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JuicyLucy

My name is Lucy and I am a squonkaholic
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You wouldn't want to do this. It's only more dirty, than it is dangerous.

Much like construction or iron work, it's a set workforce that works for whoever has the work. I have to compete against union shops for the labor force. Which means I have to offer union scale plus, to compensate for some benefits they don't get (and mostly don't at the union shops either, unless they are doing 40 hour work weeks regularly).

But, the price for a good guy is the price. Union shops get all the BIG union projects, they are mostly union customers with labor contracts that require all vendors be union as well. And we non-union guys have a lil better shot at the smaller individually owned plants.

But yeah, there was not a thing untrue about any of that.

In my younger days I was actually a welder for the Pile Drivers Union, Local 34 Oakland, California.
 

roxynoodle

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(Moueix) Well, I haven't changed my speedo, transmission, rear gear or tires and not only didn't it look it, but it didn't feel it, almost to the point of impossibilty considering the distance of that stop sign to those tracks, and the known acceleration rate of this vehicle. So nothing different here than yesterday.
(Deputy Smallsville) Well, I JUST calibrated my radar this morning.
(Moueix) Eh, you been shaving with Occam's razor?
(Deputy) No, Cletus's
(Moueix) Not too sharp, eh?

Well, I did get out of the ticket, so I'll stick to my spiel, lol!
 

Moueix

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Sounds like it could add up to a colorful news headline if you ever got pulled over with the lot of them with you
I'm thinking about an uber aware patrolman, walking up, hand on draw.. and a lil voice in the back seat going "1.somethings wrong with me 2. somethings wrong with me 3. somethings got to give, 4. something's GOT TO GIVE! LET THE BODIES HIT THE FLOOOOOOR!
 

MyMagicMist

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You wouldn't want to do this. It's only more dirty, than it is dangerous.

Much like construction or iron work, it's a set workforce that works for whoever has the work. I have to compete against union shops for the labor force. Which means I have to offer union scale plus, to compensate for some benefits they don't get (and mostly don't at the union shops either, unless they are doing 40 hour work weeks regularly).

But, the price for a good guy is the price. Union shops get all the BIG union projects, they are mostly union customers with labor contracts that require all vendors be union as well. And we non-union guys have a lil better shot at the smaller individually owned plants.

But yeah, there was not a thing untrue about any of that.

You mention unions. I can think of four of the top of my head.

U.S.W is one my grandfather on my dad's belonged to, he worked in a foundry in Youngstown for a bit over twenty eight years.

My dad left me and mom when I was two. He come back to see his boy when his boy had grown into a seventeen year old man. We come to Wheeling to see my granddad. When I was two, I called him Big Nernie and he called me Buck. Meeting him again at seventeen was the same as if he had simply went next door for a day. He knew I'd grown and become a man. I was still little Buck.

Sad to have gotten up with him around 3 AM, him in the galley. He got milk from the fridge, glass from the cabinet. The glass was set in the sink. Big Nernie poured his milk out onto the counter. He then picked up his empty glass and drunk his milk. A few years later my dad's brother had no choice but to put him in a home.

It took six orderlies to drag him back into his room. He was going home to see mother, who he just knew would be there. She had died many years before. Big Nernie had to see her. Even with enough dope in his system to stop a charging bull elephant, he fought off six orderlies and nearly made it out of the place.

Big Nernie suffered Old Timers, slight dementia. My grandmother on my mom's side has slight Old Timers, but a ton of dementia. I'm not able to remember if keeping an active mind helps, or makes it worse. That's what I happily have on my billet to look forward to, though.
 

MyMagicMist

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I'm thinking about an uber aware patrolman, walking up, hand on draw.. and a lil voice in the back seat going "1.somethings wrong with me 2. somethings wrong with me 3. somethings got to give, 4. something's GOT TO GIVE! LET THE BODIES HIT THE FLOOOOOOR!

The look on that cops face was hi larous though. He didn't know if I was coming out the car or not. Good thing his buddy just started laughing at me.
 

JuicyLucy

My name is Lucy and I am a squonkaholic
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You mention unions. I can think of four of the top of my head.

U.S.W is one my grandfather on my dad's belonged to, he worked in a foundry in Youngstown for a bit over twenty eight years.

My dad left me and mom when I was two. He come back to see his boy when his boy had grown into a seventeen year old man. We come to Wheeling to see my granddad. When I was tw
o, I called him Big Nernie and he called me Buck. Meeting him again at seventeen was the same as if he had simply went next door for a day. He knew I'd grown and become a man. I was still little Buck.

Sad to have gotten up with him around 3 AM, him in the galley. He got milk from the fridge, glass from the cabinet. The glass was set in the sink. Big Nernie poured his milk out onto the counter. He then picked up his empty glass and drunk his milk. A few years later my dad's brother had no choice but to put him in a home.

It took six orderlies to drag him back into his room. He was going home to see mother, who he just knew would be there. She had died many years before. Big Nernie had to see her. Even with enough dope in his system to stop a charging bull elephant, he fought off six orderlies and nearly made it out of the place.

Big Nernie suffered Old Timers, slight dementia. My grandmother on my mom's side has slight Old Timers, but a ton of dementia. I'm not able to remember if keeping an active mind helps, or makes it worse. That's what I happily have on my billet to look forward to, though.

That shit runs hard core on my maternal side and it scares the shit out of me whenever I can't remember something

The prospect of waking up one of these days in the next ten years and thinking my husband is the dog catcher is a big motivator for the big changes we're fixing to make.

One more big adventure before while I can still remember it, lol
 

MyMagicMist

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That shit runs hard core on my maternal side and it scares the shit out of me whenever I can't remember something

The prospect of waking up one of these days in the next ten years and thinking my husband is the dog catcher is a big motivator for the big changes we're fixing to make.

One more big adventure before while I can still remember it, lol

Know I joke about it but at times I do actually go off the rails for a bit. Beings as I try to write some, I have internal congruency. Moo picked up on something. I can sling metaphors into a blender for sure. I have no idea I do it when I do. His bestie kind of sounds like me in having mixed up wiring.

Part of it for me is not having certain glands kick in while I was in womb, then after being born. No sense of smell for me because the pituitary did not activate like it ought to have, ergo no chemicals to make me olfactory nerves. My synapses do not quite always make the jump. I have times when I will literally punch myself out of the blue for no discernible reason, it's my body reacting to my nerves pulling a haywire act.

I too get very frightened considering what lay ahead. Have muscle memory from doing all kinds of various stuff. There is some I can not convey that I did, because I either honestly do not remember, or am obligated, or the daisies were in bloom. I have time slips. I used to move and do so quickly, accurately the bosses would let me train machines. Now, I look and see how automation will kill labor. "Oh gee, I taught them how to do that .. huh." I'll never see a red cent for any of it beyond what was paid as straight time then.

My witch knows if I go too far off tracks, 22 caliber to the brain pan works wonders. Of course, got my doubts she actually could. Though I recall one night I got a little nasty while hung in three sheets. I remembered about a submarine being scuttled and started raising Hell over it, cursing the damn support stanchion in our hovel. "That's it, last call sailor! Get your arse to the rack, now!' I laughed at her but yes, I stumbled my way to the rack. She sounded like a very serious Lt. then, and I damn sure did not want court martial over a fit of being drunk.
 

The Cromwell

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I got that same email from the White House. I haven't checked it though as I'm quite frankly, exhausted. And I was salary as a teacher. We didn't get paid for the additional 4-8 hours a day we worked, nor the (often) 16 hours on weekends.
I have 2 sisters that are teachers.
Teachers are very underpaid for what they do.
 

doc_iguana

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In my younger days I was actually a welder for the Pile Drivers Union, Local 34 Oakland, California.
and you're still kind of a badazz!

top of the morning, folks - pre-launch prep has commenced - runnin and gunnin today getting all the critters wrangled and stuffz packed for the bayou :)

crawfish and debauchery... what could go wrong?
 

Atchafalaya

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and you're still kind of a badazz!

top of the morning, folks - pre-launch prep has commenced - runnin and gunnin today getting all the critters wrangled and stuffz packed for the bayou :)

crawfish and debauchery... what could go wrong?
How fun! My sister wants me to enter the Rouses's contest for crawfish so if I win I can let her have the prize. lol. Wish I could go to the bayou! Have a great time.
 

Moueix

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Know I joke about it but at times I do actually go off the rails for a bit. Beings as I try to write some, I have internal congruency. Moo picked up on something. I can sling metaphors into a blender for sure. I have no idea I do it when I do. His bestie kind of sounds like me in having mixed up wiring.

Part of it for me is not having certain glands kick in while I was in womb, then after being born. No sense of smell for me because the pituitary did not activate like it ought to have, ergo no chemicals to make me olfactory nerves. My synapses do not quite always make the jump. I have times when I will literally punch myself out of the blue for no discernible reason, it's my body reacting to my nerves pulling a haywire act.

I too get very frightened considering what lay ahead. Have muscle memory from doing all kinds of various stuff. There is some I can not convey that I did, because I either honestly do not remember, or am obligated, or the daisies were in bloom. I have time slips. I used to move and do so quickly, accurately the bosses would let me train machines. Now, I look and see how automation will kill labor. "Oh gee, I taught them how to do that .. huh." I'll never see a red cent for any of it beyond what was paid as straight time then.
a
My witch knows if I go too far off tracks, 22 caliber to the brain pan works wonders. Of course, got my doubts she actually could. Though I recall one night I got a little nasty while hung in three sheets. I remembered about a submarine being scuttled and started raising Hell over it, cursing the damn support stanchion in our hovel. "That's it, last call sailor! Get your arse to the rack, now!' I laughed at her but yes, I stumbled my way to the rack. She sounded like a very serious Lt. then, and I damn sure did not want court martial over a fit of being drunk.

Seems there is two kinds of Brains. The "I can remember, calculate, reason, analyze, etc. etc." brain. Usually driven by wanting to do it better, faster, cheaper, more logically, whatever.. that seems to come with wiring in their SHORTS. Sadly, they seldom also get the gifts of creativity, natural talent except for the cerebral aspect. Then there are the artists, the poets, the song writers, musicians, and a cadre of others who benefit from the Left Side Brain. Some of those also get the analytical brain, and can be spectacular. But this group is more prone to come with shorts in their wiring. It is what it is. There is a fine line between genius and crazy.
 

Moueix

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In my younger days I was actually a welder for the Pile Drivers Union, Local 34 Oakland, California.

Oh, that's Hankunition if I ever saw it...

Ya know, women's rights have come a long way. A woman welder in a pile drivers union. Glad to see it, but it DOES kind of piss me off that being a man, I can't even hope to get a job at Victoria's Secret. And I'm getting tired of trying.
 

The Cromwell

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Oh, that's Hankunition if I ever saw it...

Ya know, women's rights have come a long way. A woman welder in a pile drivers union. Glad to see it, but it DOES kind of piss me off that being a man, I can't even hope to get a job at Victoria's Secret. And I'm getting tired of trying.
You need to shave your legs.
 

Douggro

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I could NEVER get used to it. If it rains for 2 days straight, I become massively depressed. Considering that W. WA gets about 300 days of rain a year... I'd just kill myself.

Andria
Not sure where you're getting that 300 day number - certainly doesn't apply to the Seattle metro area.. maybe over in the Olympic National Forest area, yes, but not here. I think the record is just over 90 consecutive days with measurable rainfall - but that means that they only had to have .01" in the gauge to count. ;) The upside is we don't get that wild extreme weather with any semblance of regularity. No tornadoes or hurricanes, snow only every few years (on this side of the mountains)..
 

Moueix

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That shit runs hard core on my maternal side and it scares the shit out of me whenever I can't remember something

The prospect of waking up one of these days in the next ten years and thinking my husband is the dog catcher is a big motivator for the big changes we're fixing to make.

One more big adventure before while I can still remember it, lol

That sounds AWESOME, Lucy. I'd like to do the earning thing for another 5 years minimum. Hell, I'd like to do it forever, but just in case I CAN'T for whatever reason. And I don't want to start collecting S.S.# until I am at the max age. The Mrs. and I are going to spend a year at a time between those years, renting a small efficiency apt in as many of the top cities of the world for art and history, as we can.

Or, if health is an issue, retire to Malaysia. Their medical care is much more advanced and modern than the USA (I hear a gasp, like nobody could be better than the USA) and it is also FAR cheaper. I can get an Intl. health care policy that beats my Blue Cross by a mile, for 1/6 of the price, if my home address is Malaysia. Once I hit the max benefit age for S.S., I'm either coming home to enjoy the Medicaid that I paid into if we have health issues, or asking for my SS checks to be forwarded.

I assume you know about the fact there are forums for Ex-pats in almost every country. Can't research all that, too much. My folks decided to build a retirement home in a small Nevada town, on the side of a mountain. Was gorgeous. All on ground level, extra wide doors in case one of them ended in a chair, amazing view of a valley that the Air Force would come practice in, and THAT was freegin cool. Yeah, it would get noisy for a few hours a few times a week, but THAT view made my spine tingle. But they had to go to town periodically. Strange town. No outsiders really allowed. They made my mom feel very unwelcome. Then she discovered she had Parkinsons. Knew she was going to need better medical facilities, closer. About that time, an unsolicited offer from a townsperson came in for the house. Well below market. They poliltely declined the realtor. Shortly after, the 10 acres of joshua trees, and various other desert growth on the 10 acres, "caught fire". The local FD saved the house, but the property was scorched, and no longer beautiful.

That townsperson came back with another offer. Same amount. Mom convinced Dad to take it. She had ulterior motives that she hadn't disclosed. Well, that, and the would be purchaser also happened to be the BIL of the local sheriff, who suspected arson, looked at my folks kinda funny, and wouldn't consider the idea that a fire was set to the property shortly after they turned down an offer from BIL, in a community that they could never, quite literally, be a part of. We wondered WTF, I woulda held my ground and replanted or whatever. Then practiced my shooting in the yard a lot.
Mom didn't come clean about what she knew was in store for her and Dad, for 3 more years. She is still my hero. Dying so gently and gracefully with such a horrible disease. I think she must have had super powers.
 

Moueix

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and you're still kind of a badazz!

top of the morning, folks - pre-launch prep has commenced - runnin and gunnin today getting all the critters wrangled and stuffz packed for the bayou :)

crawfish and debauchery... what could go wrong?

WOO HOO!!! I expect an ENDLESS stream of mouth watering, appetite lifting, juicy pictures! And when you're done on Bourbon St., take a few pics of the food and libations?
 

doc_iguana

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WOO HOO!!! I expect an ENDLESS stream of mouth watering, appetite lifting, juicy pictures! And when you're done on Bourbon St., take a few pics of the food and libations?
lol - not going to NOLA this time, brother - will be in North Louisiana Thu-Sun then Lafayette Sun-Tue...

starting here...

http://www.restaurantcotton.com/

then crawfish at Cormier's in Monroe...

then visiting GlacierBabe (and InoVapes) in Jena, LA... then off to Natchitoches...

then miscellaneous shenaniganery thru Saturday night, with a roadtrip to Alexandria for crawfish at DeBarges...

then south for the Sunday Brunch at Blue Dog Cafe http://lafayette.bluedogcafe.com/

then commencing food tour of Lafayette (you know, boudin stuffed grilled cheese sammiches, moar crawfish... moar boudin... nap... cocktails...)
 

Moueix

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GM everyone, Btw. And a sincere Hump Day GFY. Especially you, Mr. Hankey. Has anyone told you, that you're Deluxe?

51u7zA9S23L._SL250_.jpg
 

Kodak

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lol - not going to NOLA this time, brother - will be in North Louisiana Thu-Sun then Lafayette Sun-Tue...

starting here...

http://www.restaurantcotton.com/

then crawfish at Cormier's in Monroe...

then visiting GlacierBabe (and InoVapes) in Jena, LA... then off to Natchitoches...

then miscellaneous shenaniganery thru Saturday night, with a roadtrip to Alexandria for crawfish at DeBarges...

then south for the Sunday Brunch at Blue Dog Cafe http://lafayette.bluedogcafe.com/

then commencing food tour of Lafayette (you know, boudin stuffed grilled cheese sammiches, moar crawfish... moar boudin... nap... cocktails...)

*sigh* The pictures you post always make me look forward to going to the inlaws in December. Eat enough for me so I can live vicariously through you since December is a looooonnnnnnggggg time away!
 

JuicyLucy

My name is Lucy and I am a squonkaholic
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Oh, that's Hankunition if I ever saw it...

Ya know, women's rights have come a long way. A woman welder in a pile drivers union. Glad to see it, but it DOES kind of piss me off that being a man, I can't even hope to get a job at Victoria's Secret. And I'm getting tired of trying.

With the right surgeon...
 

Moueix

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lol - not going to NOLA this time, brother - will be in North Louisiana Thu-Sun then Lafayette Sun-Tue...

starting here...

http://www.restaurantcotton.com/

then crawfish at Cormier's in Monroe...

then visiting GlacierBabe (and InoVapes) in Jena, LA... then off to Natchitoches...

then miscellaneous shenaniganery thru Saturday night, with a roadtrip to Alexandria for crawfish at DeBarges...

then south for the Sunday Brunch at Blue Dog Cafe http://lafayette.bluedogcafe.com/

then commencing food tour of Lafayette (you know, boudin stuffed grilled cheese sammiches, moar crawfish... moar boudin... nap... cocktails...)

I knew all this. I just figured someone else missed it.. ;) In either case, pictures, Man.
I'm pretty booked up next week, sales calls to Iowa and South Dakota. It would be an awesome ride though, and who knows? If you see a guy aside a red Harley RGU, bent over the seat, wave hello? It could be me saying Howdy.
 
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