Oklahoma and Texas Again

This last week was a repeat of 2 weeks ago but I met some interesting people. The first guy was the maintenance guy at the customer's building. I get there to install a machine that requires an Air Supply. I had asked if Air was already run to the room, answer is......sure. Well I get there and yes there is air supplied to the room and that is all. The pipe comes in and has a shut-off and that is it. Nothing to hook the equipment to. So here comes "Gary" (name changed to protect the innocent). Gary is the plant maintenance guy. To make a long story short, Gary took 2 hrs. to put a connection on the end of the line. First he measured what was needed and then left. for 30 minutes. Unscrews a bracket and then leaves for another 30 minutes. Comes back and reinstalls the bracket closer to the machine and then leaves. At this time I have started a game of Sudako on the computer I am so bored. When he returns he starts to finish. I thought for a minute to ask him if he was a member of the union but decided not to. So now that he has all his stuff he begins to strike up a conversation with me and it was a very interesting and entertaining. I know all about his Brother-in-law's dog named "6th grader". I kind of like that name for a dog. Then he starts telling me about the best deer scents to use. Man the time flew and 2 hrs. later he is done and I can get started.

The next morning I had to ship some equipment back to Chicago so I stop by Fedex. I walk in with the equipment in a box that is tattering and they say oh you have to get a new box. Well first this is a sales gimmick. The box I have, even though it is tattered is like a 1/4 in thick. The replacement box is much more flimsy but hey it looks pretty. But instead of arguing I say sure. Fold a box and stuff some foam what 5 minutes. I had the paperwork filled out and it still took 45 minutes. So the lesson learned if you go to Houston is don't be in a hurry because it runs at a different pace. The only place slower I have found in my travels is Atlanta GA. Til next week.

Week in Texas

Well last week was kind of boring. Three trips to Wylie Tx and then nothing else. I am sure glad that is not my commute every day. I wouldn't last a month. Anywhere from a 2.25hr to a 3.45hr trip, one way. It was a good learning experience though. I found out what some of my trainers taught me about the equipment wasn't exactly correct. And I got to find out the hard way. But that is usually how I learn things. Since I didn't have a long week, I got things done around the farm. We now have Channel Catfish in the tank. Yes believe it or not we have water in the tank. That would be because of the 4 weeks of constant rain we experienced. But hey by spring we may be having a fish fry. Whowho. Also built a custom gate for the front pasture. When I put the fence post in, I had planned to have a small gate to walk through or drive a riding mower through. What I didn't think about is there are no commercial gates that size. So I just built one. Next week is a repeat of last week. Oklahoma then Houston.

North and South

One week on the west coast the next on the east coast so where would the next week be......Central, north and then south of course. Spent monday in OKC and then tuesday I sent my computer to Chicago for some super secret software. So hey they can't send me anywhere if I don't have a computer. Wrong, just use your Flash Drive. So on Wed I headed to Houston TX to use my super secret disk (for the first time ever). Wow I find out you need a PIN number to use it. Hey they never gave me a PIN number. Long story, short version, I have to establish a pin on the first use. Wow if they just would have mentioned that in the instructions it would have been so easy. Wouldn't have had to have a conference call (after hours) with 4 people. But hey it wouldn't have been the adventure that it was. It might have taken only 30 min instead of the hour it took. But it is good to have my computer back even if I do have another password to put in just to use it. This next week looks fairly slow.... well so far

Getting Directions on the Road

Well this week I was feeling like a pinball. One week in Northern California and the next in South Carolina. Oh and next week is Oklahoma City. But this is a rare occasion of extremes. South Carolina….Oh a beautiful place with the tall trees, rolling hills and Blue highway patrol lights that can probably be seen from the Space Shuttle. First what is the Shade of blue they use. The human eye is very sensitive to that color because I don’t live there and the instant you see them lights panic sets in. Well that and the 4 billion candle watts of brightness. Luckily I didn’t see them directly in my rear view mirror while I was there. I did have my BBQ while I was there and yes it was as good as I remembered. It was a nightmare trying to find it though. When I checked into the hotel I asked the attendant where the best BBQ was. She told me Antleys and she would print me off directions. I took the directions and left. When I got back in the car I read the instructions. Quote “Exit the hotel parking lot, go straight through 3 red lights (including the one at the hotel) and just past the 3rd light it is behind the Bank of America.” Sound easy. My first problem was exiting the hotel parking lot. It is on the corner of an intersection. So which exit? I had a 50/50 chance and jumped on it. 1 light, 2 lights, 3 lights (I am now in nowhere land), 4th light, 5th light and nothing. I even checked my DumDum (TomTom) for restaurants which will give me the 20 closest, Nothing. I turned around thinking that my 50/50 was wrong. I got tired of looking so I ate at Red Robins. That night I looked it up on the internet and wrote down the address. After work I was starved, no breakfast and no lunch. I throw the address into DumDum and found the place. Here is what the directions should have said (Not even close). Exit the front of the Hotel and proceed through “7” red lights and turn right at the 7th one. Proceed 1.1 miles then turn left. Proceed 300 yards and turn right. Your destination is 100 yards on the right. Getting directions in a new area is a hilarious situation. No wonder men refuse to stop for directions. I was once in TN and I arrived to the customers at lunchtime so I had an hour to kill before I could get in. I was in dire need of a haircut so I stopped at a convenience store (in the middle of nowhere land) for directions. They said yes there is several downtown. I asked where the town was they were talking about. They said “oh I am sorry you mentioned you were from out of state. Just go to the square and go straight at the first light and there is one on the right.” COOL, now where is the damn square people, just point and I will find it. Enough ranting, at least I have DumDum now.