and only time I did not Zonar (eletronic pre/post-trip). My TMII admitted to laughing at me a little inside as he knew I was up Sh*t Creek without a paddle for my actions and thought it was funny as he knew it was the only time I had done this. He's right to laugh at me and I certainly deserved being laughed at no matter if it was quietly inside like he did. I almost feel part of the patrol that he was able to say this in front of the guys.
Ironic, that doing something wrong almost, almost makes me part of the crew.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Dear Friend...
I am in the attenuator this night too.
The whole crew head up to patrol 08 to do our time as this is the only computer available at this time. We have to do this as unfortunately, the computers for the whole Company have been down due to an unfortunate worm virus being introduced to the system. I suspect a "higher up" visiting or opening a photo that they should not have been looking at especially since it's been kept very quiet as to where the virus came from. It's not even in the media and these things are very easy to track from where it came and who introduced it. Shame shame, plus imagine the tax dollars that it just cost you and me. That's what irritates me the most that and the quietness of it all. I have an inquiring mind and am curious as to "who did it."
As we are at P08, I find that I will be farmed out to them to give safety coverage while they are potholing. We work through the night till 1:30am. Potholing is not an easy job and I admire the stamina my coworkers have of the continuous work they have done this night. Plus we have the added danger of the high volume of traffic that Denver Metro provides. It's still busy at 1:30am, in fact all night and early morning.
Where are all you people going? And really, what are you all doing at this time? Nothings open.
Go to sleep people!
We take a quick lunch break and back to potholing. I am informed that after the last southbound pothole I am free to head back to my patrol. I inform MS I am now available and am told to give coverage to C1 and K. My patrol has also worked like they are demon possessed as they are almost finished with sweeping the whole inside wall of our area and a bit more. Don't know what we will do for the next two nights but it'll either be interesting or unpleasant as there doesn't seem to be any middle ground here at all.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
The whole crew head up to patrol 08 to do our time as this is the only computer available at this time. We have to do this as unfortunately, the computers for the whole Company have been down due to an unfortunate worm virus being introduced to the system. I suspect a "higher up" visiting or opening a photo that they should not have been looking at especially since it's been kept very quiet as to where the virus came from. It's not even in the media and these things are very easy to track from where it came and who introduced it. Shame shame, plus imagine the tax dollars that it just cost you and me. That's what irritates me the most that and the quietness of it all. I have an inquiring mind and am curious as to "who did it."
As we are at P08, I find that I will be farmed out to them to give safety coverage while they are potholing. We work through the night till 1:30am. Potholing is not an easy job and I admire the stamina my coworkers have of the continuous work they have done this night. Plus we have the added danger of the high volume of traffic that Denver Metro provides. It's still busy at 1:30am, in fact all night and early morning.
Where are all you people going? And really, what are you all doing at this time? Nothings open.
Go to sleep people!
We take a quick lunch break and back to potholing. I am informed that after the last southbound pothole I am free to head back to my patrol. I inform MS I am now available and am told to give coverage to C1 and K. My patrol has also worked like they are demon possessed as they are almost finished with sweeping the whole inside wall of our area and a bit more. Don't know what we will do for the next two nights but it'll either be interesting or unpleasant as there doesn't seem to be any middle ground here at all.
Send me all the news.
Love, L
Tuesday, March 13, 2018
Dear Friend...
funny thing happened at work during night shift this week. I scared the bejeebers out of K.
Anyway, nightshift is a bit creepy around the place as its dark there's lots of large dark equipment creeking as the metal of it slowly goes cold and creepy shadows that the equipment casts all add to the atmosphere and others have talked about strange stuff happening in Patrol Shed 24.
K and I both have to go over to 24 to obtain keys to equipment we will be using. He goes first and does not know I am a ways behind him. The shed is dark and he opens the door and turns on the light. I hurry before the door closes behind him to catch it so I don't have to key card in. Unknown to me he says,"Hello. anybody home? Lucy I'm here, Anybody here???"
As I catch the door I loudly say,"HA!" happy that I caught the door in time before it closes behind him.
K is so scared out of his wits he jumps two feet in the air and turns white as a ghost. It's so funny I'm laughing so hard as I write this I'm crying and when it happened. He turns and happily finds that it's just me. The look on his face is one of terror as he has no clue who just answered him when he wasn't expecting an answer. He is relieved to see that it's only me.
Later that night as I have to restart 24's attenuator to use it MS scares the bejeebers outta me as I am in the back that is not a lit area and not expecting anyone to be around as I get down from my attenuator to unplug it and put the plug away the door blocks my view for a second and there is a looming shadow coming at me down the alleyway between the two main buildings. I scream and then I'm embarrassed when I notice it's just MS. This was all two nights ago. Last night MS joking says hey don't scream again, ok? because I'm going to go this way (use the alleyway) and it's just me.
that's it for now.
Love, L
Anyway, nightshift is a bit creepy around the place as its dark there's lots of large dark equipment creeking as the metal of it slowly goes cold and creepy shadows that the equipment casts all add to the atmosphere and others have talked about strange stuff happening in Patrol Shed 24.
K and I both have to go over to 24 to obtain keys to equipment we will be using. He goes first and does not know I am a ways behind him. The shed is dark and he opens the door and turns on the light. I hurry before the door closes behind him to catch it so I don't have to key card in. Unknown to me he says,"Hello. anybody home? Lucy I'm here, Anybody here???"
As I catch the door I loudly say,"HA!" happy that I caught the door in time before it closes behind him.
K is so scared out of his wits he jumps two feet in the air and turns white as a ghost. It's so funny I'm laughing so hard as I write this I'm crying and when it happened. He turns and happily finds that it's just me. The look on his face is one of terror as he has no clue who just answered him when he wasn't expecting an answer. He is relieved to see that it's only me.
Later that night as I have to restart 24's attenuator to use it MS scares the bejeebers outta me as I am in the back that is not a lit area and not expecting anyone to be around as I get down from my attenuator to unplug it and put the plug away the door blocks my view for a second and there is a looming shadow coming at me down the alleyway between the two main buildings. I scream and then I'm embarrassed when I notice it's just MS. This was all two nights ago. Last night MS joking says hey don't scream again, ok? because I'm going to go this way (use the alleyway) and it's just me.
that's it for now.
Love, L
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