Not just me

This morning was one of those times where the sewage line broke next to the air conditioner. Perhaps that metaphor doesn't work. One small detail resulted in some very huge consequences. Two people forgot to do one aspect of their job. When we get a delivery truck, the doors are opened as the trailer backs in. This allows the night crew to unload the truck. The next morning people like me can put it all away.
Except the truck driver and the receiver both forgot to open the doors.
A call was made to the trucking company to send another truck out. Naturally, they were the only ones who were allowed to do it. The trailer needed to be moved so the doors could be opened. Then eight or ten people unloaded half to three quarters of the trailer before the appliance truck arrived. All this before 8 AM.
This was an avoidable mishap. It put a strain on a lot of people. We had to unload it faster, put it away quickly and get ready for the rest of the day's arrivals... all before noon.
All I can say is; I'm glad it wasn't me. While a lot of good natured teasing went on, there were no repercussions for the responsible parties. Bet your butt they would have made a big deal out of this if I was the one responsible.
As it was, no lasting harm was done, we all just had to squeeze a lot of work into a very short time. It does make the day go faster. I am going to bed early, that's for sure.

This came across my desk about the Berlin patient.
Scientists are a step closer to finding a cure and it might not be one single thing, but perhaps a combination of factors. Any way you look at it, Mankind is closer to understanding how to beat this horrific disease. Stuff like this makes me feel hopeful about humanity. Perhaps we're salvageable after all.

Idiots

Smart people can change their minds. We can believe in something until evidence comes along that makes intelligent people re-evaluate their mindset.
Even then, amid a host of facts and evidence, a certain segment of the population refuses to accept common sense.
And then the rest of us have to be blunt. This is an article that was published last spring about vaccinations. In the past I've touched base on this, but it bears repeating.
Vaccines save lives. End of discussion.
People say measles isn't deadly. Guess what? If you're not vaccinated, I hope you have your affairs in order.
I thought that was too harsh a wording at first. The pictures say otherwise.
First off it's a virus. What does a virus do? It mutates. When some of the population gets immunized and even a small portion of people don't receive immunization, that virus lives to get stronger. We (as in a world-wide 'we'.) almost had this thing beat.
Unvaccinated travelers returning from the Philippines infected an unprotected Amish community in Ohio.
Every single argument and discussion point has been refuted by qualified scientists. The article I posted a link to at the beginning bears repeating in case you didn't read it. They site a whole plethora of links stating the case for immunizing your child. Please read the whole article and click on the links they provide. 
I grew up in a time where there wasn't vaccines for the majority of childhood diseases. Even though I was inoculated as a child, I still caught chicken pox as a young adult through one of my students. 
This is one of those things that doesn't go away, but viruses like this can be reduced to non-zero statistics and keep the population safe. Wouldn't that be worth it? 

Big news?

So today I took my youngest to the doctor to start testing her Aspergers Syndrome. Like all things there were a few papers to fill out. After a day on my feet, I could feel myself nodding off somewhere around page two of the five page questionnaire. We bought the vitamin supplements and they gave me the name of the tests they were or are going to perform. I have a feeling my wife is going to call them tomorrow and nail down things. Next up, an audiologist appointment for our youngest. We assured the doctors at the clinic that my hearing loss isn't genetic, but they want to cover their bases by seeing if there is some kind of auditory problem with the little one. That makes sense and sounds reasonable.
The honey I ordered came in. Hopefully I can start a batch of mead this weekend. It might be ready by the New Year, but more than likely I will keep it until spring or July at least. What's more likely is I'll make a second or third batch that will improve upon any mistakes I make. My sister will help me with quality control, I'm sure.

And mead starts with...

But with this weekend is shaping up to be pretty busy. There is a debate tournament on Friday and Saturday followed by a football game Saturday night. I promised to take the wife to the Farmers market at the old Pearl Brewery. 
Perhaps I can do my chores and brew up the mead Sunday...

Pen pals

Over a year ago I received a friend request on Facebook. A person with the same last name as mine wanted to friend me. After overcoming my natural cynicism, I investigated into her background. Yes, she was in fact a real person. About every other month or so I get requests from people asking me to like them and click on their links oh, and by the way, stop and see their NSFW photos.
Ahh thanks, I'll pass.
However this person seemed legit, (and an actual girl! You never can tell here in internet land.)
Other than this girl's name, I know very little about her. Her Facebook page has few details. She is about the same age as I am, has children, but the rest I'm not so sure about. She doesn't have a photo of herself up on her page, so I'm not sure what she looks like.
My policy on this blog is not to name names. I'm not here to judge anyone. Perhaps she's shy and reaching out to a stranger.
I think of her as a pen pal. Occasionally she pops up to say 'hi'. It's all very nice.  This morning she said something and I couldn't comment on it right away. One: I was heading out the door to work, and secondly: what I wanted to say, I couldn't put it into 140 characters. 
She mentioned only being to a few places in her life, Wales and Blackpool, and lives in the town of Stockport, England.
Now I've known people that live and die all within a five mile radius of where they were born. Never been out of the state, not once setting foot outside their home town. I'm slightly envious and feel a tiny bit sorry for these people. They have family, a sense of community and deep ties to where they live, but at the same time, their world view is very narrow. Perhaps it's my upbringing. I've always wondered what was over the next hill, that it was okay to follow that meandering creek and let it take you to a new locale.
My pen pal mentioned how she'd like to go abroad, but didn't have anyone to go with.
That isn't necessarily a deal breaker.
Of course, it's more fun to go places with friends and family, but you don't have to go far.
Often times I go to the other side of town and it strikes me as being a completely different community. That's because it is, but it can easily fool a person into thinking they're in another town all together.
Start small. If you want to see other places, visit the next town over. You don't have to go the full tourist route. For me, I make it simple: I'm scouting out new fishing spots.
A few months back I drove to Colorado and back. Yes, that's a big deal. I actually stopped in Las Cruces, New Mexico and sat in a park for a few hours. I walked around the shops in the Mercado and got some things for my wife and kids. It was a bit relaxing to take a break like that and walk for a bit... even if I hadn't been there in about 25 years.
So my advice to my English pen pal: Pack a sandwich and go enjoy a day in a park or place you've never been. Watch the people or feed the ducks in a pond. Don't set a goal or keep track of time to closely. Above all else, relax.

In transit

Yesterday I had a conversation with a man who was looking for work. He is a network engineer with many skills, certifications and a degree under his belt... and he's in the same boat I am, looking to improve his job prospects.

I found him likable enough. When I told him I once interned at Netscape, his eyes lit up. He'd found someone he could talk to! One of the questions he asked me was, 'Why didn't you stay in the IT field?'

My response was off the cuff, served with a sliver of bluntness. 

'I like to eat.'

That is not to disparage the IT technogeeks in my life. In order to be any good, you have to hustle constantly. In that respect I guess it's like everything else in life. You have to be smart and fast.

I would have enjoyed trading beers and stories with him. Next time I see him I might ask him for his contact information, card or Facebook account or whatever they do now.

What struck me was that we weren't all that different.

Both of us have families and want to be present in the lives of our children. I sensed the conversation was going on too long, he just came in to get a pair of electrical scissors to cut wire.

In my opinion, this is the way to find the best jobs. Know somebody. Utilize your network. Listen.

I put out my resume and I've looked at the job postings through the Texas Workforce Commission. What I'm seeing isn't encouraging, but I'm going to keep looking because the alternative is to stay in a dead end job until I'm used up, my personal hell looming and I'm trying to avoid it.

Going out to social gatherings is good, not only for my mental state, but it's a great way to make contacts. I met a human resources manager for a national corporation. She told me all about how I'd be a great fit for her company. She even started emailing me job listings. Fan freaking tastic!

In the past there have been many strategies I've used when interviewing.

• I've tried to smooth over all the challenges that I've faced. Job interviewers want a person fast, efficient and capable.
• Then I acknowledged my disabilities and highlighted how I overcame the stuff that life threw my way.
• I even tried to hide my deafness by lip reading and anticipating questions. My own version of don't ask/ don't tell. Incidentally that was the strategy that got me hired at Lowe's. I fully believe that was the only way I made it through to the second interview.

All of this leads me to one conclusion: this is all bullshit.

In a fit of irony, the HR manager told me why I wasn't hired was that I had my act together and there was another candidate who had more problems than I did.

I wasn't screwed up enough. That boggles the mind.

It may not be the fastest way, but I get better results when I use my friends to network. 

Chainsaws and clearing

Tomorrow is our brush pick up day. All this week my neighborhood has been trimming trees, hiring landscapers and on a few occasions make it a family get together. Trees get cut back, lawns get mowed, folks gather for some post Labor day fixins.
Today was the day I set aside for this chore. Starting in the front yard with shears, branch trimmers and a small saw, I soon realized I was in over my head. I'd spent a good chunk of the morning clearing the brush. I needed some force multiplication. Time to get out the chain saw. Having used the remaining oil to repair my hydraulic jack a couple of months ago (channeling my inner McGuyver.), I had to make a store run. I also needed a new chain. Even though I got the right one in the right length, the thing wouldn't stay on for more than 30-45 seconds. 'Did I put this thing on backwards?' As I read the instructions again, I double checked everything. Still, it wouldn't stay taut. The chain wouldn't stay in the guide groove. After the fifth or sixth time of taking it apart/putting it back together, I began to feel the anger rise. Smashing the chainsaw with my sledgehammer suddenly seemed like a good idea. I walked away from the work bench, gathered my tools and put it all back where it belonged. There's a large pile of branches ready to be taken away. Not as big as it could have been, but this way I didn't Hulk out. I'll let my subconscious gnaw on what could have been wrong. I might need to replace the arm, or whatever you call that big phallic looking thing sticking out of the chain saw. (Can't un-see that now, huh?)
So the yard work got 75% done. You win a reprieve this time you weeds pretending to be trees. Next up, I'm going to get some top soil for the front lawn along with some grass seed. I'm sick of looking at it. Do I know if that is the right thing to do? Well, I've tried everything else. watering and adding peat moss yielded new kinds of weeds. Feeding and encouraging the existing grass sort of worked, but it didn't spread. Time to redo the whole thing. If that works on the front, I can try something similar for the back. I'm also going to start looking at porch designs. It's time to let my inner Tim Allen out and do a little home carpentry.

Friday night lights

It's Friday night. The last dregs of September summer is slowly giving way to fall. You know what that means? High school football season is officially here in Texas.

The game is about to start

Halfway through the first period, the sky opened up. Naturally I don't have pictures of that. I just got this phone, I don't want to get it wet, it's not even a month old yet.
We got soaked. As soon as it started to look serious, we took our phones, put them in my wife's purse along with my BTE. At least something would stay dry. We got soaked though.
One good thing about Texas games, the folks are friendly and willing to share. A friend of my youngest daughter buddied up under a poncho. People around us leaned closer to share umbrellas. That was mighty nice of them. One a related note: Four umbrellas and ponchos are on my acquire list before the next game.
I don't know if it was the rain or the Mavericks found their groove, we won 24 to 7. I saw solid defense, more completed passes and some solid running.  Very good gentlemen. Now you're playing like the Mavericks of old.
I tried to load up some video that was taken at the game, but unfortunately, it won't take. Can't cut and paste it, can't provide a link. Sorry people, I'll get it next week on my phone and I'll be able to transfer things easier.