The Big Unit. That's what I call him, but as we all know, Brook is actually his name. I call him that partly because he's big of course, but mainly because he has a big head. Actually, he's so big overall that there's nothing out of proportion. He's a big boy. I thought I read somewhere once that most adult humans have a head that averages 30 lbs. in weight. After Googling it, I've found that only Brook has a head that weighs 30 lbs.
Okay, Jack from Jack-in-the-Box does too, but that's not what this is about.
He is apparently basking in the light--being the only "fixit" guy we have. He probably does good enough work, but I get a little tired of him constantly providing updates of every little thing in lieu of actually doing things. That's just what I see from my perspective. I just think that if he'd stop telling everyone everything he's doing all day long he'd be able to do twice as much.
Anyway, that's not what this post is about either.
Apparently Brook's favorite way of repairing something he doesn't know how to repair is consulting with someone on the phone about it. Over and over. And not sharing his findings in their entirety with anyone else. While sprawling over Bruce's old chair. At Bruce's old desk. Looking like it's his "place".
He's been on the phone over and over with someone at the Strippit company about getting our press fixed (it's been down for well over a month now). For the second time, I needed to ship the computer (an older model Apple Macintosh) to their company in New York for them to take a look at. I guess there is some sort of an upgrade problem... Like the upgrade involves more than one item within the computer because it's so old--something like that. Anyway, he was on the phone over and over today and the last several days with these guys. Doing what--I don't know. I guess it takes a lot of coordination to send something to someone UPS (not!). Today (this morning actually) I get the official word from a couple guys, "This needs to go UPS Red overnight to New York today. Get with Brook--he'll give you the information." Okay, I spent some time boxing it up real nice like I always do--overkill all the way.
Time passes. I check with office folks. No, no P.O. or anything yet (Dale is off until Monday) "Check with Brook" they say. I check. He says, "I talked to them and we needed to fax something to them. I'll call them and make sure they got it." Okay. He goes and calls again. I don't hear back from him. Later I brought Bernie into the loop, asking him about what I needed to include to close the box. "Hasn't Brook given you the address?" he asked. This sort of thing happened several times during the day. Finally, at 2 o'clock I pressed him. "Hey, UPS is going to be here in 15 minutes. I need the information to put in the box."
He handed me a pad of paper with a hastily-scrawled address on it. That's all he had after all those phone calls!? I didn't need to wait for him after all. I had to take that scrawl he gave me and actually type up a "letter" to include in the box with who we are, what needed done, how to send it back, etc. Basically, a last minute rush.
Brook needs to know that there is more to repairing something than looking important while sitting on a phone in an office.
I think it's time he got bathroom duty.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Saturday, September 24, 2011
The Weekly Recap
I don't know if there is enough ammo to make this a regular feature or not, but I suppose I could give it a shot.
Gone: Nobody left this week. In the last several weeks there have been a few though. The one that sticks in my mind is that dark-skinned guy that was always hanging out with LoFat Totufu. You know--The one that laughed and walked like a girl. Yep, he's gone.
New Arrivals: There was one guy that showed up this week that went to work over in the CNC department. A guy about my age or slightly older. As usual, I have no idea what his name is. I know very few of them. They are--you know--them. In the last several weeks there have been probably four or five new guys over in CNC.
Broken Stuff: The Strippit is still down. I actually don't remember when it crashed, but it seems like Bruce was still working there when it happened so it's been a long time. I just know it's been taking a serious toll on the shop. We had just gotten to the point where we had tons of jobs transferred over to run on it and now everything has stopped. Apparently, even though some of the innards were replaced right before we bought it, they were replaced with old version parts. There is a lot of trouble with the electronics in the brain department I guess. They had to send the computer out to get redone, but still no music coming from the Strippit.
There is still a big pile of Haas parts sitting there on the table where they have been since Derek-the-money-spender ordered them. I kind of wonder if they ever will get installed? By the time they want to they'll probably be damaged.
Luis, aka the incredible bulk, is still there, and still coming in so close to 6 that he may as well be coming in late. It doesn't seem to bother him though, and why should it? He can bend steel.
Amazingly enough, a replacement has been trained to do paddle brazing. It's Brian, who has already filled in as a welder but is usually working in deburr. He seems to be doing well. All I know is, even though I don't mind doing it (it's actually kinda fun), my regular work takes a serious hit when I have to spend all day (and overtime) brazing paddles. It's good to have someone else in on it.
Zzzz is still playing drama queen. Never ceasing to troll for sympathy, he continues to say something within earshot of someone else with the sole intention of reeling them into a complaint/conversation session. It doesn't work with me or TJ. I don't hear anything nor do I even look his direction.
Yep, it's business as usual:
Gone: Nobody left this week. In the last several weeks there have been a few though. The one that sticks in my mind is that dark-skinned guy that was always hanging out with LoFat Totufu. You know--The one that laughed and walked like a girl. Yep, he's gone.
New Arrivals: There was one guy that showed up this week that went to work over in the CNC department. A guy about my age or slightly older. As usual, I have no idea what his name is. I know very few of them. They are--you know--them. In the last several weeks there have been probably four or five new guys over in CNC.
Broken Stuff: The Strippit is still down. I actually don't remember when it crashed, but it seems like Bruce was still working there when it happened so it's been a long time. I just know it's been taking a serious toll on the shop. We had just gotten to the point where we had tons of jobs transferred over to run on it and now everything has stopped. Apparently, even though some of the innards were replaced right before we bought it, they were replaced with old version parts. There is a lot of trouble with the electronics in the brain department I guess. They had to send the computer out to get redone, but still no music coming from the Strippit.
There is still a big pile of Haas parts sitting there on the table where they have been since Derek-the-money-spender ordered them. I kind of wonder if they ever will get installed? By the time they want to they'll probably be damaged.
Luis, aka the incredible bulk, is still there, and still coming in so close to 6 that he may as well be coming in late. It doesn't seem to bother him though, and why should it? He can bend steel.
Amazingly enough, a replacement has been trained to do paddle brazing. It's Brian, who has already filled in as a welder but is usually working in deburr. He seems to be doing well. All I know is, even though I don't mind doing it (it's actually kinda fun), my regular work takes a serious hit when I have to spend all day (and overtime) brazing paddles. It's good to have someone else in on it.
Zzzz is still playing drama queen. Never ceasing to troll for sympathy, he continues to say something within earshot of someone else with the sole intention of reeling them into a complaint/conversation session. It doesn't work with me or TJ. I don't hear anything nor do I even look his direction.
Yep, it's business as usual:
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
New Species!
This particular species of the Bluecollarus Martimus--never before seen in this locality--is a previously undiscovered species, and therefore rare sighting indeed. There have been numerous sightings of other species of Bluecollarus Martimus in our area but all sported a much longer and more colorful plumage--most commonly jet black or straw yellow. This variety--sporting a distinct short, gray plumage--is truly an exciting find. There is speculation that this particular species of the Bluecollarus Martimus may actually become a common sight in our area. Click for full size:
Marty has been with us for a long time in "grunt-laborer" years. You see, a year can seem like two or more when you're doing repetitive grunt labor work so in reality he's been there probably 20 or 30 years if you look at it that way. Most grunt laborers only do the meaningless tasks asked of them just long enough to determine that there must be something easier out there in the working world that will still pay for their cigarettes and bus fare and then they move on.
When he first hired on it was winter. It was one of our winters that actually had snow, and we were impressed with Marty. Why? Because he rode a moped to work! Here it was--slushy and snowy--and there was Marty. He wasn't late nor did he miss any days. I remember going the same direction as he went on the way home one day and passed him going up the east hill of Kent. Mopeds aren't very powerful, and maybe it was partly that fact and partly the fact that there was snow on the ground, but there was Marty--buzzing along on that moped. We admired that. We wondered how he could possibly ride that little scooter with balls that big or a brain so tiny--whichever the case was.
I always wondered how long his vehicles would last. Whenever he would "come into wealth" and end up with a vehicle of some kind we never knew how long it was going to bring him to work. The moped died. The nice-looking mid 70's Ford pickup he inherited from his grandpa lasted quite a while, but little by little it started giving him trouble. After a while it stopped bringing him to work. He had a small brown Datsun or Toyota for a while, but like all before it, it too disappeared. Now Marty is a guy that bums rides. When he leaves work he'll ride with anyone that can drop him closest to home or a bus stop--whichever works out the best.
When it comes to the various incarnations of Marty, we'll always fondly remember the Alice Cooper era. A time when his long, straight hair was jet black--as black as shoe polish. Then there was the surfer dude/mad chemist look when his hair was bright yellowish (probably supposed to be blond). Now he has a haircut that fits him.
I showed his new straight, gray flat-top to Sue the other day. Her response:
"Hey, he looks like a regular guy!"
Marty has been with us for a long time in "grunt-laborer" years. You see, a year can seem like two or more when you're doing repetitive grunt labor work so in reality he's been there probably 20 or 30 years if you look at it that way. Most grunt laborers only do the meaningless tasks asked of them just long enough to determine that there must be something easier out there in the working world that will still pay for their cigarettes and bus fare and then they move on.
When he first hired on it was winter. It was one of our winters that actually had snow, and we were impressed with Marty. Why? Because he rode a moped to work! Here it was--slushy and snowy--and there was Marty. He wasn't late nor did he miss any days. I remember going the same direction as he went on the way home one day and passed him going up the east hill of Kent. Mopeds aren't very powerful, and maybe it was partly that fact and partly the fact that there was snow on the ground, but there was Marty--buzzing along on that moped. We admired that. We wondered how he could possibly ride that little scooter with balls that big or a brain so tiny--whichever the case was.
I always wondered how long his vehicles would last. Whenever he would "come into wealth" and end up with a vehicle of some kind we never knew how long it was going to bring him to work. The moped died. The nice-looking mid 70's Ford pickup he inherited from his grandpa lasted quite a while, but little by little it started giving him trouble. After a while it stopped bringing him to work. He had a small brown Datsun or Toyota for a while, but like all before it, it too disappeared. Now Marty is a guy that bums rides. When he leaves work he'll ride with anyone that can drop him closest to home or a bus stop--whichever works out the best.
When it comes to the various incarnations of Marty, we'll always fondly remember the Alice Cooper era. A time when his long, straight hair was jet black--as black as shoe polish. Then there was the surfer dude/mad chemist look when his hair was bright yellowish (probably supposed to be blond). Now he has a haircut that fits him.
I showed his new straight, gray flat-top to Sue the other day. Her response:
"Hey, he looks like a regular guy!"
Friday, September 16, 2011
Welcome to the new blog!
Will it work? Will it last? Will I stay employed?
I had to spell the title differently for obvious reasons. You know how search engines are. I don't plan on posting anything that would seriously jeopardize my job or anything, but hey--perceptions can be a little unpredictable, so you just never know how someone is going to take it.
I decided I wanted a place to share stuff from work, and most of what I post will only interest people that have worked or still work there. People come and go, things fall apart, things are moved around--you know.
Posts will probably include pictures often, and the pictures will often be substandard. Why? Because unlike my other blogs this one will incorporate the use of my cell phone for pictures as well as my regular camera. There may even be occasional movie footage. It's all sneaky stuff, so it can't be pretty.
As anyone that's reading this already knows, Bruce L. recently retired. In the short time since he left, one thing has already become apparent: It's much easier to make a sign than it is to fix something that's broken:
The sign went up this last Monday. How long will it be out of order? Will we be peeing in the blackberry bushes outside soon?
I had to spell the title differently for obvious reasons. You know how search engines are. I don't plan on posting anything that would seriously jeopardize my job or anything, but hey--perceptions can be a little unpredictable, so you just never know how someone is going to take it.
I decided I wanted a place to share stuff from work, and most of what I post will only interest people that have worked or still work there. People come and go, things fall apart, things are moved around--you know.
Posts will probably include pictures often, and the pictures will often be substandard. Why? Because unlike my other blogs this one will incorporate the use of my cell phone for pictures as well as my regular camera. There may even be occasional movie footage. It's all sneaky stuff, so it can't be pretty.
As anyone that's reading this already knows, Bruce L. recently retired. In the short time since he left, one thing has already become apparent: It's much easier to make a sign than it is to fix something that's broken:
The sign went up this last Monday. How long will it be out of order? Will we be peeing in the blackberry bushes outside soon?
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