Thursday, April 30, 2009

it's going to be a long one...

so yesterday the guys and I decided to do some planned overtime last night in Unit 12. We were to come in at 10:30 and leave at 1am. The job went well, just as planned. We left work at 1am, and I went home and watched lost. That I should not have done. I am sooooooooo tired this morning, and just longing for my cozy bed to crawl into and sleep a few more hours that my body is telling me it needs.
oh well. this too shall pass.
-m

Friday, April 24, 2009

Almost there...


So this will be my 5th consectutive 10 hour day in a row. Tomorrow, Saturday the 25th were planning on doing an 8 hour day as well. I hope to catch the 3:45 right after work as Rory and I will be headed to the Grove in Anaheim to see the Faint & Ladytron. Im a big fan of the Faint, and starting to delve into the music of Ladytron. Over the years I have really started to expand my taste in music. I'd say that 10 years ago if you would have approached me with some of the bands that I am now putting into my playlists I would have labeled you insane. Ladytron, Blaqk Audio, ALOT of Johnny Cash, SebastiAn, Blonde Redhead, Depeche Mode, and lots more.
Anyways, hope the show is fun. Im guessing Rory and I will get some good Thai food before and then do a late night of World of Warcraft to follow the concert. Sounds Awesome to me!
-M

Thursday, April 23, 2009

drizzling, with a chance of crappy attitudes...

Some people simply like to argue. This, I know.
I have a foreman at work, that likes to get into work-political arguments.
It is now drizzling. Hooray. This morning hasn't started the way I would have liked it to. Sometimes I end up getting screwed out of things here at work. "Equality" definitely doesn't reside at the Pebbly Beach Generating station. I am in this apprenticeship here, which seemed awesome at the beginning. What did suck, for me was that I was starting over. What that means was that during the time of the bid posting, I had already been topped out as an "upgrade Plant Mechanic". I went thru a full two years of training on the job, and got the raises associated with the steps. At the time I thought it was bliss, getting more money and all. But now that I look back I should have been more pushy, telling management that they needed to create a spot for me to fill. That they did on their own, in the form of their "Apprenticeship program" - LAME. I took an $8/hour cut in pay. I started all over. They treated me as if I had nothing to show, and started from scratch. In my notebook, there were some interesting classes that seemed pretty cool. I was to go to welding school, micro-turbine class, and then monthly trips to S.S.I.D. I will say that the management has let this fall to the wayside. I see other apprentices getting their 100% of needed schooling. We have maybe gone to S.S.I.D. (another Edison location, where alot of training happens) just under a half dozen times. This apprenticeship is now headed into the second year. I feel like we are the red-headed step child. They DON'T GIVE A CRAP. i just had my supervisor come up to me and cancel my most anticipated class yet- welding school. They "need us" for an overhaul on one of the engines. This is funny to me, cause there is a million other times that I have seen the other employees be accomidated to fit their scheduled training.
Sorry, but this to me is a load of bullshit. Wow. Now I feel better.
Gotta run.
-M

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

"mandatory compliance training"

blah. blah blah.
this week is the lamest, most exhausting week of the work year for me. we have to sit thru all sorts of training on cpr, fire prevention, computer security, safety practices, etc. etc. etc. Get this- we even have an avian protection program. Dont think im not for protecting the animals, I just dont see a point in throwing me into classes that truely dont pertain to my working area of responsibility. am i wrong???
oh well. it all pays the same.

so today i got told that i was preaching to the choir. crazy. i dont know if i have ever been accused of that before. it was funny, and thank you Rory. You enormous ass.

Rock on.
-M

Friday, April 17, 2009

Friday, hello weekend...

Tomorrow the wife and I are going to go to the Cal State Fullerton's Arboretum. They have an annual plant sale, called the "Green Scene". Pretty neato things there. Lots of small, unusual geraniums. A few exotic vendors that mainly deal with orchids, ferns, palms, and bamboos. I hope to get some exotic tomatoe plants. My neighbor, Jameson is having to leave the island. (Lord, be with Vena)
That is a whole new blog alone. The Scanlans have pretty much adopted us since we moved to the island. Change is a very hard thing to accept, and we will miss them dearly.
Moving on. Jameson is giving me a few cut whisky barrels to do whatever I want with them. I think Im gonna line them up in a row, and throw a few tomatoe plants in 'em. That sounds like it would be a great summertime harvest. Speaking of, I am soooo looking forward to this summer. It will be the last that Cass and I will be without a child for a long, long time.
Im looking forward to our 24 hour jaunt to the mainland. I really love seeing my family. I know my dad is thrilled when we come over. I wish sometimes there would be a road that he could just get on, and drive here to Avalon to visit us. Buuuut, then I realize that means *the others could visit us. I hope Rory, Zach, Jameson, and even mr. Jay can all go camping this summer. My little Daihatsu has never gone into the hills. This should be fun. Anyways, I'm out.
-M

*not from the t.v. show Lost, I mean like in-laws, awkard friends, etc...

Thursday, April 16, 2009

stress...

Things have been pretty insane lately. I think I haven't been fully there for my better half this past couple weeks, both mentally and physically. Work has been really, really busy. We just got a green light to go ahead and upgrade our oldest engine to a 645. This is the ancient beast, good 'ole unit 8. Overhauls generally consume quite a few man hours. With the team of Justin, Jim, and myself I think we can lock this thing in at just under a week (fingers crossed). Alot of the prep work has been done, all credit is due to the JSP students for a crazy amount of cleaning. Soooo, overall I'm expecting a lot of overtime headed my way. This is good, 'cause we could really use the $$$ to eliminate our debt before the baby comes. Whoa! Time is flying!
Separate note; women are hard to please. I just want a little W.o.W. time- thats all.

Rock on...
-M