It Is What It Is

It didn't take long for Deb to get the camera goin'. Too bad it was getting dark as we landed in the Windy City.

I spent last week in Chicago trying to figure out what needed to be done to get a job turned around. First order of business was to add manpower. Things are already cranked up & we should be back "on track" by Friday. I wanted to avoid that expression - this is, after all, a project for the railroad.

Flew home Friday night. Picked up a rental car Saturday. Filed our absentee votes. Packed up, drove to the airport (90 miles)on Sunday, flew though Nashville to Chicago. Landed at 6:30. Picked up a Chevy Tahoe at the rental joint. Drove to the hotel, unloaded the bags went to dinner, returned & unpacked & then CRASHED. Up at 5 this morning. Dog Tired today.

We're going to make the best of things. Chicago seems like a nice place, the people are certainly friendly, & we're going to try to see as much as we can, at least when I'm not working. We miss our beach, our palm trees, & warm weather but it is what it is.

I have no idea why this post is all underlined. I guess it's a technical problem. Whatever - the intent wasn't to stress any key points.

This Week's 'Word'

On Monday I received a somewhat panicked call from the Owner of the company asking me to go to Chicago to take over a project that's in deep whatever. I thought he was kidding. I'm just finishing a fast track job & me n' Deb were really looking forward to visiting our kids & grandkids up in Pennsylvania, taking some time off, getting ready for the holidays, planning a 'ghost sail' for Halloween, maybe even a short trip to the Keys or Bahamas. A well deserved rest was in order. After determining that he wasn't kidding, only one word came to mind. After 2 days of back & forth & finally deciding to go ahead & do the job, I still referred back to that same word. Now I'm running around getting everything situated & packing for a 6AM flight on Monday - & that same word keeps popping up. I guess I gotta do what I gotta do. So I'll take this opportunity to explain the "word" that I keep muttering & how that word came to be. It's also sorta related (that's a stretch) to yesterday's post about boats.


Manure: In the 16th and 17th centuries, most everything was transported by ship. These were the days before commercial fertilizer was invented, so large shipments of manure were common.

It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less. Once water (at sea) came in contact with the manure, it not only became heavier, but the process of fermentation began, of which a by-product is methane gas. As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles, and since it was common for wooden ships to take on some water in the holds, the manure would become soaked. Methane would then build up below decks and the first time someone went below with a lantern, BOOOOM!

Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined what was happening. Thereafter, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the term "Ship High In Transit" on them, which meant for the sailors to stow the manure high above the lower decks, away from the water.

Thus evolved the term " S.H.I.T ", (Ship High In Transport) which has come down through the centuries and is in use to this very day - in my case - pretty much on a continuing basis since Monday.

I Like 'Seeing' Progress

I'm the kind of person that likes to see the results of my efforts - on a daily basis. Working in the crazy bidness of Construction gives me the chance to appreciate what was accomplished in the short as well as the long term. It's cool to step back & look at the final product.

Crazy deadlines, manpower & subcontractor headaches, quality control, client expectations, cost management, coordination of multiple trades - all parts of the ongoing challenge. Some days are more aggravating than others but solving problems is just part of the gig. I have to admit, it's problem solving that I thrive on. It's awesome when someone tells me they can't (or won't) do something. That gives me the chance to prove they can (& will) & then push 'em like crazy 'til it's done.

There are times when things get loud & sometimes downright nasty, but these situations are usually rare. Most of the time, there's a good deal of comaraderie & a good mix of hysterical practical jokes & good natured kidding. We all get to the finish line in great shape, like old buddies.








For me, having to do something totally redundant day in & day out would drive me bat s**t. That's not a knock against anyone else's profession - I just couldn't be an accountant or salesman or anything like that. It wouldn't matter what I was paid - just couldn't do it. I think ya really gotta like what ya do.

BTW - The first 2 pics in this post were taken during construction. The last 3 are shots of the final product - in the same areas about 6 weeks later. This is what I mean when I say .... I like 'seeing' progress.

An Old Shortcut

The large heavy steel ball attached to the cable is called a headache ball (shown in both pictures). It's used to stabilize a heavy load being lifted by a crane. The story behind the nickname should be obvious, if you get hit in the head......

Back in the day - before safety was the priority, we would ride the headache ball to get to the upper floors (avoiding ladders). Standing on the ball, we would grab the cable & hold on tight, while the crane operator boomed (lifted) us to whatever floor we needed to reach. Today, I couldn't see myself dangling 6 or 8 stories in the air like that. Some would say I've become a sissy. Some would say I've become more sensible. I say, I don't want to deal with the fines from OSHA. It's a stunt that would cost at least $20K nowadays.

But if I was really pressed for a totally honest answer? I guess I'd have to admit to being a sissy.

Road Trip

Haven't blogged much - had to run to Tampa for a week to cover a project. I miss my ocean breezes - geez, it's humid here.

On the job, we're doing what's called 'flying steel' meaning the guys are running the heck out of a crane & setting beams & joists. It can be dangerous work so I'm glad I'm just the guy barkin' at everyone.

Deb decided to make the trip. I kept bugging her saying there was no sense in her staying home alone rattling around in that house. We took a suite for the week to give ourselves some space. (That was a compromise on my part.)

Our niece lives a mile from the hotel so we had a chance to meet up with Ryane and her boyfriend Ryan (try keepin' that straight) last night. They want us to go out with them tonight. I keep tryin' to 'splain to everybody that - "I Ain't As Good As I Once Was' - This old guy trying to keep up with 20something year olds? Whaddya kiddin' me? . Deb, on the other hand, seems to think she's still a 20something & keeps pace quite well. The word Paaaaaarty - doesn't do much for me, especially during the week, but I'll manage.

Next On The Agenda

Rumor has it that I'm going to be taking care of an MRI job in the upcoming weeks. The building in the photo is one that I completed last spring. It's a medical/surgical center in Jacksonville. That's where the work will be done. It was a good job, made plenty of money, won awards, happy clients, etc., yadda yadda yadda.

The problem? We have to get the unit into the building. The magnet, by itself, weighs 192,000 lbs. It has to be placed inside a copper lined pit (We did the pit & lining a long time ago) & to do that, we have to remove a section of the outside of the building. Since this is an occupied building, there's no margin for error. The scheduling will be intense, everything removed, equipment installed & building buttoned up within 5 days. A rigging & logistics challenge.

The room where the equipment will be situated will be lined with shielding & then all of the finishes are completed to make everything look, well, like a finished facility. At least it's 30 miles closer to home & I already know everyone at the facility. Oh, almost forgot, there's a great coffee shop about a mile or so away. That's the biggest plus.

Warnings Ignored

Times aren't what they were in the construction biz. Slow starts, careful money, tight bids. It doesn't seem to phase some people. My company let a guy go yesterday, after some crazy hand wringing that went on for several weeks. I appreciate the fact that they don't take a decision like this lightly, it is someone's livelihood, but, it should have been done long ago. It was completely justified. That's just a sad fact.

This guy was given warning after warning about his lack of effort. He was warned repeatedly about being uncooperative & argumentative & about not following even simple instruction. I warned him myself many times - sometimes nicely - sometimes not. Didn't matter - he wouldn't change, wouldn't even try. The weird part is, it was an incredibly easy job. No pressure, no decisions, no working weekends or extra hours without extra pay. (I'm salaried - 40hrs or 80 it's always the same.)

The sad part is, he's not a youngster & it's going to be tough for him to get a new job that pays what he was paid, including full medical, vision & dental benefits, sick time, 401k, vacation & bonus. He had it made & HE blew it.

I feel bad about it. Feel bad for his family. If he had just tried, even a meager effort, the company would probably have carried him along through this slow period.

Now it's probably a matter of time until we hear there is some claim being made against us that he was let go without just cause. Guys like that - it's always someone else's fault & everyone owes them something. Some are determined to be victims of their own stupidity.

I hope he lands on his feet quickly & learns something from it all.