New title

I am now a full time employee, salaried and sitting at home, for a short while.

I just finished a stint at a plant in the south, testing their primary containment. I had eleven techs working with me, and supposedly for me.

Supposedly, because the little dears seldom accept the authority of any human living or dead.

It's a good thing they don't let me carry a club, or frustration might have led me to make a mistake. Not really, but I can dream, can't I?

We were testing the leakage from primary containment at design pressure in Loss of Coolant Accident conditions. The testing itself is pretty simple, put air in a pipe and see if it stays, if not, it's a maintenance problem.

The complexity comes with the accuracy required. We are testing in Standard Cubic Centimeters per Minute, and the Leak Rate Monitors are very expensive and accurate. The effects of temperature and changes in pressure will drive you to distraction. You can actually warm the plastic test line with your hand and change the leak rate. The leak rate tech needs to be able to understand the changes and decide when the leak rate is stable enough to take data.

All my problems were due to the personnel who were on the job. Slippery individuals that they are, some want to wander around when they should be available, that would be with out communicating with me. Not to mention, I had a few who were actively trying to undermine me as supervisor. Don't forget the one who didn't show up, or the one who showed up to get a badge, and get paid mobilization money, per-diem, and hours for getting a badge, just to "drag up" and go to the next job. We were staffed at sixteen techs, and ended with twelve.

The name of the game is roll with the punches, and we pulled it off. After several painful, for me, conversations with the little lambs, we got settled in, did the job, and left a good memory behind us.

Now I have to see if I can build a team and find us some more work.

Herding cats

I've learned some new ideas about work ethics.

Not adopted, by the way, just barely tolerated.

Such as; One and Done, Nothing New After Two, Nothing For Me After Three, Nothing More After Four.

Poor poetry, and not addressed in the schedule.

The "nuclear professionals" working for me have readily embraced these lyrical tenants.

I have found it virtually impossible to snap the tap root connecting their butts to the chairs in the break room.

The "one and done" is one work order per day. If that is one 24", 45 degree Rockwell globe isolation valve rebuild, it's a miracle or an alien intervention. If it happens to be a three quarter inch gate repack, somebody is taking a nap.

Unfortunately all of us are on a twelve hour schedule, and the "nothing new after two" means if I get done by two, I expect to sit in the break room until six thirty.

Let me be plain here. When I am on my tools, and the man gives me a work order and a brief, I get off my hind quarters, and go to work. The time doesn't matter, fair doesn't matter, what some one has or hasn't done doesn't matter, I have a contract that says I will be paid for the hours I work, so I work.

Not so my little lambs. I have given the task brief, asked for questions, given out the work order and then watched for an hour as the bull session continues.

I could have cooked an egg in the palm of my hand.

I got a news flash killer, if you get done at two and you will not accept more work, then you need to go home. If you don't want to work, you don't have too.

Those little poems display the attitude of "pay me but don't expect anything".

There are other games, Question it to death, only deal with one issue at a time (each separate issue requires a walk back to the break room and a break), and of course, I'm not qualified.

If someone brings me a problem, I will find them an answer, please use the phone. Our income depends on doing a better job than any of a dozen other contractors, and doing it in a timely and professional manner.

Childish poems do not a professional make.

I try to hold my temper, and mostly I can. Sometimes it just slops over the edges, and then we get the eruption. When we have a plan, don't change the plan with out telling me. I really hate having to explain why no one can be seen working on camera FOUR HOURS after I have ushered the entire crew through the briefs and sent them to work.

They thought they had a better idea......WRONG! That one slopped over the edges.

When an older team member decided to ignore safety and his work partner decided to let him, that went bad quick.

I have two levels of counseling on these matters, "a word of prayer" and "we're all gonna' come to Jesus"!

Ignoring safety will get you to the "come to Jesus" meeting quick.

I don't have the power to discipline, or fire. I can write a bad evaluation, which may effect pay or rehire. Unfortunately we can't get enough techs as it is.

So, for now, I will try to keep forcing my little kitty's into doing their jobs.

Working for a living isn't so bad, trying to get the unwilling to do their part sucks.

Thieving Government

I have been layed off for lack of work, a condition to be expected in my current career path.

So, unemployment?

Ain't happenin"!

It seems the new requirements that require income, in the claim state, in each of the last five quarters, will prevent me from ever filing a claim for unemployment payments, as long as I am a contract tech.

It will not prevent my employer from having to pay those taxes.

Thieving bastards.

Allergy

I have developed a positive allergy to shoe leather.

Every time some jackass sticks a boot in my butt,

I get a positive rash and a bad attitude!

Remember,,,,,, I'm from the south, I don't do hurry up!

The china shop dwelling bovine hired to apply said leather, avoids me.

When I see him, I put him to work helping me with the heavy lifting

You just have to make your weakness your strength.

A step back in time

This is a spooky place, particularly for a nuke.

It's the only place I've been where there is one working plant, two unfinished, one shut down, two entombed and one fast flux test reactor. That's just what I can see on the ride to work.

There is a high energy laser looking for gravitational "string" evidence up the road.

The stories of things found in the desert abound, they are questionable in the extreme, just based on money. You can ride to the tops of the mountains, and find the remains of buildings. There are pull outs that go to the foundations of structures, and their attendant parking lots.

Kind of makes you wonder what really went on in the day.

Herding Cats

I am a little amazed by the amount of money that is dumped on me, on a weekly basis. I'm not complaining mind you, just amazed. It, most weeks, comes to about 2500 a week after taxes. I am riding herd on a bunch of over trained, under motivated retirees, who have collectively, more knowledge regarding smart remarks, bad attitudes, and valve lore than a whole school of engineering graduates.

I will say though, they hide their light under a bushel quite well.

Most I would allow to work on a clock, some of the others I wouldn't let touch a manure spreader.

Boring, however, never enters the picture.

I told a tech today, one that I actually like, that sometimes when you just keep pushing all the buttons, you find the one that sets the bomb off. Food for thought if nothing else. Another, that I am starting to really like, is a professional "grumpy old bastard", except that he hasn't managed to get under my skin yet, and he is obviously going for the reaction. He always speaks softly to me and will do most anything I ask. What else do you need? I am always in the field with them, something that some of the other supervisors don't do. Those other supervisors didn't get asked back and couldn't figure out why.

We have some new tech's that are young enough to make a name for them selves as "hands" if I ever get to pick my crew, or at least some of them, I am going to snag as many as I can. Then watch the grease fly.

I suppose my worth to the job comes from my knowledge of power plants and industrial safety. The other part is error prevention tools.

If I can I think I will try to get a slot at the Crane Valve School, and then work a dirt burner with them. More knowledge and more experience would be good on the resume.

Work

I have one of those jobs, currently, that you never want to get good at. That would be because, then everyone wants you to have it every time.

It amounts to dragging a Cadillac through a keyhole. Actually its a series of valve components that weigh as much as a small Cadillac, that need to be guided through a space smaller than a door in your living room, with a giggling gaggle of goobers galumphing along in, and out of the line of fire.

These things don't say excuse me, or sorry, they just crush you like the cockroach you are, provided you let them get loose.

Note to self: Duck!

Back at work....or what ever...

I should apologize to all and sundry for my lack of posting, or maybe not, because it's not for others, but for myself that storys are written.

The LOML and I are living a dream. We are checking out state after state to find where we would like to live. We are in Washington now, good weather, good food, fishing, hiking and all sorts of outdoor activities. A fun place.

We lived through Minnesota and Iowa. Coldest place I have ever lived. All you tough types, try riding your scooter to work with out a heated suit in 14F weather. Trust me a snow flake in the eye at 55mph hurts. A doe deer four feet in front of your head light looks like a moose, and your butt will eat cotton like a combine.

I have empirical evidence.

We had quite the trip here to Wa. Got snowed on twice. The love of my life was looking for a snow storm of disasterous proportions, up to the time it happened. Then the question was"For heavens sake it's APRIL already, does it never stop?"

Yes, Virginia, it does stop, but not when you expect.

My question is a little more general, if you are in the desert, as we are, why does it rain so much? It seems I can only ride one or two days a week due to a rain storm.

On the road again

Don’t pay the ransom, I’ve escaped!

It’s been a tough quarter, January was spent getting the home and the survival facility ready for the spring outage season. We loaded up and sailed on the twenty first, landed on the twenty third and started on the twenty sixth.

Lessons learned :
At twenty five below, diesel fuel turns to yogurt, and will not flow through injectors.
At twenty five below, when it finally starts, it sounds like someone is inside using a hammer to get out.
The transmission sounds like a twisted ball of rubber bands until it warms up.
Snow will not make a snow ball.
My mustache collects ice, lots, quickly.
Your first breath outside will freeze all your nose hairs together.

That was the first stop.

We worked seven, ten hour nights, for twenty one straight. All the pain of a night shift with none of the mitigating factors if it was on days. Blech!
I was presented with several work orders that no had ever done before, that’s positive I think. These particular valves had never had maintenance done on them. I also got my hands on some big valves types that I had never worked on before, good training.

The second stop is just getting started.

I spent two weeks in supervisor training, and am now a valve supervisor for general valve and air operated valves. Woo Hoo! We are working six, twelve hour days, with every Sunday off. It’s a union plant and Sunday is double time.

The trip to the first plant was a worrisome thing. We were running ahead of a major storm. It eventually hammered western Kentucky, but we were off the road by then.
I wasn’t seriously worried about the trip to the second job, it’s only three hundred and sixty miles, what could go wrong?

That was stupid.

I am usually addicted to the Weather Channel for one reason or another, wind or wave of ice.
Therefore, I was more that a little upset when we were caught on the road with a trifecta of winter slop.

First worry, the road is getting white, no problem, slow down. Next problem, the wind shield is icing, no cure for that.

Deal breaker, the idiots on the Interstate with me are still doing sixty!

There is no honor or courage in being stupid, and when you are risking being taken out by a random moron, it’s time to get out of the way.

We got a room and waited for morning. There was three inches of new powder on the parking lot when I went out to clear the wind shield, the DOT crews had done their usual wonderful job and magically produced a clear road by morning.

A busy time

All of us have our excuses for failing to post. Work, tired, family, just living is bad enough. I hate to see Monkey Girl go, but I thoroughly understand. I have been posting enough to let every one who cares (few enough, I expect) know I'm still alive.
.
I'm getting ready for my next contract,and getting the Love of My Life ready to go with me. Two is not twice as much, it's more like a geometrical progression. We, or at least I will be gone for six months, approximately. The big kid is going to house sit, and feed the livestock. That will let him set up for his own rental place by paying down his debts.
.
I on the other hand have spent about a week juggling furniture, ferrying trash, generally clearing every ones problems away.
.
Today I sat down at breakfast with a calculator and took a stab at estimating the cost of the coming trips. 5600 miles, at the current price of diesel, unless I come home from Minn. and then drive to Richlands, Washington. I took the general numbers and cranked them through a hat full of scenarios to see if there was any justification for larger exhaust or power tuners.
.
Not!
.
I can buy a lot of diesel for a thousand bucks. Minor power and torque gains would add little to drive ability, not to mention my new truck has about a hundred more horsepower than the old truck, and 500lb/ft torque. My transmission guy said he could change the front throttle body spring and give me the crisp shift I want. It would also reduce wear on the bands, all for the cost of a service. Guess what the trans command (electric) modules do.
.
Same thing.
.
Besides, if I feel I really need an exhaust change out, I can have it shipped to me where ever I happen to be, and have it installed.
.
I may be able to post something a little more interesting soon.

Home again

We finally got in Monday evening. We left Ct. in 25 F or so and arrived home in the 60 F range. I don't mind saying it was good to come home.

Actually it was wonderful.

Then life set in.

I thought the drivers in Ct. were bad, while I was there. I am now convinced the drivers here can give lessons in stupid.

On a brighter note, the grand babies were actually glad to see me. The oldest who currently has some issue with personal contact generally, and males particularly, never even turned a hair. She walked in the door, took one look and came over and gave me a wonderful hug. That doesn't sound too strange, except she has never seen me with a beard. Think bear.

Today is Thanksgiving, a day that is seldom remembered as a religious holiday. Mostly it's the day before Black Friday. The most horrendous shopping day of the year. I am sure we will hear about the retailers going under because everyone is sitting on their money, as we have for the last twenty years.

Historically this occasion was a day set aside for giving thanks to, dare I say it, God for his blessings, and the survival for one more year.

Everyone, should, in the depths of their heart, thank what ever they believe guides them, for the past year. You have no guarantee of another day.

At my housse today, we will eat too much, and be grateful too little, we will welcome someone who can't get home to their family, and my mother in law who can't get back from where she has gone.

I will eat left overs for ever, and be grateful.

May each and everyone be healthy, happy, and avoid your just desserts, for one more year.

Brass Dragon out.

New England weather.....

Last night it got down to 16 deg F, it's colder in some places, but it's enough for now. The ponds froze over, and at 1100 hrs, it's only 31deg F. I have some work to do outside, but I'm going to wait until it's above freezing before I go out and wallow on the ground.

The sky is clear and blue, and cold. As long as the wind stays down it may be ok.

Well, so much for that hope. The pine tree next door is dancing, gonna be chilly.

Tomorrow is the day....

Lay off tomorrow,,,,,,WHOOOOO!!!! HOOOOO!!!!

Most of my life I've dreaded a lay off. Now it's a normal part of the job, and welcome.

The LOML is flying up so we can do tourist things, amongst other important activities! :>)

Almost two months of six night weeks, ready for a break I am!

Irony is where you find it....

At o330 I am sitting in Connecticut, listening to guys from Alabama, Arkansas, New Hampshire, make fun of the accent of a farmer from Maine.

It's OK, he took his turn laughing at a guy from Rhode Island.

I guess they can't hear them selves.

Ready to go home....

This circus is winding down, thank God. I am only working seventy five hours a week, why would that tire anyone out?

I brought the bike to ride for economic reasons, and discovered that there are …other things to consider.
When riding in 20 degree weather, a sneeze inside a full face helmet becomes a white out. When it’s cold enough, and you have to keep the face plate open because of the former situation, your eyes will water and you get an ice cream headache, and....

snotcicles.

I got into the supervisor position, sort of as a default candidate. However, I have done well enough to rate the same position at the next job and probably some after that. I am basically a glorified tool runner and facilitator. I get calls from folks who don’t want to make a decision. I have no problems there, give me the info and I can make a decision.

I will be going to Minnesota in March or before, a lot like Siberia, I’m told. This will be over for me by next Friday, I expect. The love of my life is going to fly up and we will do some sight seeing before we drive back. I'll need to take some pictures to put on this site, it’s really pretty up here. The drive to work and back is along the Niantic River. The boats anchored out and the water front homes make some classic pictures.

Another long ride.

I know this is out of order, but life isn't very organized just now.

I drove the mobile survival facility seven hundred twentythree miles on Saturday.

Some things I noticed:

I95 transitions from Superhighway to Parking lot in the distance of one panic stop with both feet on the whoa peddle.

The Cross Bronx Express Way, is express only due to the insane volume of traffic.

A New Yorker will change lanes at any speed, as long as you do not physically occupy the space they want.

They pay for the George Washington Bridge, in it's entirety, daily, in tolls. One pickup and trailer, $32? multiply that by a bazillion.

My GPS navigation soft ware isn't up to date, yet. Working on it. I didn't get lost, but I did get really ticked.

The law of gross tonnage doesn't apply.

I am hungry at the end of the day, even though my butt has been eating upholstery all day.

The last nut in the can......

again.

I have a friend who is, actually, certifiable.Well, several of them, but now I know why. He lived several years alone in the middle of no where, with nothing to fill the evenings.

I can feel his life.

I am living it this weekend. It's raining fit to drown frogs. I'm seven hundred miles from home and eight weeks from the drive back.

It's a good thing they're paying me pretty well. I could hook this dog up and be down the road in a few minets.

This should be a very interesting few weeks.

And I'm off....

Well. I'm always a little off, but I have to go to work too. The company I will work for this fall called yesterday and wants me to take a supervisor position. More money, possible bonus based on no rework and no injuries to my direct reports.

OK, more money, and an extra weeks work, on the front end. That cut all the slack out of my prep time.

Therefore, posting will take a beating.

I was getting all would up for a bash at Gaffey the Democrap. (Obamessiah, This is the best country in the world, lets change it!)

Guess it'll have to wait.

Home at last.....for a litle while.

After about twenty hours of traveling, on one hour of sleep, I made touchdown on my own dirt.

At which time I was tackled by the Love of My Life. My ribs will be OK soon, I don't really care if they're bruised, it was a great home coming.

Even the Dawg was happy to see me.

The cats,,,,,,,,,not so much.

Yesterday I drove from winter to spring, all in a day. When I left Hew Hampshire, it was about freezing temperature, by Maryland the windows were down. The grim and cold in the north had given way to blooming flowers and budding trees. It was as sudden a contrast as I have seen.

I can't imagine how soldiers or sailors, who have been away for years, feel when they get home. It could be that age has a bearing on the feeling, I never felt it so keenly when I was young. It probably has something to do with the Love of My Life not being with me.

I have to leave again in a week, for a month, then I will be off for the summer. I will be gone, not so far, nor gone so long, this time.

This summer I'm going on vacation,,,,, white sand, palm trees, blue water, and cheap rum. That's my plan.

Back to the modern world.......

I am out of Mordor.

I can actually post from my room! (I have to log into an unprotected network.) But now there is no long drive to get a signal. The last two times I checked e-mail I used the network at a phone company. I can't fathom why they were unprotected.

I spent the last day on the last job inside a pipe, inspecting valves. I actually walked into a pump from the discharge side. A little scary, really, when they close the valve with me inside to do a light check, the light is on the other side of the disc, and I am in the dark! I mean really dark, cant see your finger in your eye dark. If the valve fails it would take a lot of people working very hard to keep you from a lot of expensive overtime.

I am back on the ocean, the sun is shining, but there will be frost tonight. The mobile survival facility is sitting across from the local Police dept, and I am down the block in the oldest motel I have ever seen. The neighbors upstairs are playing Rugby in the drawing room, I think. Still, I have Cable and there are actually people on the street!

I will be settling in for a month. I think some stories should be forth comming.