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Well today i had to drive from one jobsite to where i will have an all day meeting tomorrow. On Sunday nite, i planned out my route. Instead of going superhighway, which would be south then west, i took a state route across the middle. Through the mountains, past some lakes. The beauty of the trip was just great. I figure i saved about 1-1/2 hours, and had a fabulous ride.

I don’t like to spend time away from home. You already how i feel about it if you have read this or that. This trip will have me gone Monday thru Wednesday. But Tuesday afternoon, that was about the best commute i’ve ever had.

Had Friday off. Yeah!! Went to a wedding Friday evening. A young couple starting their life together - it was good to be there. The pastor did a good job, and the at the reception i got to sit with a friend i haven’t spent time with lately.

And somewhat of a breakthrough for the bride and her father. For some years there has been quite a strained relationship. He didn’t attend her sisters wedding. But he did come to hers, he did walk her down the aisle, he did dance the father daughter dance. All that was great, for the bride, for her mom, and i believe especially for her dad. Hopefully there is more healing on the way.

Today was a pretty much perfect summer Saturday. A little work around the house, weather great, mowed the lawn. Tomorrow church to worship, then more weekend.

And soon, another job, another life begins. I have accepted the position i wrote about on 8/6. There are still a few loose ends to work out but i am excited. Within a few weeks i should be there.

I think i have found it - my next life. Friday i went to interview for a job. This looks like a real possibility. I would stay in the same industry i work in now, but shift roles along with companies. The ‘corporation’ would no longer have me. In fact, the company i interviewed with , i spoke to the owner.

The OWNER! No more corporate decided foolishness. No more decisions from on high, detached from the real world, out of touch with reality.

If i get this position i answer to the owner directly. If i fail he will know. If i do good things he will know. If i have a problem i can just ask him to do something about it. Someone who can make an instant decision, without consulting a committee. This guy knows the business from the ground up, inside and out. Rubber meets the road. Real life stuff.

So i’ll keep you posted. Life change looks around the corner.

A good idea gone bad. Happens often these days it seems. One of the big (little) things wrong with my job - the idiot box. A little box i wear on my belt that micromanages my work life. I call it idiot box for several reasons. It’s pretty stupid. The software for managing my work life is slow, buggy and depends on a cell phone network. When i work somewhere the phone network doesn’t reach, the box uses it’s battery power searching and searching and searching, so later when you need it, its dead . . . . idiot.

Now the idea of using a digital device to record work, to eliminate paper - a good one. And the information being digital, instantly recored, searchable - even better. All very good ideas, good uses of technology. But even though the box started with good ideas, ideas that could save or even make money, i believe the opposite has happened. In order to record our work we need to use a stylus on a virtual keyboard - tap, tap, , tap, oops, undo, tap, tap - REALLY efficient. What used to take 5-10 minutes with pen and paper, now takes 20-30 minutes. Multiply that by a few thousand technicians all over the country - how’s that for manpower wasted? P.S. - they are handsomely paid folks. Expensive time to waste. Highly skilled people, that don’t need an idiot to tell them how to do their job.

Oh wait - it gets better. The stuff we generate often needs to be corrected by someone else. That’s right - due to glitches, stress, typos, whatever, the info needs to be redone to a certain extent by someone later on their desktop pc. Hey, why don’t we have that person do all the typing and save the other time - oh wait, that would be common sense. Can’t do that.

But wait, there’s more! We get measured on how we use the I.B. Someone in upper management is so concerned that we stay micro managed, that they have tools to manage the management. Then they ride heard on the supervision to ride heard on us. I wouldn’t be silly to point out the even higher paid waste of time with that, would i?

Now the basic instructions in the box have been around for years. Our company has had an ongoing dream of having the instructions to take care of stuff recorded, so it’s always done right. Another good idea. One that has never fully been done. They don’t want to spend the time to make it right. Through four or five different software packages, incomplete and mis-applied information has been ported forward again, and again. At one time a few years ago it seemed like they were going to get it all the way up to ok. A friend of mine was responsible for some of the data, and found a way to add custom stuff. That way you can make what you wanted, then apply it and have good information. Oh wait, stop! That time spent does not generate REVENUE. Yeah i know, without making money, you can’t stay in business, blah blah blah. But look - We have lots of good ideas, and little follow through. Why waste any of our effort, our time, money, energy if it never gets finished.

Instead we spend a fortune on hardware, to put the poor instructions into an idiot box, then force good people to waste precious time, and yell at them to keep on using it or else.

Great for morale as well.

No wonder i’m looking for another job - this corporation may go bankrupt with management like this in charge.

I went back to work today. Just took 4 days off - last Thurs & Fri (Wed 7/4 Holiday!) and Mon & Tue. So lets see, that’s 7 days off in a row. So today was the first work day for me. After 7 off. back to work oh boy. As a bonus i had a really long day.
Enough whining.

Did i tell you i got paid for 2 long scenic drives? Through the lush green countryside. Just beautiful. Yesterday i went on a job interview. Could be promising. Today i told some of the people i work with that i interviewed yesterday. That was almost as much fun as the interview. What a joyous day it will be when i have landed another job and give my notice. But bittersweet. I have worked there a long time and it really aggravates me that things have gotten bad enough to quit.

OK, lets try for some laughs . . . . . Ok at least a pleasant thought: Green is good. I don’t mean ecology (well yes but not like that). I mean red leaves are good in the fall, before they fall, but green is a great color for most of the year. Pleasant, soothing. Combine it with a good blue sky - wow! Peace for your eyes, for your heart and soul.

Take time to look at green a few times a day. Just stare at it and clear your mind. If possible touch the cool grass. Yes, green is good.

A vacation day.  A good thing.  But the corporation has it’s hooks in me.  Even on my day off i had to spend some time doing their work.  This shouldn’t be.  Part of the reason i’m looking elsewhere.

My search is going, well, i’m not sure how.  It’s difficult to say.  Great jobs aren’t exactly hanging off trees.  Then again, there are some out there that sound like they could be ok or better.

I don’t want to take too much of a pay cut, just to find myself worse off than i am now.  The old “Out of the frying pan and into the fire” scenario.  So i proceed slowly, letting some people i trust keep their eyes open as well.

Humor.  Lets make some.  After all, this is a day off.

Why do elephants paint their toenails all different colors?  So they can hide in the M&Ms.  Have you ever seen an elephant in the M&Ms?  No? Pretty effective eh?

Sorry about that, i was forced to come up with something quick.

Had a great day yesterday.  Outdoor gathering at a friends, with all the traditional summer stuff.  Hope your weekend was good too.

Rain and Thunder.  This morning we had a thunderstorm in the early morning.  Rather unusual.  We will likely have more this afternoon.

Due to lack of funny stuff, i will close rather than continue to bore you.  Bye for now.

July 4th.  Hope you have a great one.  Especially i hope you reflect on what a gift we have to live in the US.  No it’s not a perfect place.  No the government isn’t perfect.  The people aren’t perfect either.

So what’s the big deal?  Well you should check out your news broadcasts, your Nat Geo programs.  If you have ever traveled  elsewhere, especially to places where food and shelter are a big deal - you will immediately have a better appreciation of your homeland.

What about Europe?  Well sure that’s fine.  But many places tax their people heavily, maybe 50%.  And yes i know they provide paid health care etc.

But my point:  read the title of this post  -  did you see Braveheart?  What did Wallace consider worth dying for?  FREEDOM!

We here are free to choose how to live.  Where to live.  What to do.  Unfortunately  once we have spent roughly one generation here, we get so used to what we have, appreciation is gone along with the ambition to take advantage of the precious freedom (bought with blood) that is our gift.

Are we all equal here?  In privilege no.  In freedom YES.  In ambition no.  In attitude no.  But you are in charge of those items.  You have been provided with freedom, so Use It.  If you think you deserve more, get up and make it so.

It may well take years of hard work to get there.  What way do you have to better spend your time?  Whining? Personally that is one of my favorites.  However i am here to go on record that it will do me little good to whine, unless there is some action attached.  Look here

I have the freedom to change my attitude, and my actions, and so change my circumstance.

YOU DO TOO.

Glory, Glory Hallelujah!

Freedom, it’s what the US of A is all about.  Celebrate! Then  get off your couch potato butt and make something happen.

This is the story of a kitchen faucet. It began it’s life in a faucet factory. Like the rest. It is happy to be a brand name faucet. You would likely recognize the name instantly if you live in the US and are older than say 22. You have heard and seen the company advertising for years and now they are a part of your subconscious. That is the purpose of advertising, to take over part of your mind. We’ll discuss that at a later date.

This particular faucet has been in service a little over a year. Barely broke in from a lifespan viewpoint. I mean you would expect a brand new faucet to last let’s say around 20 years or so. Someone, recently, has done it wrong. The working theory is they lifted the handle a little too hard. Apparently there were no eye witnesses to verify exactly what happened. Then there was some water leaking out of the bottom of the faucet where the spout joins the base.

Over the course of a few days the “little water leak” has changed to all the water now comes out the base, none actually makes it out the spout. This is where i come in. It has been assigned to me to fix the faucet. So we begin to take it apart. Remove decorative cover, loosen screw - handle is loose but will not come off. Call the 800 number.

Note: Though i of course cannot name the faucet company, it is a good company. I guess most people like their products, or they would not be a company anymore. And they do have the 800 number available for help. So i call it. After a choice or two, the recording says it’s less than 5 minutes wait, but wants to call me back so i won’t be hanging on hold. How nice, but it makes me suspicious i will never get called back. Then they do call back in about 2 minutes, verify with the name i recorded when i called and i press 1. Now i am in the real waiting cue. I guess they do this to keep phone spammers out?? I’m not sure.

After about 5 minutes a person picks up. The reason i couldn’t get the handle off is the screw is not just a setscrew, it’s over 1/2 inch long, goes through the handle and must be completely removed. I keep turning it past the locktite that they applied at the factory and now off comes the handle.

Fast forward past all the boring details of faucet disassembly and re-assembly. There were no broken parts, only a broken design. The main bottom o-ring does not have a deep enough groove to keep it in place. I predict i will need to return and repeat this same task again. I can hardly wait.

My thanks to the guy on the support call, couldn’t have done it without him.  Paul, you rock.

Yesterday i had the chance to stay where i could look out the window to see a beautiful lake, with the sun shining on the water. Some of my favorite songs celebrate the sunshine: Oh my, blue sky, help my sunny day . . . . Good day, Sunshine . . . . I’m gonna soak up the sun, gonna tell everyone to lighten up . . . .

A favorite theme and rightly so. Now combine the great sunny day with some water to reflect, to sparkle - hey, it doesn’t get much better than that. Here’s the good part - it doesn’t have to cost you anything.

Is it great to own or rent a place where you can have the sun/water all day long? Yeah sure that is awesome. But you and me, we’re mobile, we can (optionally), and often have to go someplace, each day. My yesterday and today are not my choice, i have to be here. You know the whole earning thing.

But it just so happens there is this beautiful lake right here. Mix in a little sun and presto! All we have to do is open the eyes and take it in. So you should. Even if you are working, not chillin, take the time to enjoy. Your employer does not own your thoughts, your emotional experience. You are in control of your attitude. Personally my situation is far from perfect jobwise. My choice would be to not be here. But while i am, i can still enjoy.

Maybe there is no water where you are. Are there nice trees? Mountains? Even a desert? Or maybe skyscrapers? Hey are you in control of your attitude or is someone else? Don’t give that over! Keep your attitude. Control your thoughts. Don’t give up. Don’t let them win.

While you are where you are, consciously enjoy what is there. What about those stuck indoors.  That’s where you use pictures or even better your memory.  Let your mind feast on what ever it can. Use your eyes or ears to feed the soul if possible. If necessary go within.

Take back from those who would own you, what is rightfully yours. Have a great day even though . .

Stay on top. I like to say “maintain air superiority”. Own your own mind. As they say, it’s a terrible thing to waste.

I have been having to go out of town for my job lately. Every week i have to spend at least one night, maybe two in a hotel, away from the family. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a nice hotel. But it’s not home. My significant other is not there. The ones i love dearly aren’t there.

So when i’m home, i feel very happy. If you get to be home every night, appreciate it. Relish the fact that you are where you want to be. If your home isn’t all you want it to be, take a little time and make some plans. Update your place, or your situation. It may take time but be thankful you can actually make plans, then do something with them.

Free will. Remember there are those who cannot exercise theirs. They may have completely forgotten what free is.

Home. So much more than house. Than apartment. Home says you have made it yours. Your stuff is there. Much more, your loved ones are there. Stuff is ok, but loved ones - that’s the real home. So celebrate your home. Rejoice in it. Fix it up more like what you want - perfect it.

Home SWEET home. Enjoy.

Fathers day. We all have a father. Hope you had a great time with him. Showed him a good day. He deserves it. My dad was a simple guy, worked in a factory for his whole life. Put in the hours to take care of the family. Then took care of our house, our yard. Showed me what it meant to do a good job, to work hard.

If you are a father, then you understand how love for your kids provides the fuel for you to go on. To keep on plugging when you don’t feel like it. That’s what my dad did.
So Fathers - I SALUTE YOU! All you sons and daughters - love up your dad. No he doesn’t need more ties or socks. He needs time with you. Don’t forget how much time he gave up to provide what you needed. So give back, spend some of your time with him.

That’s ok even if it’s not Fathers Day any more. It’s even better if it’s not the special day.  That means he’s special to you, and it will be special to him.  Overall very special.  Please do it.

Birthday Tomorrow.

No it’s not my birthday tomorrow - a dear very close friends. We shall gather at my home, grill some great summer food, and enjoy the time together. Birthday or not, it’s great to enjoy something “off the barbie”.

Hey, any food shared among friends is worth doing, right? Get some fast food and enjoy it as slowly as possible, while bonding more and more. Food and Friendship - what a great idea! Makes me excited, makes me hungry, makes me happy.

So what’s your pleasure? Grill? Diner?? Mcky Dee? Tex mex? Chinese? Buffet?

Brother? Mother? College friend? Co-worker? Dad? Neighbor? Better Half?

Choose one from each line and get busy.

Oh Boy - back to work. I really love my job. Yeah right. Well i can’t go there or we won’t have anything amusing today, will we? Monday.

The weather here was great today. Wish i could think of something to encourage you with. I dropped off my resume this afternoon at a cool company, very high tech. If you don’t like the situation you’re in then do something about it. You can change your reality. Not in a mystical way, but in a practical action. Make a decision.

Remember the saying that “Insanity is doing the same thing yet expecting different results”. I know, that’s not exactly the way it goes but you get the drift.

If you want things different, do things different. Yes, you can. I look forward to reporting to you how i have changed my situation.

Who haven’t you talked to in a long time? Who do you miss? Look up an old friend, give them a call. Hey today you don’t even pay long distance on your cell phone do you? I didn’t think so. So think back and look up someone whose number isn’t in your cell, put it in and then hit send. You’ll be glad you did.

Guess what - i did that yesterday! Actually i haven’t talked to them yet but did get an email. We will be getting together soon and it’s been _____ since we have. (time deleted to help preserve identity). You know i can’t be giving away clues like that - you might better guess my age - or not. Maybe it’s only been a few years - maybe it’s been many many. I might tell you some time.

So call them, get together for a meal, go to a concert, go shopping, boating, whatever. Take some time to enjoy your friend and get caught up on the latest.

Good for the soul. Have a great time on me!

Today we had mini thunderstorms pass by. Cute little ones, you could drive through one in 5 minutes. Some bad enough to produce hail though.

Well who cares about that? Whats funny today? Rather than write poor commentary i’ll just say:

Have a great day, plan an awesome weekend with those you love.