Not a lot going on here. The coolest snow activity this winter season was plowing snow during a snow cyclone that we had. It was fun and dangerous all at the same time. No one should have been out and there were lots of people out. Interesting thing, if you go past a closed road barrier and have to be rescued you will be charged for your rescue (unless you die, ahem). There were six snow cats being used for rescues and it still wasn't enough. Four more were called to come in from other areas. The only thing is, it takes time to move equipment around.
...and..more recent...
Life has had it's ups and downs. Once again, I am singing the same old song and wondering "what the heck am I doing here?"
I was once wisely told that I bring change in a good way wherever I go, and with that change, it makes for a trying life for me. Truer words were never spoken.
The winter season is essentially over and now we concentrate on making our roads snow and ice worthy (safe), for lack of better wording.
In just the past 3 weeks I got to:
- be an eyewitness to an amazing accident in where I actually saw the semi-tractor trailer get hit on the side back passenger area, which caused a tremendous sound, and rolled the whole tractor trailer with cab onto it's side. I thought I'd be checking on a very hurt driver for both vehicles and miraculously neither driver was terribly injured. Both walked away. Unfortunately, the law gave the ticket to the tractor trailer guy, which was the wrong person in my view as he was almost through the intersection when the dump truck with pup trailer hit him. Reminder, just because you have a green light doesn't mean you have the right away. People who are turning get to finish their turn even if you get the green while they are turning. Anyway, the law was having a tough time not showing a big ego.
- my snowplow has been deliberately disabled by "someone" twice within two-weeks, if it's management I hope they kept a record of it and disabled 3 other working snowplows from 3 different patrols to show non-bias. If it's a co-worker doing this, it's not very funny.
- "The company" issued a couple of "prime directives," which the first one has caused my job to be 3 times more dangerous, and the second PD just causes animosity, dissent, and negativity since "the company" completely exempted themselves from it. Which was silly because State law exempts everyone from it. So the whole thing is moot anyway, and very pointless unless the point was to cause negativity. Then I say good job, point thoroughly accomplished.
- next, I innocently asked our safety officer a question about the "prime directive" that causes my job to be more dangerous, and my LTC OPS was present and upset that I had done so and called my TMII to take me to task and blew the situation totally out of proportion. My TMII informed me that I was NOT to speak to the safety officer anymore and that the only people I need ever speak to would be him, my TMIII, and my LTC OPS, which is total phony baloney. Essentially, I was being bullied by my TMII with permission from the LTC OPS, and both should know better.
Don't know what to do about the last issue because if I say something then I will be targeted at work with the excuse that I should be doing my job and that the "targeting" means nothing and management has every right to "target" me to make certain I can do my job. I've seen some of the men they've hired here that have left (and that still work here) and I am a much better worker than most of them and yet, they would still be chosen over me to work here. Being targeted like this does not make your employee better, it causes anxiety.
I did inform my TMII that I had every right to speak to whomever I wish regarding work and most especially our safety officer and that he was trying to make his issue mine and that I was not going to allow him to make his problem mine. He bullied me like this in front of our TMIII and a coworker. I informed the TMIII at that moment that I did not appreciate how this was being handled and that I was not going to be bullied and that I may be speaking to HR about it.
Anyway, I hope things are going better your way.
Send me all the news,
L
Friday, May 17, 2019
Tuesday, November 20, 2018
Dear Friend...
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
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
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.
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